Monthly Fav. Surprise RR - Feb. 25

 Look how beautiful these cards are!!

 

© Schöning Verlag

Located in the middle of Saxon Switzerland and not far from (...) Dresden, the fortress Königstein is enthroned. The mountain fortress, first mentioned in 1241, already housed a monastery, a fortress, a pleasure palace, a state prison, a prisoner of war camp and a youth workshop. Today, the fortress offers a breathtaking panoramic view and a variety of exhibitions. Visitors can also admire the first Saxon garrison church (1676), the deepest fountain in Saxony at 152. 5 metres and the oldest preserved barracks in Germany at 433 years. But also the 1. 7 kilometre long panoramic trail with a view over the Elbe valley and the Elbe sandstone mountains guarantee a unique experience. - in: https://visitsaxony.com

Card sent by Moni.

Marianne checked my favs wall and was so kind to send me the wonderful card. I'd love to see this lovely snowy landscape. 

Seefeld in Tyrol is a former farming village, now a large tourist resort, in the Innsbruck-Land District in the Austrian state of Tyrol.
The Seekirchl - also Heiligkreuzkirche - is probably Seefeld's most famous landmark. Under the regency of Archduke Leopold V, construction was underway in 1629, but the elaborate sacred edifice was not completed until 1666, a full 37 years later. Originally, the baroque Seekirchl stood in the middle of the artificially created cross lake created by Duke Sigismund the Coin Rich in the 15th century, which, however, was drained about 300 years ago after 1808. To this day, the picturesque Votivkirche in Kirchwald is a historic place of pilgrimage (a miraculous late Gothic crucifix) and probably the most popular postcard and photo motif in the region. - in: https://www.seefeld.com

 

 Photo: Jonathan Mortenson

Looking at this card, sent by Nan, it is easy to understand why Nubble Light is one of the most popular and photographed lighthouses in Maine. 

 Also known as the Cape Neddick Light Station, this iconic lighthouse stands as a testament to Maine’s rich maritime history and continues to shine as a symbol of resilience and beauty against the rugged backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
Nubble Light was first illuminated on July 1, 1879, with a fourth-order Fresnel lens guiding ships along the rocky coast. Its location on Nubble Island, just a few hundred feet from the mainland, made it a crucial navigational aid for ships approaching the York Harbor. Over the years, the lighthouse underwent several upgrades, including the installation of a more powerful light and fog signal, ensuring the safety of vessels navigating the treacherous waters.
Its classic New England design, with its white clapboard tower and red roof, against the backdrop of the deep blue sea, evokes a sense of timeless beauty and charm. The lighthouse is still active, operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, and its light continues to guide mariners along the coast. - in: https://newenglandecoadventures.com

I've recently added traditional houses to my postcard wishlist. Tomoko sent me this one with a traditional Japanese tea house.

Sekka-tei is a traditional tea house situated within the serene grounds of Kinkaku-ji, the iconic Golden Pavilion in Kyoto, Japan. This tea house is a fine example of Japanese architecture and is used for traditional tea ceremonies. It offers visitors a glimpse into the cultural heritage of Japan, with its simple yet elegant design that complements the surrounding natural beauty. The tea house is part of the larger temple complex, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting visitors from around the world. - in: https://mindtrip.ai

RU-10400097

 Barnaul is one of Siberia’s major cities and the capital of Altai Krai.

 

RU-10400097, sent by Irina. 

The white church is the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, consecrated in 2007. The other church, Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, is also a new church, build in the XXI century.

Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt - Germany

 This isn't my 1st card from Erfurt but it is the 1st showing one of the three monuments in the city classified as UNESCO WHS in 2023. The Old Synagogue, the Mikveh, and the Stone House illustrate the life of the local Jewish community and its coexistence with a Christian majority in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, between the end of the 11th and the mid-14th century. 

The Jewish-Medieval Heritage of Erfurt was the only German site I was still missing. Thanks to Svenja, I've all the sites now, at least until the next meeting of the committee.

 

Bilder: Stadtverwaltung Erfurt / Norman Hera / Ulrich kneise / Marcel Krummrich

The Old Synagogue, with parts dating from the 11th century, is the oldest synagogue in Central Europe that has been preserved up to its roof. In 2009 an extraordinary museum and space was created here, in which medieval reminders of the Erfurt Jewish community can be viewed. Together with the documentation of the building history of the synagogue itself it provides an insight into the life of the Erfurt community, which in the Middle Ages held a prominent position in Europe.
The exhibition in the Old Synagogue shows the history of the first Jewish community in Erfurt. In the courtyard gravestones of the destroyed medieval cemetery can be seen. The building history of the synagogue is the subject on the ground floor. The cellar houses the treasure found near the synagogue, which a Jew buried during the pogrom of 1349. - in: https://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de

DE-15095432

These last weeks I've been thinking about my summer trip and when checking flight options, I saw a decent price flights to Hannover. Honestly, I don't know much about the city but it's location seemed great to explore other places nearby. But you know how flight prices are, when I checked again, it was already more expensive and I ended up booking a flight to a different place. 

