Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces

In the summer of 2014 I passed through these vineyards almost every day. And I didn't mind at all! The vineyards, the lake and the Alps are a perfect combination!

I know that these postcards, all bought by me, are very similar, but I just can't resist them! They are all beautiful!

Lavaux - The Vineyards, the Lake Geneva and the Alps

The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, stretching for about 30 km along the south-facing northern shores of Lake Geneva from the Chateau de Chillon to the eastern outskirts of Lausanne in the Vaud region, cover the lower slopes of the mountainside between the villages and the lake. Although there is some evidence that vines were grown in the area in Roman times, the present vine terraces can be traced back to the 11th century, when Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries controlled the area. It is an outstanding example of a centuries-long interaction between people and their environment, developed to optimize local resources so as to produce a highly valued wine that has always been important to the economy. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1243

The Vineyards, Montreux, the Lake Geneva and the Alps

It benefits from a temperate climate, but the southern aspect of the terraces with the reflection of the sun in the lake and the stone walls gives a Mediterranean character to the region. The main wine grape variety grown here is the Chasselas.

There are many hikes possibles through the Lavaux vineyards. There is a hiking trail ("Terrasses de Lavaux"), going from Saint-Saphorin to Lutry, recommended by the Tourism Office of Switzerland. - in: wikipedia

Saint-Saphorin

Saint-Saphorin is a municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located on the shore of Lake Geneva, in the district of Lavaux-Oron.

Saint-Saphorin

The Swiss Reformed Church of Saint-Symphorien with a Gallo-Roman villa as well as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces are listed as Swiss heritage site of national significance. The entire village of Saint-Saphorin is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. - in: wikipedia

Epesses

Epesses is a former municipality in the Swiss canton of Vaud, located in the district of Lavaux-Oron on Lake Geneva. It is noted for its wine production.

The municipalities of Cully, Epesses, Grandvaux, Riex and Villette (Lavaux) merged on 1 July 2011 into the new municipality of Bourg-en-Lavaux.

Epesses villages has some densely packed wine growers houses, mostly dating from the 17th to 19th century, offering a picturesque townscape. The Saint-Jacques Church in Epesses is dated from the 14th to the 16th century and has been restored several times since then. The Bovard century, dated to the 15th century is a listed building. - in: wikipedia

Rivaz

Rivaz is a municipality in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland, located in the district of Lavaux-Oron.

Rivaz

The municipality is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces which is also listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance. The entire village of Rivaz is part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites. - in: wikipedia

Châtelard Castle and the Vineyards

Châtelard Castle is a castle in the municipality of Montreux of the Canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is a Swiss heritage site of national significance. - in: wikipedia

Lavaux Vineyards

This year was year of Winegrowers' Festival in Vevey. This festival takes place five times every hundred years and it is on the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Three special stamps were issued for the occasion and I couldn't help to send another postcard of Lavaux with one of those stamps to myself

St Kilda

St Kilda is an isolated archipelago, with amazing landscapes, situated in the North Atlantic Ocean

St Kilda

This postcard was sent by Johnson

This volcanic archipelago, with its spectacular landscapes, is situated off the coast of the Hebrides and comprises the islands of Hirta, Dun, Soay and Boreray. It has some of the highest cliffs in Europe, which have large colonies of rare and endangered species of birds, especially puffins and gannets. The archipelago, uninhabited since 1930, bears the evidence of more than 2,000 years of human occupation in the extreme conditions prevalent in the Hebrides. Human vestiges include built structures and field systems, the cleits and the traditional Highland stone houses. They feature the vulnerable remains of a subsistence economy based on the products of birds, agriculture and sheep farming. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/387/

Water Management System of Augsburg

This site includes a network of canals, water towers dating from the 15th to 17th centuries, a water-cooled butchers’ hall, a system of three monumental fountains and hydroelectric power stations.

