Antigua Guatemala

I already saw a Travel Agency advertising Antigua and Barbuda with a photo of Antigua Guatemala...

Arch Street

This postcard was sent by Marco

Built 1,530.17 m above sea level in an earthquake-prone region, Antigua Guatemala, the capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala, was founded in 1524 as Santiago de Guatemala. It was subsequently destroyed by fire caused by an uprising of the indigenous population, re-established in 1527 and entirely buried as a result of earthquakes and an avalanche in 1541. The third location, in the Valley of Panchoy or Pacán, was inaugurated in March 1543 and served for 230 years. It survived natural disasters of floods, volcanic eruptions and other serious tremors until 1773 when the Santa Marta earthquakes destroyed much of the town. At this point, authorities ordered the relocation of the capital to a safer location region, which became Guatemala City, the county’s modern capital. Some residents stayed behind in the original town, however, which became referred to as “La Antigua Guatemala”. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/65

Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California

This site is home of 891 fish species and comprises 244 islands, islets and coastal areas

Isla Espíritu Santo

This postcard was sent by Marco

Isla Espíritu Santo is an island in the Gulf of California, off the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. 

The area is protected as part of the Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna - Islas del Golfo de California (APFF-IGC), and is an important eco-tourism destination. Espíritu Santo is the only known habitat of the black jackrabbit.

The surrounding reefs are home to parrotfish, angelfish, trumpetfish, Moorish idols, and rainbow wrasse, while many other species pass nearby including sharks, rays, turtles, dolphins, and even whales. Birds include brown pelicans, great blue herons, snowy egrets, turkey vultures, and hummingbirds. A large sea lion colony resides on Los Islotes, off the north tip of the islands; snorkeling with the females and young is a highlight of many tours. - in: wikipedia

Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings

Novgorod is an important Russian city, surrounded by churches and monasteries 

Cathedral of St. Sophia

The Cathedral of St. Sophia (the Holy Wisdom of God) in Veliky Novgorod is the cathedral church of the Archbishop of Novgorod and the mother church of the Novgorodian Eparchy.

The 38-metre-high, five-domed, stone cathedral was built by Vladimir of Novgorod between 1045 and 1050 to replace an oaken cathedral built by Bishop Joachim the Korsunian in the late tenth century (making it the oldest church building in Russia proper and, with the exception of the Arkhyz and Shoana churches, the oldest building of any kind still in use in the country).

Bells by St. Sophia's Belfry

This postcard was sent by Masha

The cupolas are thought to have acquired their present helmet-like shape in the 1150s, when the cathedral was restored after a fire.

A white stone belltower in five bays was built by Archbishop Evfimii II (1429–1458), the greatest architectural patron to ever hold the archiepiscopal office. He also had the Palace of Facets built just northwest of the cathedral in 1433. The nearby clocktower was initially completed under his patronage as well, but fell down in the seventeenth century and was restored in 1673. - in: wikipedia

Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior is a former Russian Orthodox Church that stands on Ilyina (Elijah) Street in Veliky Novgorod just east of the Marketplace. The current building was built in 1374 and frescoed by Theophanes the Greek in 1378. Substantial portions of those frescoes still remain, including the Christ Pantocrator in the dome, a number of saints inside the south entrance, and The Old Testament Trinity in the western vestry, as well as others. The current building is now a museum, part of the Novgorod State Museum-Preserve. - in: wikipedia

Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida

The more than 20 Roman monuments protected by UNESCO in Mérida include aqueducts, bridges, a theatre and an amphitheatre, a circus, temples and Roman baths

Los Milagros Aqueduct

This postcard was sent by Manú

The Acueducto de los Milagros (English: Miraculous Aqueduct) is the ruins of a Roman aqueduct bridge, part of the aqueduct built to supply water to the Roman colony of Emerita Augusta, today Mérida, Spain.

Only a relatively small stretch of the aqueduct still stands, consisting of 38 arched pillars standing 25 metres (82 ft) high along a course of some 830 metres (2,720 ft). - in: wikipedia

Roman Theatre of Mérida

This postcard was sent by Joana

The Roman Theatre of Mérida is a construction promoted by the consul Vipsanius Agrippa in the Roman city of Emerita Augusta, capital of Lusitania (current Mérida, Spain). It was constructed in the years 16 to 15 BCE.

