Winner of the Month - September

Last month I was the lucky winner of this game, in which the prize is a postcard sent by everyone who decided to join it. I received postcards from Silvana, Luzia, Joana, Inês Barbosa, Rui and Inês Brito. 

 Photo: Carlos Alvim

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, better known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro was designed by Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca in a modern style based on Mayan architectural style of pyramids. 

The current cathedral was built between 1964 and 1979 and replaced as seat of the Archdiocese a series of churches that had served as cathedrals since 1676. 

The New Cathedral, as it is sometimes called, is located in the center of the city. Conical in form and with a 96 metres (315 ft) internal diameter — 106 metres of external diameter — and an overall height of 75 metres (246 ft). Inside, the area measures 8,000 square meters and sufficient 5,000 seats(; it has a standing-room capacity of 20,000 people). - in: wikipedia

Cora Coralina is the pseudonym of the Brazilian writer and poet Anna Lins dos Guimarães Peixoto Bretas. She's considered one of the most important Brazilian writers. 

In this postcard we can see the Old House of the Bridge, where Cora Coralina lived, in the city of Goiás. The house, built in the middle of the eighteenth century, is currently a museum whose mission is to preserve and promote the work of Cora Coralina.

The Basilica of the Rosary in Fátima began to be built in 1928, in neo-baroque style, according to a project by the Dutch architect Gerardus Samuel van Krieken. It stands on the spot where the Little Shepherds played to make a small wall of stones when they saw the light that made them think it was a thunderstorm on May 13, 1917. The first stone was blessed by the Archbishop of Évora, D. Manuel da Conceição Santos, in 1928, and the consecration took place on October 7, 1953. In 1954 he was granted the title of "Minor Basilica" by Pope Pius XII.

Foto: Luís Ferreira Alves

The Monastery of Saint Benedict in Santo Tirso was founded by Dª Unisco Godiniz and her husband Abunazar Lovesendes in 978.

The present mother church was built in 1659-79.

After secularization the monastery was divided; one part was for private individuals, the other for public offices (Town Hall - in the old convent inns, the Court and Administration of the county) and an Agricultural Asylum, and one last part for parish residence.

The monastery has been classified as a National Monument since 1910.

 Foto: CNART - Centro Nacional de Arte Rupestre

I've a confession to make. Sometimes I travel km's and km's to visit UNESCO sites but I have not yet visited the Foz Côa Rock Art Site that is located in my district, that's actually the only UNESCO site in mainland Portugal that I haven't visited yet. I'm telling this because Castelo Melhor, the village on this card, is one of the entrance doors to the Archaeological Park of the Côa Valley and where we can visit some rock engravings.

Besides the engravings, we can visit in the village, among others, its castle.

Foto: W. Müller * Art & Concept: G. A. Wittich

I like this postcard so much. Like I told Inês, I do not know if I like the old man better, or the donkeys. In fact, old men and donkeys make a very photogenic partnership.

PT RR - Group 113 * Surprise September

In the August group none of the postcards were from Portugal or any portuguese speaking countries, in September all the cards were from Portugal. 

 Foto: Audiovisuais C. M. A.

I didn't discover much about the Frausta Bridge in Vimieiro, only what Paulo had already written on the card. This bridge was part of a Roman route between Olisipo (Lisbon) and Emérita Augusta (Merida, Spain).

 Copioeste

I honestly don't know much about Praia da Areia Branca and never been there. Well, when I was traveling by bus from Lisbon to Peniche last June, the bus stopped there for a couple of minutes. 

We can't see the beach on the card but all this area  is a popular surfing destination.

The postcard was sent by Sónia.

papyrus

A couple of days ago I wrote a post with a few cards of Pena Palace and a few days later Patrícia sent me a new card. Cards of this palace are never enough. 

Inês sent me a card that I already had but no worries about that, the other one wasn't written. 

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption also called Santarém Cathedral, is located in the historic center of Santarém.

This Jesuit temple, dating from the seventeenth century, was erected on the site where the royal palace of the Alcazaba Nova, which was abandoned since the time of King John II. Later, with the expulsion of the Jesuits from Portugal, by order of the Marquis of Pombal, the building began to host the Patriarchal Seminary after donating D. Maria I, and remained so until the twentieth century.

When the creation of the Diocese of Santarém, in 1975 ensued, the church was elevated to the status of cathedral. - in: wikipedia

PT RR - Group 112 * Surprise August

This is a portuguese RR but none of these cards is from a portuguese speaking country. Only 3 cards in August, the 4th got lost in the mail. 

I've been to Leuven, I've seen this church and have quite a few cards of it, St. Peter's Church is probably the belgian church from which I have more postcards. This one was sent by Ana.

