Kernavė Archaeological Site - Lithuania

Kernavė Archaeological Site in Lithuania is an UNESCO site since 2004 and I was there in 2015. It was a wonderful place to spend my last morning in Lithuania. I also went to the museum, looking for cards but they didn't have any. Fortunately I already had sent by Johnson. In the beginning of this year, I've received another one, actually, it was the 1st official of 2017.

Photo by Vaidas Jurgelis, 2015

The Kernavė Archaeological site, about 35 km north-west of Vilnius in eastern Lithuania, represents an exceptional testimony to some 10 millennia of human settlements in this region. Situated in the valley of the River Neris, the site is a complex ensemble of archaeological properties, encompassing the town of Kernavė, forts, some unfortified settlements, burial sites and other archaeological, historical and cultural monuments from the late Palaeolithic Period to the Middle Ages.

The site of 194,4 ha has preserved the traces of ancient land-use, as well as remains of five impressive hill forts, part of an exceptionally large defence system. Kernavė was an important feudal town in the Middle Ages. The town was destroyed by the Teutonic Order in the late 14th century, however the site remained in use until modern times. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1137

Roskilde Cathedral - Denmark

Besides Copenhagen, I also want to visit other places nearby. Roskilde is not far from Copenhagen but there are two other UNESCO places in the area that I'd like to visit.
The 1st of these cards was also sent by Margarida and the other one by Genek.

Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, this was Scandinavia's first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick and it encouraged the spread of this style throughout northern Europe. It has been the mausoleum of the Danish royal family since the 15th century. 

Porches and side chapels were added up to the end of the 19th century. Thus it provides a clear overview of the development of European religious architecture. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/695

Grundtvig's Church, Copenhagen - Denmark

Is just a coincidence that I'm posting these cards on the same day my friend and I booked our flights to Copenhagen in June. I've only started to consider Denmark as an option for part of my holidays in June, a few weeks ago but Copenhagen has been on my must visit list and I can't wait to go. 

The 1st card was sent by Paola almost 10 years ago and Margarida sent the other three. 

Grundtvigs Church was erected in commemoration of the great Danish priest, poet, and reformer N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783 - 1882). 

Foto & produktion: Gronlunds Forlag

This monumental church is referred to in modern terms as a gothic cathedral. Master builder and architect Peder Vilhelm Jensen Klint (1853 - 1930) died before the church was finished.

Foto & produktion: Gronlunds Forlag

 The task was entrusted to his son architect and designer Kaare Klint (1888-1954), who completed the building of the church in 1940. Kaare Klint has also designed the chairs for the Grundtvigs Church - a chair made of beech wood with wickerwork seat - a Danish furniture design classic. 

Foto & produktion: Gronlunds Forlag

Despite its massive size, the church seems to exude an atmosphere of calm contentment. Perhaps it is the appeal of the regular yellow brickwork forming the sole decoration of the church. - in: http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/grundtvigs-church-gdk410661

NL-3747411

Maastricht is a city in the southeast of the Netherlands. It's location excluded it from my plans when I visited Netherlands but I may consider it for a future visit. With its 1677 national heritage sites, which is the second highest number in a Dutch town, after Amsterdam, this city is definitely worth a visit. 

Photo: Frans Lemmens

NL-3747411, sent by Fons.

Vrijthof, the largest and best-known square in Maastricht, with many well-known pubs, restaurants and also these structures on the card. 

Basilica of Saint Servatius, a predominantly Romanesque church with important medieval sculptures. The tomb of Saint Servatius in the crypt is a favoured place of pilgrimage;

Sint-Janskerk, a Gothic church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the city's main Protestant church since 1632, adjacent to the Basilica of Saint Servatius, with a distinctive red, limestone tower;

Hoofdwacht ("Main Watch"), a 17th-century military guard house, used for exhibitions. - in: wikipedia

Amsterdam - Netherlands

Amsterdam is one of those cities that I'd like to visit again and that may happen in a few months, I'm not sure yet though. 

Ara wrote me this card exactly one month ago. 

Photo: JOJJIK

Some fun facts about Amesterdam.

- 165: That’s the number of canals in Amsterdam. In total these waterways add up to more than 100 kilometers or about 60 miles. The Seventeenth-century canal ring area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht became part of the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2010;

- 11,000,000: That’s the approximate number of wooden poles that support Amsterdam’s buildings. All of the structures in the city are supported by 15 to 20 meter long wood poles that sink through the mud and are fixed in a sandy layer that is 11 meters deep on average;

- 25,000: That’s the number of bicycles that end up in Amsterdam’s canals each year;

- 1,281: That’s the number of bridges in all of Amsterdam;

- 881,000: That’s approximately the number of bicycles in Amsterdam. Oddly enough, there are only about 799,400 people living in the city;

- 2,500: That’s approximately the number of houseboats in Amsterdam. - in: http://awesomeamsterdam.com/10-fun-facts-about-amsterdam/

Bock Casemates - Luxembourg

I've been to Luxembourg city a few years ago. It was a day trip from Bruxelles but it was enough to visit the city and explore the Bock casemates, one of the coolest places to visit there. 

Luís was there a few weeks ago. He sent me the 1st of these cards and the other was bought by me. 

Editions Gropalux

In 963, Count Siegfried built a fortified castle on the Bock promontory, which was soon to become the cradle of the city. In the course of the centuries, on the western side, mighty ring walls were added, which, however, did not foil the Burgundians in their attempt to conquer the city in 1443. The best builder-engineers of the new masters (the Burgundians, the Spaniards, the French, the Austrians and the German Confederation) eventually turned the city into one of the most powerful emplacements in the world, the "Gibraltar of the North". 

Its defences were bolstered by three fortified rings with 24 forts, 16 other strong defensive works and a unique 23 km long network of casemates: these could not only shelter thousands of soldiers and their horses, but also housed workshops, kitchens, bakeries, slaughter-houses etc. In 1867, after the declaration of neutrality,the military withdrew from the fortress and during the following 16 years 90% of the defences were demolished. In 1875, the superstructure of the Bock, a tremendous construction, was razed. However, it proved to be impossible to blow up the casemates, without also demolishing part of the city, so the entrances and the key connecting galleries were sealed. In spite of this, 17 kilometres of tunnels remain, often on different levels and tremendous stairways penetrate up to 40 metres inside the rock face. - in: http://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/castle/bock-casemates-luxembourg

Turnhout - Belgium

Luzia has been to Europe a few months ago and now she's about to return, this time to visit Portugal. I hope I can meet her again. 

Turnhout is a city located in the Flemish province of Antwerp in Belgium. The beguinage was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1998.

Photo: www.ludoverhoeven.de

Thought to have been founded in the 13C and rebuilt in the 16C and 17C, this is a charming complex, with houses set around a small triangular square overlooked by a Baroque church. A museum devoted to the begijnhof is housed at no 56. - in: https://travelguide.michelin.com/europe/belgium/flanders/antwerp/turnhout/ancien-beguinage-de-turnhout