The theater has undergone several renovations, notably at the end of the 1st century or early 2nd century BC (possibly during the reign of Emperor Trajan), when the current facade of the scaenae frons was erected, and another in the time of Constantine I (between 330 and 340) which introduced new decorative-architectural elements and a walkway around the monument. Following the theatre's abandonment in Late Antiquity, it was slowly covered with earth, with only the upper tiers of seats (summa cavea) remaining visible. In local folklore the site was referred to as "The Seven Chairs", where, according to tradition, several Moorish kings sat to decide the fate of the city. - in: wikipedia

Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí

There are nine Romanesque churches inscribed in this site and they look very beautiful

Eglésia de Sant Climant de Taüll

This postcard was sent by Meli

Sant Climent de Taüll, also known as the Church of St. Clement of Tahull, is a Roman Catholic church in Catalonia, Spain. It is a form of Romanesque architecture that contains magnificent Romanesque art. Other influences include the Lombard and Byzantine styles, which can be seen throughout the exterior and interior of the building. The church is a basilica plan structure with three naves, each of them with a terminal apse, and large columns separating the side naves. Connecting to the church is a slim bell tower that has six floors plus a base. The artwork inside the church include the famous mural paintings by the Master of Taüll (contained in the different apses and the keys of the arches), as well as the wooden altar frontal. These works of art represent different aspects of Christianity that can also be found in many other works of art. - in: wikipedia

The nine churches (in red what I have):

• Eglésia de Sant Feliu de Barruera
• Eglésia de Sant Joan de Boí
• Eglésia de Santa Maria de Taül
• Eglésia de Sant Climent de Taül
• Eglésia de Santa Maria de l'Assumpció de Cóll
• Eglésia de Santa Maria de Cardet
• Eglésia de la Nativitat de Durro
• Ermitage de Sant Quirc de Durro
• Eglésia de Santa Eulàlia de Vall

Hattusha: the Hittite Capital

I have a couple of multi-view postcards that show a UNESCO site in one image and the other images are not part of the site. It is the case of this one, that besides Hattusha shows also others Çorum Province's views. I prefer when the postcards show only the protected area but until I get a better one this one will do.

Lion's Gate (in the top centre)

This postcard was sent by Onder

Hattusha: the Hittite Capital is located in Boğazkale District of Çorum Province, in a typical landscape of the Northern Central Anatolian Mountain Region.

The property consists of the Hittite city area, the rock sanctuary of Yazılıkaya on the north, the ruins of Kayalı Boğaz on the east and the İbikçam Forest on the south. A monumental enclosure wall of more than 8 km in length surrounds the whole city. There are remains of older walls around the lower city and section walls dividing the large city area in separate districts. The ruins of the upper city’s fortification form a double wall with more than a hundred towers and, as far as is known today, five gateways: two in the west, the Lion’s Gate in the south-west, the King’s Gate in the south-east and a procession gate, the Sphinx Gate in the south of the city.

The best-preserved ruin of a Hittite Temple from the 13th century B.C., known as Great Temple, is located in the Lower City. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/377

Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios

The three monasteries inscribed in this site are geographically distant from each other but they share the same aesthetic characteristics

Monastery of Hosios Loukas

This postcard was sent by Elena

Hosios Loukas is a historic walled monastery situated near the town of Distomo, in Boeotia, Greece. It is one of the most important monuments of Middle Byzantine architecture and art.

The monastery of Hosios Loukas is situated at a scenic site on the slopes of Mount Helicon. It was founded in the early 10th century AD by the hermit, Venerable (Greek: Hosios) St. Luke (Greek: Lukas), whose relics are kept in the monastery to this day. The hermit (not the Evangelist of the Gospel of Saint Luke, but a hermit who died on 7 February 953) was famous for having predicted the conquest of Crete by Emperor Romanos.

The main shrine of the monastery is the tomb of St. Luke, originally situated in the vault, but later placed at the juncture of the two churches. - in: wikipedia

The three monasteries (in red what I have):

• Monastery of Hosios Loukas
• Monastery of Daphni
• Monastery of Nea Moni of Chios