Mines of Rammelsberg, Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management System

The mines of Rammelsberg were used for 1000 years and it was one of the largest silver deposits in the world

Rammelsberg Mine

This postcard was sent by Michaela

The Rammelsberg is a mountain, 635 metres (2,083 ft) high, on the northern edge of the Harz range, south of the historic town of Goslar in the North German state of Lower Saxony. The mountain is the location of an important silver, copper, and lead mine, the only mine which had been working continuously for over 1,000 years when it finally closed in 1988. - in: wikipedia

Imperial Palace of Goslar

This  postcard was sent by Dustin

The Imperial Palace of Goslar (German: Kaiserpfalz Goslar) is a historical building complex at the foot of the Rammelsberg hill in the south of the town of Goslar north of the Harz mountains, central Germany. It covers an area of about 340 by 180 metres and stands. The palace grounds originally included the Kaiserhaus, the old collegiate church of St. Simon and St. Jude, the palace chapel of St. Ulrich and the Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche). The Kaiserhaus, which has been extensively restored in the late 19th century, was a favourite imperial residence, especially for the Salian emperors. As early as the 11th century, the buildings of the imperial palace had already so impressed the chronicler Lambert of Hersfeld that he described it as the "most famous residence in the empire".  - in: wikipedia

Market Church St. Cosmas and Damian

This postcard was sent by Martin

The Goslar Market Church, first mentioned in 1151, was built as a smaller copy of the Imperial Church, which no longer exists, in the form of a triple-aisled, pillared basilica with two spires in the west. In the 14th and 15th centuries the choir was enlarged and an additional nave was added on both sides. Today it not only attracts attention through its central location on the Market Square but also because of its very high unmatched steeples, which assist in orientation and provide attractive views from various points in the Old Town. - in: https://www.goslar.de/sightseeing/churches/355-market-church-st-cosmas-and-damian

Upper Harz Water Management System

This postcard was sent by Michèle

The Upper Harz Water Regale (German: Oberharzer Wasserregal) is a system of dams, reservoirs, ditches and other structures, much of which was built from the 16th to 19th centuries to divert and store the water that drove the water wheels of the mines in the Upper Harz region of Germany. The term regale, here, refers to the granting of royal privileges or rights (droit de régale) in this case to permit the use of water for mining operations in the Harz mountains of Germany.

The Upper Harz Water Regale is one of the largest and most important historic mining water management systems in the world. The facilities developed for the generation of water power have been placed under protection since 1978 as cultural monuments. - in: wikipedia

Mistaken Point

More than 10,000 fossil impressions, ranging from a few centimetres to nearly 2 metres in length, are visible along the coastline of Mistaken Point.

Mistaken Point

This postcard was sent by Julie

This fossil site is located at the south-eastern tip of the island of Newfoundland, in eastern Canada. It consists of a narrow, 17 km-long strip of rugged coastal cliffs. Of deep marine origin, these cliffs date to the Ediacaran Period (580-560 million years ago), representing the oldest known assemblages of large fossils anywhere. These fossils illustrate a watershed in the history of life on earth: the appearance of large, biologically complex organisms, after almost three billion years of micro-dominated evolution. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1497

Pitons, cirques and remparts of Reunion Island

This site covers 40% of the Réunion Island

Réunion National Park

This postcard was sent by Javier

Réunion National Park (French: Parc national de La Réunion) is a National Park of France located on the island of Réunion, an overseas department in the western Indian Ocean. Established on 5 March 2007, the park protects the endemic ecosystems of Les Hauts, Réunion's mountainous interior, and covers around 42% of the island. 

The park's fauna includes notably several endemic bird species, such as Barau's petrel, the Réunion harrier, and the Réunion cuckooshrike. In total, 18 bird species are found at Réunion, half of which are endemic. At least 22 bird species have already gone extinct since human colonisation. A major threat to the bird fauna are introduced cats and rats. Of mammals, the Mauritian flying fox recolonised the Réunion after going extinct from the island. Notable butterfly species include Papilio phorbanta and Salamis augustina, and an endemic reptile is the Reunion Island day gecko. - in: wikipedia

Sinharaja Forest Reserve

With these beautiful waterfalls of Sinharaja I completed Sri Lanka :)

Waterfalls of Sinharaja Rain Forest

This postcard was sent by Javier

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a national park and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

According to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Sinharaja is the country's last viable area of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare.

