Split - Croatia

Split is the second largest city in Croatia, the largest city in Dalmatia and the largest city on the Croatian coast. It is located on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea and extends over a central peninsula and its surroundings.

 

Since ancient Rome, Split has proved to be an irresistible setting for emperors, kings and master artists to build great buildings. The result is a city full of architectural treasures that sublimate us as soon as we admire the richness of this historical heritage.

Split feels like a city that time has forgotten. The ancient centre is like nothing you’ll have seen before, with a whole district taken up by a sprawling Roman palace, going strong after 1700 years. Over the centuries this architecture has been kept intact and then incorporated into newer buildings, like St. Duje’s Cathedral, the heart of which is a 4th-century mausoleum.

 

Split’s Old Town is bursting with history and culture.  Everywhere you look, you’ll find stunningly well preserved Roman and medieval architecture. it is no wonder that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian has been classified in 1979.

 

The Emperor, Diocletian constructed his retirement palace in about 300AD where he resided until his death. After his death, the palace became home to the various expelled emperors and their family. Diocletian’s Palace is an example of the most magnificent Roman architecture on the Adriatic coast. It is important to mention that the palace also serves as a residential area today and is therefore open to all. 

 

The statue of Gregory of Nin by Ivan Meštrović in Split is a heavily trafficked tourist site in the town, which the toe of the statue shows. Rubbing the statue's toe is said to bring good luck. The toe has been worn smooth and shiny as a result. Currently, the statue sits to the east of the Palace and Old Town of Split, just outside the Golden Gate.

Dubrovnik - Croatia

 Long before Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik was already known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic". The squares, the narrow alleys, the red tile roofs, its imposing walls and cathedrals, the architecture, make it one of the most famous and popular destinations on the Adriatic coast.  

Raquel visited the city last month and sent me the first postcard. The others were sent by Christina, Christa and Natalia.

 

"The 'Pearl of the Adriatic', situated on the Dalmatian coast, became an important Mediterranean sea power from the 13th century onwards. Although severely damaged by an earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik managed to preserve its beautiful Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains. Damaged again in the 1990s by armed conflict, it is now the focus of a major restoration programme co-ordinated by UNESCO." - in: http://whc.unesco.org

 Dubrovnik has always been one of the most important coastal cities in the Mediterranean. It was a city-state in the Middle Ages and its fame and influence rivaled that of Venice in the heyday of the 16th and 17th centuries. Much of the fortune came from the prosperous maritime trade. 

 Those coming from the sea had to respect the two kilometers of solid 17th-century walls that surrounded an evolved, clean city of unique beauty. Despite being coveted, the Walls of Dubrovnik were never crossed by enemies, even Ottoman attacks were thwarted.

 

The old city walls of Dubrovnik are one of its best-known features, now more than ever thanks to being featured in the hit TV series, Game of Thrones. Built in the 10th century and modified in the 13th and 14th centuries, these formidable walls–as high as six meters in places, and up to six meters thick–provided a solid defense against invaders. Totaling nearly two kilometers in length, Dubrovnik's city walls make a great spot for a casual stroll and offer numerous excellent views over the Adriatic and inwards over the old city center. 

 

Another fun thing to do when visiting Dubrovnik is to head to the hills–via cable car. The Dubrovnik Cable Car whisks visitors high above the Old Town, up Srd Hill, with the views only getting better and better as you climb. - in: https://www.planetware.com

The journey lasts less than 10 minutes and you're rewarded with this view.

RU-9715320

The ID of this card may be Russian but the card is from Italy. 

Tropea is an impressive seaside town on Calabria‘s west coast, with iconic houses built into the clifftop and wide vistas over the turquoise ocean. It’s the most well-known holiday destination in Calabria, southern Italy. Famous for its charming historic centre, spectacular beaches, and prized Tropea read onion's, it’s no surprise that the town is described as the jewel in the crown of Calabria. - in: https://iitalycalabria.com

 

RU-9715320, sent by Galina.

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola is a beautiful small church standing on the homonymous rock, in Tropea. The church and its rock, once an island, is one of the most iconic images of the Calabrian city.
Built before the 9th century, the church belonged, at first, to the Basilian monks. In the 11th century, after the arrival of the Normans, it was passed on to the Benedictines, who still own it today.
Over the centuries, due to the violent earthquakes from 1783 and 1905, the complex has undergone various restorations and renovations, little of the original structure of the sanctuary being preserved until today.
The staircase that runs to the top was built around 1810. The current facade of the church was built after the earthquake of 1905. The last restoration took place in 2010-2011. - in: https://www.italyscapes.com

Königssee - Germany

The Königssee is Germany's third deepest lake. It is located in the state of Bavaria, near the border with Austria. Large parts are comprised by the Berchtesgaden National Park.