St. Peter's Church (1425–1500) was finished by Jan Keldermans and Matheus de Layens. During the Second World War, the church was damaged. During the restoration, a Romanesque crypt from the 11th century was found. In the church itself, there are several paintings from the 15th to 18th centuries (among which, Dirk Bouts' famous painting of the last supper) and the grave of Duke Henry I of Brabant. The 50-metre-high tower — which was meant to be 169 metres high, but was never completed — is home to a carillon. The tower was included in UNESCO's list of Belfries of Belgium and France in 1999. - in: wikipedia

Photo: Pierre Jacques

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, more commonly known as Chamonix, is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. Chamonix has been a world-renowned ski resort ever since the Winter Olympics of 1924 were held here.

In the shadow of Mont Blanc's majestic snowcapped peak, the traditional alpine village of Chamonix, is a quaint little town filled with historic churches and charming auberges (inns).  

Card sent by Joana.

Hamar

It is impossible to go to the Netherlands and not see mills, they are everywhere, they are part of the landscape of the country and are a symbol of the struggle of the Dutch against the water. There's no identification of the mills on this card Paulo sent me but here we've a small list of the  most famous windmills of the country. 

* Kinderdijk is the most famous group of polder mills and is World Heritage listed. This UNESCO site with nineteen mills gives you a great impression of how floods were prevented. Besides being home to this creative form of water management, Kinderdijk is  a wonderful, picturesque area.

* The mills of Schiedam are the five largest windmills in the world. These gigantic windmills, some over 40 meters high, played an important role in the production of jenever (Dutch gin). Instead of reclaiming land, these smock mills (a type of industrial mill) were used grind grain.

* Museum Mill Schermerhorn is located in the reclaimed Schermer polder. The museum mill is one of eleven remaining mills that pumped the water out of Schermeer lake four centuries ago. You will experience the power of the wind in this beautiful polder landscape, discovering how this ingenious mill system worked.

* Last but not least, you should visit Zaanse Schans. Some 250 years ago, well over 600 mills formed the first industrial site in the world. They performed a wide range of industrial duties, such as producing shelves, paint, mustard, oil and paper. Today it’s an open-air conservation area and museum, which attracts thousands of visitors each year. - in: https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/discover-holland/traditional/dutch-windmills.htm

US-5509649

I've more than 400 cards from USA but this is one my 3rd card from Missouri. 

US-5509649, sent by Dianne.

St. Louis is an independent city and major U.S. port in the state of Missouri, built along the western bank of the Mississippi River, which marks Missouri's border with Illinois. The city had an estimated 2018 population of 308,626[8] and is the cultural and economic center of the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan area (home to nearly 3,000,000 people), which is the largest metropolitan area in Missouri and the 19th-largest in the United States.

Prior to European settlement, the area was a major regional center of Native American Mississippian culture. The city of St. Louis was founded in 1764 by French fur traders Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau, and named after Louis IX of France. In 1764, following France's defeat in the Seven Years' War, the area was ceded to Spain and retroceded back to France in 1800. In 1803, the United States acquired the territory as part of the Louisiana Purchase.[14] During the 19th century, St. Louis developed as a major port on the Mississippi River. In the 1870 Census, St. Louis was ranked as the 4th-largest city in the United States.

The city is commonly identified with the 630-foot (192 m) tall Gateway Arch in the city's downtown. - in: wikipedia

The Sundarbans - Bangladesh

New UNESCO site from Bangladesh. This is not my 1st card from this country, not even the 1st UNESCO site but it is my 1st written & stamped from there. Thanks Aditi for the nice card and stamps. 

The Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF), located in the south-west of Bangladesh between the river Baleswar in the East and the Harinbanga in the West, adjoining to the Bay of Bengal, is the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world.

60% of the property lies in Bangladesh and the rest in India.

Azad Products

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world (140,000 ha), lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. It is adjacent to the border of India’s Sundarbans World Heritage site inscribed in 1987. The site is intersected by a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests, and presents an excellent example of ongoing ecological processes. The area is known for its wide range of fauna, including 260 bird species, the Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/798

RU-6727475

A card from Bakhchisarai, a city in central Crimea with the Khan's Palace.

RU-6727475, sent by Maria.

