Bagan

Bagan was also inscribed this year and it's a concentration of more than 3000 temples, stupas, monasteries and other structures

Bagan

This postcard was sent from Japan by Emi

Bagan is a sacred landscape which features an exceptional array of Buddhist art and architecture, demonstrates centuries of the cultural tradition of the Theravada Buddhist practice of merit making (Kammatic Buddhism), and provides dramatic evidence of the Bagan Period (Bagan Period 11th – 13th centuries), when redistributional Buddhism became a mechanism of political control, with the king effectively acting as the chief donor. During this period, the Bagan civilisation gained control of the river transport, extending its influence over a large area. The traditions of merit making resulted in a rapid increase in temple construction, peaking in the 13th century. The serial property of eight components is located on a bend in the Ayeyarwady River, in the central dry zone of Myanmar. Seven of the components are located on one side of the River, and one (component 8) is located on the opposite side. Intangible attributes of the property are reflected in Buddhist worship and merit-making activities, traditional cultural practices and farming. The serial property of eight components consists of 3,595 recorded monuments – including stupas, temples and other structures for Buddhist spiritual practice, extensive archaeological resources, and many inscriptions, murals and sculptures. Bagan is a complex, layered cultural landscape which also incorporates living communities and contemporary urban areas. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1588/

Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I)

This is the other site inscribed by China this year and it's a great place for those who love birdwatching

Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve

This postcard was sent by Wei

Yancheng Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve is specifically designed to conserve and naturalize an endangered deer species, Pere David's Deer or Milu in Chinese. The deer reserve park is a part of the Yancheng National Nature Reserve, which is a conservation area for endangered bird species, including the red crowned crane, insects, fish and animal species. - in: http://yancheng.jiangsu.net/attraction/premier.php?name=Yancheng_Dafeng_Milu_National_Nature_Reserve&city=Yancheng&id=135

Yancheng Wetland Rare Birds Nature Reserve

This postcard was sent by Wei

The Yancheng Coastal Wetlands is the largest coastal wetlands nature reserve in China.

It has more than 600 kinds of natural vegetation, 379 kinds of birds, 281 kinds of shellfish, 590 kinds of insects, 47 kinds of mammal and another 490 kinds of plants. In 1992, The Nation Rare Birds Nature Reserve was built in Yancheng Wetlands. The Yancheng Nature Reserve is especially known for the red-crowned cranes. Every winter, hundreds of red-crowned crane migrate to wintering sites in the Yancheng Nature Reserve. There are about 3,000,000 birds fly through Yancheng. Among these birds, more than 500,000 birds overwinter in Yancheng Nature Reserve. - in: wikipedia

Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City

China inscribed two sites this year, being this one of them. China is now, along with Italy, the country with more UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Liangzhu Fanshan Site

This postcard was sent by Wei

Located in the Yangtze River Basin on the south-eastern coast of the country, the archaeological ruins of Liangzhu (about 3,300-2,300 BCE) reveal an early regional state with a unified belief system based on rice cultivation in Late Neolithic China. The property is composed of four areas – the Area of Yaoshan Site, the Area of High-dam at the Mouth of the Valley, the Area of Low-dam on the Plain and the Area of City Site. These ruins are an outstanding example of early urban civilization expressed in earthen monuments, urban planning, a water conservation system and a social hierarchy expressed in differentiated burials in cemeteries within the property. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1592/

Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region

This site was also inscribed this year and is shared by Germany and Czech Republic. Comprises 22 locations including some mining cities.

Freiberg

Freiberg is a university and mining town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. 

The town lies on the northern declivity of the Ore Mountains, with the majority of the borough west of the Eastern or Freiberger Mulde river. 

The town was founded in 1186 and has been a centre of the mining industry in the Ore Mountains for centuries. A symbol of that history is the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, often just known as the Mining Academy (Bergakademie), established in 1765 and the second oldest university of mining and metallurgy in the world. - in: wikipedia

Schneeberg

Schneeberg is a town in Saxony’s district of Erzgebirgskreis. Schneeberg lies on the Silver Road in the upper western Ore Mountains. Visible from afar is the prominent church of St. Wolfgang.

Schneeberg’s more than 500-year-long history has been shaped by mining more than anything else, laying the very groundwork for the town’s founding. The original silver mining also yielded cobalt and bismuth mining by the mid 16th century. When uranium mining was being undertaken between 1946 and 1958, the town’s population quickly rose, leading to Schneeberg’s status as a district-free town (kreisfreie Stadt) between 1952 and 1958. Afterwards it once again belonged to the district of Aue. - in: wikipedia

Annaberg-Buchholz

Annaberg-Buchholz is a town in the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Lying in the Ore Mountains, it is the capital of the district of Erzgebirgskreis.

The town's mines formerly produced silver, tin, and cobalt but ceased production before the First World War. After the Reunification of Germany in 1989, some were restored for tourist purposes. - in: wikipedia

Abertamy

Abertamy is a town in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It is located in Ore Mountains about 16 km (10 mi) north of Karlovy Vary.