The lake is noted for its clear water and is advertised as the cleanest lake in Germany. For this reason, only electric driven passenger ships, rowing and pedal boats have been permitted on the lake since 1909. Due to its picturesque setting, the lake and surrounding parklands are very popular with tourists and hikers.

Foto-kunstverlag

DE-13139860, sent by Karin.

St. Bartholomew's church is named after Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, patron of alpine farmers and dairymen. The church is located at the western shore of the Königssee lake, on the Hirschau peninsula. It can only be reached by ship or after a long hike across the surrounding mountains. A first chapel at the lake was built in 1134 by the Provosts of Berchtesgaden. In 1697 it was rebuilt in a Baroque style with a floor plan modeled on Salzburg Cathedral, two onion domes and a red domed roof. - in: wikipedia

Regensburg - Germany

Regensburg was one of the places I liked the most when I visited Bavaria in 2018. The Old Town made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006 because of its well-preserved architecture, being the biggest medieval city site north of the Alps, and the city's historical importance for assemblies during the Holy Roman Empire. In 2014, Regensburg was among the top sights and travel attractions in Germany.- in: wikipedia

 

Foto: Thomas Ferber

DE-13160668, sent by Alex.

Located on the Danube River in Bavaria, this medieval town contains many buildings of exceptional quality that testify to its history as a trading centre and to its influence on the region from the 9th century.

© Fotoverlag HUBER

DE-8773710, sent by Sonja.

A notable number of historic structures span some two millennia and include ancient Roman, Romanesque and Gothic buildings. Regensburg’s 11th- to 13th-century architecture – including the market, city hall and cathedral – still defines the character of the town marked by tall buildings, dark and narrow lanes, and strong fortifications.

The buildings include medieval patrician houses and towers, a large number of churches and monastic ensembles as well as the 12th-century Old Bridge. The town is also remarkable for the vestiges testifing to its rich history as one of the centres of the Holy Roman Empire that turned to Protestantism. - in: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1155/

Card sent by Gabriela. 

Hadrian's Wall - England

Hadrian's Wall is one of Britain's major ancient tourist attractions and one of the country's UNESCO sites, it was designated as World Heritage Site in 1987. 

The 1st two cards were sent by Miguel, the 1st in 2016 and the 2nd last month. The 3rd card was sent by Stephanie 9 years ago.

Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain, begun in AD 122 during the rule of emperor Hadrian. In addition to its military role, gates through the wall served as customs posts.

A significant portion of the wall still exists and can be followed on foot along the Hadrian's Wall Path. 

 Reproduced from a stamp designed by Godfrey Design * Photo © Peter Marlow / Magnum Photos 

Hadrian's Wall was built, beginning in 122, to keep Roman Britain safe from hostile attacks from the Picts. It was the northernmost boundary of the Roman empire until early in the fifth century.

 

English Heritage Photo Gallery

The wall, stretching from the North Sea to the Irish Sea (from the Tyne to the Solway), was 80 Roman miles (about 73 modern miles) long, 8-10 feet wide, and 15 feet high. In addition to the wall, the Romans built a system of small forts called milecastles (housing garrisons of up to 60 men) every Roman mile along its entire length, with towers every 1/3 mile. 

Sixteen larger forts holding from 500 to 1000 troops were built into the wall, with large gates on the north face. To the south of the wall the Romans dug a wide ditch, (vallum), with six foot high earth banks.

Today many of the stones have been carted away and recycled into other buildings, but the wall is still there for people to explore and walk along, although the latter is discouraged. - in: http://ancienthistory.about.com/cs/rome/a/aa060600a.htm

NL-5515054

 If you like street art, you need to put Breda on your itinenary when you visit the Netherlands. There are more than 100 artworks to see, most of them have been created under the Blind Walls Gallery project. This innovative initiative started in 2014 and counts with the support of both the local government and sponsors from the private sector. The project aims to invite artists to paint walls in order to enhance the image of the city. - in: https://nomadbiba.com

This one is a tribute to Mayor Montens by the artist Zenk One.

Foto: Edwin Wiekens

NL-5515054, sent by Heleen.

This mural is a tribute to Godevaert Montens, mayor of Breda during the Dutch War of Independence. The mayor is known for his supposed heroic actions in 1581. Artist Zenk One created a unique mural to tell the story. A print and drawing from the City Archives were guidelines for the design. During the fury of Haultepenne Montens led a group of Breda citizen soldiers into battle against the Spanish troops. Unfortunately Breda was no match for the Spanish soldiers. The troops plundered, killed, raped and looted the city and its citizens. Volunteers were needed to clean up the remains of 584 dead civilians. - in: https://streetartcities.com