The Khan's Palace was built in the 16th century and became home to a succession of Crimean Khans. The walled enclosure contains a mosque, a harem, a cemetery, living quarters and gardens. The palace interior has been decorated to appear lived in and reflects the traditional 16th-century Crimean Tatar style. It is one of the best known Muslim palaces found in Europe, alongside Topkapı Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace, Yıldız Palace, Aynalıkavak Palace, Edirne Palace, Çırağan Palace in Turkey and the Alhambra in Spain. - in: wikipedia

UNESCO Missing List

Afghanistan - 0/2
- Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam 2002
- Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley

Albania - 2/3
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Algeria - 5/7
- Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad
- Timgad

Angola - 0/1
Mbanza Kongo, Vestiges of the Capital of the former Kingdom of Kongo

Antigua and Barbuda - 0/1
- Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites

Argentina - 6/11
- Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of Sao Miguel das Missoes (Brazil)
- Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba
- Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System
-  The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
- Los Alerces National Park

Austria - 9/10
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Bangladesh 2/3
- Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur

Bahrain - 0/0
Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy

Belgium - 11/13
-  The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
- Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Benin - 1/2
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex

Bolivia - 5/7
- Noel Kempff Mercado National Park
. Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System

Bosnia and Herzegovina - 2/3
Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards

Botswana - 0/2
Tsodilo
Okavango Delta

Brazil - 20/21
Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site

Bulgaria - 9/10
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Burkina Faso - 0/2
The Ruins of Loropéni
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex

Cambodia - 2/3
Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura

Cameroon - 0/2
Dja Faunal Reserve
Sangha Trinational

Cape Verde - 0/1
Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande

Côte d'Ivoire - 0/4
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve 1981,1982
Taï National Park 1982
Comoé National Park
Historic Town Grand-Bassam

Central African Republic - 1/2
Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park

Chad - 0/2
Lakes of Ounianga
Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape

Chile - 4/6
Churches of Chiloé 2000
Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System

Colombia - 4/9
Los Katíos National Park 1994
Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox 1995
Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary
Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System
Chiribiquete National Park – “The Maloca of the Jaguar”

Congo - 0/1
Sangha Trinational

Costa Rica - 0/4
Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park 1983,1990
Cocos Island National Park 1997,2002
Area de Conservación Guanacaste
Precolumbian chiefdom settlements with stone spheres of the Diquís

Croatia - 9/10
Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards

Cuba - 8/9
Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations in the South-East of Cuba 2000

Democratic Republic of the Congo - 1/5
Virunga National Park 1979
Garamba National Park 1980
Salonga National Park 1984
Okapi Wildlife Reserve

Denmark - 7/10
The par force hunting landscape in North Zealand
Kujataa Greenland: Norse and Inuit Farming at the Edge of the Ice Cap
Aasivissuit – Nipisat. Inuit Hunting Ground between Ice and Sea

Ecuador - 4/5
Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System

Egypt - 5/7
Abu Mena 1979
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)

Eritrea - 0/1
Asmara - A Modernist City of Africa

Ethiopia - 7/9 
Lower Valley of the Omo 1980
Konso Cultural Landscape

Fiji - 0/1
Levuka Historical Port Town

France - 41/44
Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
Decorated cave of Pont d’Arc, known as Grotte Chauvet-Pont d’Arc, Ardèche
Taputapuātea

Gabon - 0/1
Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda

Gambia - 0/2
James Island and Related Sites
Stone Circles of Senegambia

Ghana - 0/2
Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions 1979
Asante Traditional Buildings

Greece - 14/18
- Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos 1992
- Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina) 1996
- Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint John "the Theologian" and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos 1999
- Archaeological Site of Philippi

Guinea - 0/1
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Honduras - 1/2
Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve

Iran (Islamic Republic of) - 5/23
Tchogha Zanbil 1979
Takht-e Soleyman 2003
Pasargadae 2004
Soltaniyeh 2005
Bisotun
Shushtar, Historical Hydraulic System
Sheikh Safi al-din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble in Ardabil
Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex
The Persian Garden
 Gonbad-e Qābus
Golestan Palace
Shahr-I Sokhta
Cultural Landscape of Maymand
Susa
The Persian Qanat
Lut Desert
Historic City of Yazd
Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region

Iraq - 0/5
Hatra 1985
Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) 2003
Samarra Archaeological City
Erbil Citadel
The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict - Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities

Israel - 5/9
Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev
Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel : The Nahal Me’arot/Wadi el-Mughara Caves
Caves of Maresha and Bet-Guvrin in the Judean Lowlands as a Microcosm of the Land of the Caves
Necropolis of Bet She’arim: A Landmark of Jewish Renewal

Italy - 51/54
Castel del Monte
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century

Jamaica - 0/1
Blue and John Crow Mountains

Japan - 20/22
Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region
Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region

Jordan - 4/5
Baptism Site "Bethany Beyond the Jordan" (Al-Maghatas)

Kazakhstan - 1/5
Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly
Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan
Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor
Western Tien-Shan

Kenya - 1/7
Lake Turkana National Parks 1997,2001
Lamu Old Town
The Mijikenda Kaya Forests
Fort Jesus, Mombasa
Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley
Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site

Kyrgyzstan - 0/3
Sulamain-Too Sacred Mountain
Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor
Western Tien-Shan

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea) - 0/2
Complex of Koguryo Tombs
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong

Korea, Republic of (South Korea) - 10/13
Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong
Baekje Historic Areas
Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea

Latvia - 1/2
Struve Geodetic Arc

Lebanon - 2/5
Byblos 1984
Tyre 1984
Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)

Lesotho - 0/1
Maloti Drakensberg Tranboundary World Heritage Site

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya - 1/5
Archaeological Site of Cyrene 1982
Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna 1982
Archaeological Site of Sabratha 1982
Old Town of Ghadamès

Lithuania - 3/4
Struve Geodetic Arc

Madagascar - 0/3
Royal Hill of Ambohimanga 2001
Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve 1990
Rainforests of the Atsinanana

Malawi - 1/2
Chongoni Rock-Art Area

Mali - 0/4
Old Towns of Djenné 1988
Timbuktu 1988
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) 1989
Tomb of Askia

Mauritania - 1/2
Banc d'Arguin National Park 1989

Mauritius - 1/2
Aapravasi Ghat

Mexico - 20/35
Historic Centre of Puebla  
Sian Ka'an
El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City
Rock Paintings of the Sierra de San Francisco
Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino
Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche
Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche
Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro
Prehistoric Caves of Yagul and Mitla in the Central Valley of Oaxaca
El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque Hydraulic System
Archipiélago de Revillagigedo
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley: originary habitat of Mesoamerica

Micronesia - 0/1
Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia

Myanmar - 0/1
Pyu Ancient Cities

Mongolia - 2/5
Petroglyphic Complexes of the Mongolian Altai
Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape
Landscapes of Dauria

Montenegro - 2/4
Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards
Venetian Works of Defence between 15th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra – western Stato da Mar

Mozambique - 0/1
Island of Mozambique

Namibia - 1/2
Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes

New Zealand - 2/3
New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands

Nicaragua - 1/2
Ruins of León Viejo

Niger - 0/3
Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves 1991
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex
Historic Centre of Agadez

Nigeria - 0/2
Sukur Cultural Landscape 1999
Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove

Norway - 6/8
Vegaøyan  -- The Vega Archipelago 2004
Rjukan–Notodden Industrial Heritage Site

Oman - 3/4
Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman

Palestine - 1/2
Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir

Pakistan - 2/6
Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro
Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and Neighbouring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol 1980
Taxila 1980
Rohtas Fort

Palau - 0/0
Rock Islands Southern

Palestine - 1/3
Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town
Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir

Panama - 2/5
Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo 1980
Darien National Park 1981
Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of Marine Protection

Papua New Guinea - 0/1
Kuk Early Agricultural Site

Paraguay - 0/1
Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue

Peru - 11/12
The Sacred City of Caral-Supel

Republic of Moldova - 0/1
Struve Geodetic Arc

Romania - 7/8
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe


Saudi Arabia - 2/5
Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah
Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia
Al-Ahsa Oasis, an evolving Cultural Landscape

Senegal - 1/7
Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary 1981
Niokolo-Koba National Park 1981
Island of Saint-Louis 2000
Stone Circles of Senegambia
Saloum Delta
Bassari Country: Bassari, Fula and Bedik Cultural Landscapes

Serbia - 4/5
Stećci Medieval Tombstones Graveyards

Seychelles - 1/2
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve

Slovakia - 6/7
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians

Slovenia - 2/4
Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Solomon Islands - 0/1
East Rennell

South Africa - 4/19
Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai, and Environs 1999,2005
Greater St Lucia Wetland Park 1999
Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape 2003
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
ǂKhomani Cultural Landscape
Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains

Spain - 46/47
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe

Sudan - 0/3
Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region
Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe
Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island - Marine National Park

Sweden - 14/15
Struve Geodetic Arc

Syrian Arab Republic - 5/6
Ancient Villages of Northern Syria

Taijikistan - 0/2
Proto-urban site of Sarazm
Tajik National Park (Mountains of the Pamirs)

Thailand - 4/5
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries 1991

Turkey - 13/18
Neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük
Pergamon and its Multi-Layered Cultural Landscape
Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape
Aphrodisias
Göbekli Tepe

Uganda - 1/3
Rwenzori Mountains National Park 1994
Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi 2001

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - 29/31
Henderson Island 1988
Gorham's Cave Complex

United Republic of Tanzania - 4/7
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara 1981
Selous Game Reserve 1982
Kondoa Rock-Art Sites

Uruguay - 1/2
Fray Bentos Cultural-Industrial Landscape

Vanuatu - 1/1
Chief Roi Mata's Domain (have it but i'd like another card)

Vietnam - 7/8
Citadel of the Ho Dynasty

Yemen - 2/4
Old City of Sana'a 1986
Historic Town of Zabid

Zimbabwe - 3/5
Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas 1984
Matobo Hills