Augsburg - Hercules Fountain

This postcard was sent by Dustin

Like the Augustus and the Mercury Fountain, the Hercules Fountain, created by Adriaen de Vries, embodies Augsburg’s pride in its wealth of water resources. The Kastenturm at the Red Gate was erected as an additional water tower to supply water for the fountains. - in: https://wassersystem-augsburg.de/en/station/hercules-fountain

Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region

This site used to be located only in Macedonia but this year was extended to Albania

Ohrid

This postcard was sent by Anita

Ohrid is a city in North Macedonia, the seat of Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country, with over 42,000 inhabitants as of 2002. Ohrid once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year, and has been referred to as a "Jerusalem of the Balkans". The city is rich in picturesque houses and monuments, and tourism is predominant. It is located southwest of Skopje, west of Resen and Bitola. In 1979 and in 1980 respectively, Ohrid and Lake Ohrid were accepted as Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. - in: wikipedia

Pogradec

This postcard was sent by Boris

Pogradec (definite Albanian form: Pogradeci) is a city and municipality in central Albania, situated on the shores of the Ohrid lake. The lake is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes. It is located in the County of Korçë.

This city is surrounded by hills on the southern and western side. The lake is in the eastern and northern side of the city. The highway linking to Tirana, Elbasan and Korçë passes through the city. It is located southeast of Elbasan, southwest of Ohrid in North Macedonia, north of Korçë and northwest of Florina in Greece. - in: wikipedia

Singapore Botanical Gardens

This is so far the only UNESCO World Heritage site of Singapore

Singapore Botanic Gardens - Bandstand

This postcard was sent by Yi Lin

The idea of a national garden in Singapore started in 1822 when Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore and a keen naturalist, developed the first "Botanical and Experimental Garden" at Fort Canning. - in the postcard

Singapore Botanic Garden

This postcard was sent by Jenn

Situated at the heart of the city of Singapore, the site demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial botanic garden that has become a modern world-class scientific institution used for both conservation and education. The cultural landscape includes a rich variety of historic features, plantings and buildings that demonstrate the development of the garden since its creation in 1859. It has been an important centre for science, research and plant conservation, notably in connection with the cultivation of rubber plantations, in Southeast Asia since 1875. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1483/

Heritage of Mercury. Almadén and Idrija

This property includes the mining sites of Almadén (Spain) and Idrija (Slovenia). Together they represent the two largest mercury mines in the world

Idrija

This postcard was sent by Stasa

Idrija is a town in western Slovenia. (...) It is located in the traditional region of the Slovenian Littoral and is in the Gorizia Statistical Region. It is notable for its mercury mine with stores and infrastructure, as well as miners' living quarters, and a miners' theatre.

Mercury was discovered in Idrija (known as Idria under Austrian rule) in the late 15th century (various sources cite 1490, 1492, and 1497). Mining operations were taken over by the government in 1580. The mineral idrialite, discovered here in 1832, is named after the town. - in: wikipedia

Almadén's Mine

This postcard was sent by Javier

Almadén is a town and municipality in the Spanish province of Ciudad Real.

The mercury deposits of Almadén account for the largest quantity of liquid mercury metal produced in the world. Approximately 250,000 metric tons of mercury have been produced there in the past 2,000 years.

Almaden mine stopped working in 2002, due to the prohibition of mercury mining in Europe. In 2006, the mine opened to the public, who can visit the first level, 50 meters underground. - in: wikipedia

Risco Caido and the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria Cultural Landscape

Risco Caído comprises a vast area of cliffs, ravines and volcanic formations 

Tejeda Valley

This postcard was sent by Javier

Tejeda is a village and a municipality in the mountainous central part of the island of Gran Canaria in the province of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.

The south-eastern part of its territory includes the second highest point of Gran Canaria island, Pico de las Nieves ("Snows Peak") - 1,949 m (6,394 ft). Other remarkable summits in the municipality are Roque Nublo ("Cloud Rock") 813 m (2,667 ft) and Roque Bentayga ("Bentayga Rock") with its ritual place (almogarén) and other features. Close by are the cuevas del Rey ("the King's caves", 1 km to the west of Rock Bentayga), an antique cave housevillage with granaries; and 2 km further west the antique cave house village of Acusa Seca. All these sites are listed Spanish Heritage as Properties of cultural interest ("Bien de Interés Cultural").

The village of Tejeda sits on the eastern edge of a volcanic basin or crater that bears its name (caldera de Tejeda) - in: wikipedia