 © Schöning Verlag

DE-15095432, sent by Natalie.

Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony. 

Hannover's New City Hall, is a city hall and was opened on July 20, 1913, after having been under construction for 12 years. It is a magnificent, castle-like building of the era of William II in eclectic style at the southern edge of the inner city (outside of the historic city center of Hannover). The building is embedded in the 10 hectare Maschpark.

PT RR - Surprise Group * February 25

 PT RR February's cards.

 

Eric found this postcard at a flea market. I also like going to these fairs, every now and then you find some nice cards. Sintra is one of our main tourist attractions and has been classified as a World Heritage Site since 1995. The UNESCO website says:

 In the 19th century Sintra became the first centre of European Romantic architecture. Ferdinand II turned a ruined monastery into a castle where this new sensitivity was displayed in the use of Gothic, Egyptian, Moorish and Renaissance elements and in the creation of a park blending local and exotic species of trees. Other fine dwellings, built along the same lines in the surrounding serra , created a unique combination of parks and gardens which influenced the development of landscape architecture throughout Europe. - in: https://whc.unesco.org

 

I've been to Alcácer do Sal but I don't remember seeing this sanctuary. The card was sent by Celeste. 

The Sanctuary of the Lord of the Martyrs, in Alcácer do Sal, is one of the oldest Christian temples in the country. Construction began in the 13th century by the Knights of Santiago at the time of the Reconquista, then it was expanded and enlarged in the 14th century and transformed from the 16th century onwards.

 Pedro sent a card of a palace-museum in Vigo, Spain.

 Located in the 17th-century Castrelos pazo, the museum is surrounded by beautiful gardens with 19th-century fountains and ponds.
Work began on the construction of this palace in 1670. It is one of Vigo's most beautiful buildings. The building was restored at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. It is currently home to the Quiñones de León Municipal Museum, where you can see an exhibition of archaeological remains found in the city and surrounding areas, as well as an interesting collection of paintings from Galicia. The manor house is situated in Castrelos Park, beautiful surroundings that include stunning French-style gardens - a must-see for visitors. - in: https://www.spain.info

PT RR - Surprise Group * January 25

 It's not that I don't have any postcards to show, I just haven't felt like doing so. Today laziness has been overcome and here are the 3 postcards of the RR in Portuguese that I received in January.

 

This was the first postcard that Catarina has ever sent me and she didn't choose badly at all. I confess that I don't know much about Vila Flor and I only have 2 or 3 postcards from there. 

Located in Serra do Facho, between Vila Flor and Roios, on the Senhora da Lapa hill, this is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in the municipality, affectionately nicknamed “Capelinhas”. It consists of a bandstand and 9 chapels, from different periods and types of construction. The chapel dedicated to Santa Marinha is the oldest and the chapel of Senhora da Lapa was built in 1760.

 

Tiago had already sent me a postcard of a water carrier transporting/selling water, here we have several water carriers collecting water from a well.

With this postcard, Celeste told me about the Convento dos Cardaes in Lisbon, a place I'd never heard about before.

The 17th century building is a jewel in the city, on its own right. It survived the 1755 earthquake and is one of the few pre-Pombaline structures in existence today. It houses a significant collection of sacred and decorative arts, preserved over the centuries by devoted sisters. The pride and joy of the Convent is, nevertheless, the social work initiated in the XIX century and still well alive in the presente day: the caring of women with special needs, such as blindness, who call the Convent their home and family. - in: https://www.conventodoscardaes.com

US-11090513

 Look how beautiful this card!! It is not only beautiful but also special, it is my official card #2000. It traveled 6,267 km, all the way from South Carolina and it took 13 days to get here. Even tough it was sent from South Carolina, the card depicts a wonderful landscape in the other side of the country.

 

US-11090513, sent by Rose.

The view that Ansel Adams made famous, Tunnel View is a must stop for any first time visit to Yosemite Valley.
Tunnel View provides one of the most famous views of Yosemite Valley, showcasing the immensity of the granite walls that surround Yosemite Valley and providing a classic view of El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Cathedral Rocks, and Bridalveil Fall. It is spectacular at sunset or after the clearing of a storm.