The hilly virgin rainforest, part of the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests ecoregion, was saved from the worst of commercial logging by its inaccessibility, and was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988. The reserve's name translates as Lion Kingdom.

The reserve is only 21 km (13 mi) from east to west, and a maximum of 7 km (4.3 mi) from north to south, but it is a treasure trove of endemic species, including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Because of the dense vegetation, wildlife is not as easily seen as at dry-zone national parks such as Yala. There are about 3 elephants, and 15 or so leopards. The most common larger mammal is the endemic purple-faced langur.

Birds tend to move in mixed feeding flocks, invariably led by the fearless Sri Lanka Crested Drongo and the noisy orange-billed babbler. Of Sri Lanka's 26 endemic birds, the 20 rainforest species all occur here, including the elusive red-faced malkoha, green-billed coucal and Sri Lanka blue magpie.

Reptiles include the endemic green pit viper and hump-nosed vipers, and there are a large variety of amphibians, especially tree frogs. Invertebrates include the endemic common birdwing, butterfly and leeches. - in: wikipedia

Central Highlands of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's highlands are situated in the south-central part of the island and includes three properties: the Peak Wilderness Protected Area, the Horton Plains National Park and the Knuckles Conservation Forest.

Horton Plains National Park

This postcard was sent by Javier

Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. This plateau at an altitude of 2,100–2,300 metres (6,900–7,500 ft) is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region. This region was designated a national park in 1988.

The vegetation of the park is classified into two distinctive groups, 2,000 hectares (7.7 sq mi) of wet patana (Sinhalese for "montane grasslands") and 1,160 hectares (4.5 sq mi) of subtropical montane evergreen forests. Nearly 750 species of plants belonging to 20 families have been recorded from the park.

The vertebrate fauna of the region includes 24 species of mammals, 87 species of birds, nine species of reptiles and eight species of amphibians. The Sri Lankan elephant disappeared from the region in the 1940s at the latest. At present, the largest and the most commonly seen mammal is the sambar deer. Some research findings estimate the population of sambar deer to be around 1500 to 2000, possibly more than the carrying capacity of the plains. Other mammal species found in the park include Kelaart's long-clawed shrews, toque macaques, purple-faced langurs, rusty-spotted cat, Sri Lankan leopards, wild boars, stripe-necked mongooses, Sri Lankan spotted chevrotains, Indian muntjacs, and grizzled giant squirrels. Fishing cats and European otters visit the wetlands of the park to prey on aquatic animals. A subspecies of red slender loris, the Horton Plains slender loris (Loris tardigradus nycticeboides formerly sometimes considered as Loris lydekkerianus nycticeboides) is found only in highlands of Sri Lanka and is considered one of the world's most endangered primates. - in: wikipedia

Costiera Amalfitana

This site was already recommended to me to go on vacation by a few Italian friends. They say it's amazing and it's surrounded by others UNESCO sites! 

Amalfi Cathedral

This postcard was sent from the USA by Jackie

Amalfi is a town and comune in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery.

Amalfi Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Amalfi; Cattedrale di Sant'Andrea) is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in the Piazza del Duomo, Amalfi, Italy. It is dedicated to the Apostle Saint Andrew whose relics are kept here. Formerly the archiepiscopal seat of the Diocese of Amalfi, it has been since 1986 that of the Diocese of Amalfi-Cava de' Tirreni.

Begun in the 9th and 10th centuries, it has been added to and redecorated several times, overlaying Arab-Norman, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque elements, and finally a new 19th century Norman-Arab-Byzantine facade. The cathedral includes the adjoining 9th-century Basilica of the Crucifix. Leading from the basilica are steps into the Crypt of St. Andrew. - in: wikipedia

Positano

This postcard was sent from Germany by Kerstin

Positano is a village and comune on the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), in Campania, Italy, mainly in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast.

