Sunday, October 4, 2015

Monthly Favorite Surprise RR * September '15

This afternoon I've been choosing and writing card for October's Monthly Favorite Surprise RR. Three of them will be sent tomorrow and then I need to find the 4th card. But for now, I'm sharing the 4 cards I got last month. This time they came from Austria, Netherlands, Lithuania and Russia.

www.tkv.at
The beautiful Austrian province of Tirol is one of the best skiing areas in winter. In summer it offers fantastic hiking paths and stunning views of lakes and valleys. In addition, Tiroleans love their traditions and food. It’s a great place to get an insight into the Austrian culture. - in: http://www.austria.info/uk/where-to-go/provinces/tirol
The card was sent by Gudrun. 

© Uitgeverij van der Meulen bv Sneek
Nanda sent me this card with the Noordwijk Lighthouse. It dates from 1921 but a wooden light has already been built here in the 19th century. The tower has 6 floors and a staircase with 108 steps. Is not possible to climb the tower. 

Foto: © Antanas Varanka
In August's RR Ausra sent me a card with some churches in Vilnius and in September Ieva sent me this card with St. John's Church, one of the churches in Ausra's card. I didn't get to see this one. 
One of the picturesque parts of the Vilnius University building is the Church of Sts. Johns and its bell tower. The full name of the church is the Church of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.
The construction of this church lasted for almost 40 years and was completed in 1426. At that time it was a Gothic building. In 1571 the church was transferred to the Order of Jesuits and became a part of the university complexes.
Besides masses, the Church of Sts. Johns has also witnessed student protests, theatre performances, and welcoming ceremonies for kings. In Soviet times, it was turned into a warehouse. Later, the University Museum was established here.
Today, the Church of Sts. Johns performs its main functions once again. It was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1993.
The bell tower of the church, which is 68 meters high, is among the highest buildings in the Old Town.
The present facade was designed in the 18th century by the most prominent Vilnius Baroque architect, Jonas Kristupas Glaubicas (Johan Christoph Glaubitz). - in: http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/en/what-to-see/places-to-visit/churches/church-of-sts-johns/

This was the last card to arrive and it was a wonderful surprise sent by Anna, not only because it is a beautiful card but especially because it is from the only russian UNESCO site I was still missing. I couldn't be happier. Bolgar Historical and Archaeological Complex was added to the WHS list last year.
This property lies on the shores of the Volga River, south of its confluence with the River Kama, and south of the capital of Tatarstan, Kazan. It contains evidence of the medieval city of Bolgar, an early settlement of the civilization of Volga-Bolgars, which existed between the 7th and 15th centuries AD, and was the first capital of the Golden Horde in the 13th century. Bolgar represents the historical cultural exchanges and transformations of Eurasia over several centuries that played a pivotal role in the formation of civilizations, customs and cultural traditions. The property provides remarkable evidence of historic continuity and cultural diversity. It is a symbolic reminder of the acceptance of Islam by the Volga-Bolgars in AD 22 and remains a sacred pilgrimage destination to the Tatar Muslims. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/981

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