Abertamy is first mentioned in written documents from 1529, when miners started to settle in the area. During 1531-1558 silver was mined here. In 1579 Abertamy obtained township rights. On September 15, 1590, a strong earthquake was recorded here. After the Thirty Years' War silver mining stopped, and only the mining of tin continued. Abertamy lost its town rights, and the area was forcibly recatholicized after the war. During the 19th century manufacturing of gloves began and expanded in the 20th century. In 1876 Abertamy again obtained town status. - in: wikipedia

Krupka

Krupka is a town in the north-western part of the Czech Republic, in the Ústí nad Labem Region.

The wrong thought is that the name of this town is derived from the mining of pewter (in Czech "krupky cínu") that was mined there. The name Krupka was created from Old-Czech word "krupý" which means something like large. In connection with the mining, there was created a so-called: “Příhraniční naučná stezka” – educational pathway leading from the Czech side to the German one and back and showing some important as well as beautiful locations. - in: wikipedia

Paraty and Ilha Grande – Culture and Biodiversity

The historic center of Paraty was also inscribed this year along with some natural areas

Paraty from the Bay

This postcard was sent by Paulo

Paraty is a preserved Portuguese colonial (1500–1822) and Brazilian Imperial (1822–1889) municipality with a population of about 36,000. It is located on the Costa Verde(Green Coast), a lush green corridor that runs along the coastline of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. Paraty has become a tourist destination, known for its historic town center and the coast and mountains in the region.

Paraty Historic Center

This postcard was sent by Luzia

Paraty is known for the cobblestone-paved streets throughout the Historic Center District. No cars or trucks are allowed in this part of town, only foot traffic or bicycles. Motor vehicles are only allowed in the Historic District on Wednesdays for deliveries. Horses and carts are a very common sight in Paraty and are frequently used all around the city.

Paraty has been able to maintain many of its historic buildings. Much of the architecture of the city has not changed for 250 years or more. - in: wikipedia

The inscribed properties (in red what I have):

• Serra da Bocaina National Park
• Ilha Grande State Park
• Praia do Sul Biological Reserve
• Environmental Protection Area of Cairuçu
• Paraty Historic Center
• Morro da Vila Velha

Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga

This site was inscribed this year and I couldn't be happier. Besides being a beautiful place it is located in the district where I'm from and I've been there several times.

Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte

Bom Jesus do Monte is a Portuguese sanctuary in Tenões, outside the city of Braga, in northern Portugal. Its name means Good Jesus of the Mount.

The present Sanctuary started being built in 1722, under the patronage of the Archbishop of Braga, Rodrigo de Moura Telles. His coat of arms is seen over the gateway, in the beginning of the stairway. Under his direction the first stairway row, with chapels dedicated to the Via Crucis, were completed. Each chapel is decorated with terra cotta sculptures depicting the Passion of Christ. He also sponsored the next segment of stairways, which has a zigzag shape and is dedicated to the Five Senses. Each sense (Sight, Smell, Hearing, Touch, Taste) is represented by a different fountain. At the end of this stairway, a Baroque church was built around 1725 by architect Manuel Pinto Vilalobos.

Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte

This postcard was sent by Martinha

The works on the first chapels, stairways and church proceeded through the 18th century. In an area behind the church (the Terreiro dos Evangelistas), three octagonal chapels were built in the 1760s with statues depicting episodes that occur after the Crucifixion, like the meeting of Jesus with Mary Magdalene. The exterior design of the beautiful chapels is attributed to renowned Braga architect André Soares. Around these chapels there are four Baroque fountains with statues of the Evangelists, also dating from the 1760s.

Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte

Around 1781, archbishop Gaspar de Bragança decided to complete the ensemble by adding a third segment of stairways and a new church. The third stairway also follows a zigzag pattern and is dedicated to the Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope and Charity, each with its fountain. The old church was demolished and a new one was built following a Neoclassic design by architect Carlos Amarante. This new church, began in 1784, had its interior decorated in the beginning of the 19th century and was consecrated in 1834. The main altarpiece is dedicated to the Crucifixion.

Park of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte

In the 19th century, the area around the church and stairway was expropriated and turned into a park.

Park of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte

In 1882, to facilitate the access to the Sanctuary, the water balance Bom Jesus funicular was built linking the city of Braga to the hill. This was the first funicular to be built in the Iberian Peninsula and is still in use. 

Bom Jesus do Monte Funicular

The Bom Jesus do Monte Funicular (Portuguese: Elevador do Bom Jesus do Monte), is a Portuguese funicular transport in civil parish of Nogueiró e Tenões, in the municipality of Braga, in the district of the same name. Operated by the Irmandade de Bom Jesus do Monte the funicular connects the upper-town of Braga with the Shrine on which it gets its name, over a distance that parallels the Escadaria de Bom Jesus (Bom Jesus staircase) to the highest point at the statue of Saint Longinus.