Positano was a port of the Amalfi Republic in medieval times, and prospered during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to America.

Positano was a relatively poor fishing village during the first half of the twentieth century. It began to attract large numbers of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May, 1953: "Positano bites deep", Steinbeck wrote. "It is a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." - in: wikipedia

Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications

This is the only UNESCO site in the mainland of Portugal where I've never been. When it was inscribed I was already living in Switzerland

Amoreira Aqueduct

This postcard was sent by Jackie

The Amoreira Aqueduct (Portuguese: Aqueduto da Amoreira) is a 16th-century aqueduct (begun in 1537) that spans the Portuguese municipality of Elvas, bringing water into the fortified seat.

The aqueduct has a length of 7,054 metres (23,143 ft) from its spring in the Serra do Bispo until the Chafariz do Jardim, and another 450 metres (1,480 ft) to the town fountain. Its track includes 1,367 metres (4,485 ft) subterranean segments, to a maximum altitude of 4,049 metres (13,284 ft) above sea level, while 1,683 metres (5,522 ft) include arcade segments. From Outeiro de São Francisco is the second canal, which redirects waters to Outeiro dos Pobres, identifiable in the arcade at Rossio. In total there are 833 arches, with at most four registers at any one time (diminishing size at higher altitudes), supported by rectangular pillars and strengthened by semi-circular and pyramidal buttresses. The structure includes the municipal coat-of-arms constructed of marble or azulejo. -in: wikipedia

Fort of Santa Luzia

This postcard was sent by Martinha 

The Santa Luzia Fort is located on the south side of the beautiful town of Elvas, and constitutes nowadays an important example of the 17th century Portuguese military architecture. 

Elvas, located next to the border with Spain, has been since early times an important strategically defensive point. This structure was built in 1641, right after the Restoration of the Portuguese Independence from the Spanish domain. Matias de Albuquerque signed the project that was later redesigned by Sebastião Frias on a star shape, and afterwards altered by Hieronimo Rozzeti.

This Fort was part of an important defensive structure which includes the São Mamede, São Pedro, Piedade and São Francisco Forts, integrating the Elvas defensive lines. 

This defensive system was able to resist the violent attack and three months siege that the Spanish Army made in 1659.

The Santa Luzia Fort presents a square plan with around 150 meters, and is constituted by several Vauban style bastions, ravelins, crowns and other military pieces. In the centre is the small fort where is located the Governor’s House.

Nowadays this Fort also houses the interesting Santa Luzia Fort Military Museum. - in: https://www.guiadacidade.pt/en/poi-santa-luzia-fort-20169

Fort of Graça

This postcard was sent by Javier

The Nossa Senhora da Graça Fort, officially Conde de Lippe Fort and known historically as La Lippe, is a fort in the village of Alcáçova, about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north of the town of Elvas in the Portalegre District of Portugal.

The strategic importance of the fort was demonstrated during the Portuguese Restoration War, when in 1658 Spanish troops occupied the site during the siege of the town of Elvas prior to the Battle of the Lines of Elvas on 14 January 1659.

A century later, during the Seven Years' War (1756-1763) King Joseph I of Portugal and the Marquis of Pombal called on Marshal Lippe to reorganize the Portuguese army and draw up plans for the modernization of the stronghold.

The work began in 1763 and continued into the reign of Maria I of Portugal (r. 1777–1816), with the fort reopening in 1792 under the name of Conde de Lippe Fort after its designer.

The fort is a 150 metres (490 ft) quadrangle with pentagonal bastions at the corners. Four ravelins cover the curtain wall, half of which form part of the monumental gate (Dragon Gate).

The central part of the square features a circular redoubt with two floors and a parapet with gun ports. The fort's circular tower has two vaulted floors: the first consisting of a decorated chapel and the second the Governor's House. Below the chapel, carved into the rock, there is a cistern. - in: wikipedia

The 7 properties (in red what I have):

• Amoreira Aqueduct
• Historic Centre
• Fort of Santa Luzia and the covered way
• Fort of Graça
• Fortlet of São Mamede
• Fortlet of São Pedro
• Fortlet of São Domingos