Construction on the tramway system began in April 1880, designed by Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, under the direction of Swiss engineer Nikolaus Riggenbach, and financed by Bracarense businessman Manuel Joaquim Gomes, the principal shareholder of the Companhia de Carris of Braga. - in: wikipedia

Durham Castle and Cathedral

It's been a while since I was trying to get a postcard of the Durham Cathedral without success... Suddenly I have two! I already had a foggy view of the Castle and I was very lucky, because the sender moved to Germany a few days after sending me the postcard!

Durham Castle

This postcard was sent by Marianna

Durham Castle is a Norman castle in the city of Durham, England, which has been wholly occupied since 1840 by University College, Durham. The castle stands on top of a hill above the River Wear on Durham's peninsula, opposite Durham Cathedral.

The castle was originally built in the 11th century as a projection of the Norman king's power in the north of England, as the population of England in the north remained "wild and fickle" following the disruption of the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is an example of the early motte and bailey castles favoured by the Normans. - in: wikipedia

Durham Cathedral

This postcard was sent by Mary

The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, United Kingdom. It is the seat of the Bishop of Durham, the fourth-ranked bishop in the Church of England hierarchy. The present cathedral was begun in 1093, replacing the Saxon 'White Church', and is regarded as one of the finest examples of Norman architecture in Europe.

Durham Cathedral

This postcard was sent by Dorothy

Durham Cathedral holds the relics of Saint Cuthbert, transported to Durham by Lindisfarne monks in the ninth century, the head of Saint Oswald of Northumbria, and the remains of the Venerable Bede. In addition, its library contains one of the most complete sets of early printed books in England, the pre-Dissolution monastic accounts, and three copies of the Magna Carta. - in: wikipedia

Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary

In the waters around this island is possible to find some of the largest marine predators

Malepo Island

This postcard was sent by Javier

Malpelo is a small island in the East Pacific Ocean, located about 500 km (310 mi) west of the Colombian mainland. 

Malpelo Island is composed of Miocene pillow lavas, volcanic breccias, and basaltic dikes that have been dated as being 16 to 17 million years old. This island and the underlying and underwater Malpelo Ridge were created along with the Carnegie Ridge in the Late Miocene by a very complex interaction between the Cocos-Nazca Spreading Centre and the Galápagos hotspot. - in: wikipedia

Venice and its Lagoon

I'm pretty sure that Venice is very beautiful and romantic but I have this impression that everybody goes to Venice and that the city is always crowded with tourists and that makes me don't want to go there... I prefer places more unexplored , but who knows someday

Basilica della Salute

This postcard was sent by Edoardo

Santa Maria della Salute (English: Saint Mary of Health), commonly known simply as the Salute, is a Roman Catholic church andminor basilica located at Punta della Dogana in the Dorsoduro sestiere of the city of Venice, Italy.

In 1630, Venice experienced an unusually devastating outbreak of the plague. As a votive offering for the city's deliverance from the pestilence, the Republic of Venice vowed to build and dedicate a church to Our Lady of Health (or of Deliverance, Italian: Salute). The church was designed in the then fashionable baroque style by Baldassare Longhena, who studied under the architect Vincenzo Scamozzi. Construction began in 1631. Most of the objects of art housed in the church bear references to the Black Death. - in: wikipedia

Basilica di San Marco

This postcard was sent by Edoardo

The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (officially known in Italian as the Basilica Cattedrale Patriarcale di San Marco and commonly known as Saint Mark's Basilica) is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, northern Italy. It is the most famous of the city's churches and one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture. It lies at the eastern end of the Piazza San Marco, adjacent and connected to the Doge's Palace. Originally it was the chapel of the Doge, and has only been the city's cathedral since 1807, when it became the seat of the Patriarch of Venice, archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice, formerly at San Pietro di Castello. - in: wikipedia

Ponte di Rialto

This postcard arrived from Portugal sent by Zé "Pombal"

The Rialto Bridge (Italian: Ponte di Rialto) is one of the four bridges spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It is the oldest bridge across the canal, and was the dividing line for the districts of San Marco and San Polo. - in: wikipedia

Gondolas and San Giorgio Maggiore Island

This postcard was sent by Edoardo

San Giorgio Maggiore is one of the islands of Venice, northern Italy, lying east of the Giudecca and south of the main island group.

San Giorgio Maggiore was probably occupied in the Roman period; after the foundation of Venice it was called Insula Memmia after the Memmo family who owned it. By 829 it had a church consecrated to St George; thus it was designated as San Giorgio Maggioreto be distinguished from San Giorgio in Alga. - in: wikipedia

Doge's Palace

This postcard was sent by Edoardo

A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, the Doge’s Palace is an impressive structure composed of layers of building elements and ornamentation, from its 14th and 15th century original foundations to the significant Renaissance and opulent Mannerist adjunctions. The structure is made up of three large blocks, incorporating previous constructions. The wing towards the St. Mark’s Basin is the oldest, rebuilt from 1340 onwards. The wing towards St. Mark’s Square was built in its present form from 1424 onwards. The canal-side wing, housing the Doge’s apartments and many government offices, dates from the Renaissance and was built between 1483 and 1565. - in: https://palazzoducale.visitmuve.it/en/the-museum/doges-palace/the-palace/