Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Lumbini - Nepal

Nepal has 4 WHS and with this card sent by Johnson, i've all of them!! Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha was added to the World Heritage List in 1997. 

Lumbinī  is a Buddhist pilgrimmage site in the Rupandehi district in southern Nepal.

Photo © Jagadish Tiwari
Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha, was born in 623 B.C. in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage. Among the pilgrims was the Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one of his commemorative pillars there. The site is now being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological remains associated with the birth of the Lord Buddha form a central feature. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/666

Monday, July 29, 2013

Galle Fort - Sri Lanka

Here comes my 2nd written & stamped card from Sri Lanka, a new UNESCO site from this country. Many thanks to Du for sending it, while visiting the country.
Galle is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo.
Galle was known as Gimhathiththa before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, during the Dutch colonial period.
Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in South and Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between Portuguese architectural styles and native traditions. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.

 Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical, archaeological and architectural heritage monument, which even after more than 423 years maintains a polished appearance, due to extensive reconstruction work done by Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka.
The fort has a colourful history, and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by the UNESCO and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site under criteria iv, for its unique exposition of "an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries."
Galle Lighthouse is operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. This is Sri Lanka's oldest light station dating back to 1848, but the original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1934. The light station is within the walls of the ancient Galle fort, a UNESCO world heritage site and well known tourist attraction, making this the country's most often visited lighthouse. - in: wikipedia

Upper Svaneti - Georgia

Another week starts, hopefully with more cards than the last one. I'll check the mailbox in the next hour.
The 1st post of this week in a great adition to my UNESCO collection. Upper Svaneti is one of the three WHS in Georgia and with this card, sent by Sini, i've all of them!!
The card shows the Ushguli, the most picturesque Svan village.

Photo by Miriam Kiladze 
Svaneti is a historic province in Georgia, in the northwestern part of the country. It is inhabited by the Svans, an ethnic subgroup of the Georgians.
Surrounded by 3,000–5,000 meter peaks, Svaneti is the highest inhabited area in the Caucasus.
Svanetia is known for their architectural treasures and picturesque landscapes. The botany of Svanetia is legendary among travelers.
The famous Svanetian towers erected mainly in the 9th-12th centuries, make the region’s villages more attractive. In the province are dozens of Georgian orthodox churches and various fortified buildings. Architectural monuments of Upper Svanetia are included in a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. - in: wikipedia

Friday, July 26, 2013

Cards from Uzbekistan

This week i've only received cards twice and that makes a total of only 5 cards!!! That's probably my worst week in many, many months. I hope next one will be better.
Last tuesday i've received these cards from Uzbekistan, sent by Yuliya.

 This 1st card is from Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital city and Yuliya's hometown.
Jami Mosque is a modern building, which has a very ancient history. Medieval mosque and madrasah, the foundation of which was laid in 1451 by Sheikh Ubaidullah Hoja Ahror, he was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. Getting ready to move to Samarkand, the spiritual leader decided to build a mosque and madrasah for the residents of Tashkent, which is the basis of the central architectural complex. So the magnificent Jami Mosque appeared, or as it is also called the Friday Mosque.
In 1888, the main building maksouda, located in the western end, it was rebuilt, and the arch-domed gallery surrounding the courtyard were rebuilt in the residential khudjras. In 1868 the building was destroyed by a major earthquake, but was again restored by Russian tsar Aleksandr III. Today the building has fragments of the first construction and the original foundation. - in: http://www.tourstouzbekistan.com/en/sights/tashkent/jami-mosque.html
Jami Mosque is an architectural monument of XIV-XV centuries. It is the third largest mosque in Uzbekistan.

 The 2nd card is from Bukhara. It shows one of the most prominent landmarks in the city, the Kalyan minaret.
Kalyan minaret is a minaret of the Po-i-Kalyan mosque.
It was designed by Bako and built by the Qarakhanid ruler Mohammad Arslan Khan in 1127 to summon Muslims to prayer five times a day. It is made in the form of a circular-pillar baked brick tower, narrowing upwards. It is 45.6 metres (149.61 ft) high (48 metres including the point), of 9 metres (29.53 ft) diameter at the bottom and 6 metres (19.69 ft) overhead.
About a hundred years after its construction, the tower so impressed Genghis Khan that he ordered it to be spared when all around was destroyed by his men. It is also known as the Tower of Death, because until as recently as the early twentieth century criminals were executed by being thrown from the top. - in: wikipedia

 
On this last card there's an uzbek traditional wedding. This is the moment when the bride leaves her parents’ house to the groom’s house.
Wedding in the life of the Uzbeks is of great significance and is celebrated with a special solemnity. It consists of a number of ceremonies that should be performed without failure.
After mullah (Moslem priest) reads praying for the newly-weds and declares them husband and wife, the young people usually go to the office for official civil registration of marriage
 The climax of a wedding ceremony is the bride's leaving her parent's house for the house of her groom.
 Next morning after the wedding party the rite "Kelin salomi" - reception of the bride in her new family should be performed. The groom's parents, his relatives and friends give presents to the bride and she greets everyone with deep bow. - inhttp://www.roxanatour.com/uzbekistan/tour_travel/uzbek_customs.html

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Volgograd - Russia

One last card from Russia. This one, from Volgograd, was a result of a trade in the official site.

Volgograd, formerly called Tsaritsyn (1589–1925) and known as Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961, is an important industrial city and the administrative center of Volgograd Oblast, Russia. It is 80-kilometer (50 mi) long, north to south, situated on the western bank of the Volga River.
The city became famous for its resistance, as well as the extensive physical damage and death toll it suffered during the Battle of Stalingrad against the German Army in World War II.
 Since February 2013, the city's name is to be commemorated as Stalingrad six days each year. - in: wikipedia

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Russian officials and BY-935800

Great russian cards!

 RU-1806708, sent by Julia.
This is a card from Izhevsk, the capital city of the Udmurt Republic, Russia, situated in the Western Urals. The cathedral on the card is the Orthodox Alexander Nevsky's Cathedral. The Neoclassical building was erected between 1818 and 1823.
In the Soviet years the building stood domeless and was used as a cinema.

RU-1780077, sent by Olga.
I've many cards from Moscow but this is my 1st one of this tower.
 Ostankino Tower is a television and radio tower in Moscow, Russia, owned by Moscow branch of unitary enterprise Russian TV and Radio Broadcasting Network. Standing 540.1 metres (1,772 ft) tall, Ostankino was designed by Nikolai Nikitin. It is currently the tallest freestanding structure in Europe and seventh tallest in the world. The tower was the first free-standing structure to exceed 500 m (1,600 ft) in height. Ostankino was built to mark the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It is named after the Ostankino district of Moscow in which it is located.
Construction began in 1963 and was completed in 1967. Extensive use of prestressed concrete resulted in a simple and sturdy structure. It surpassed the Empire State Building and was a masterpiece of Soviet engineering in the time period it was built, to become the tallest free-standing structure in the world. It held this record for nine years until the CN Tower was completed in Toronto, Canada in 1976, which surpassed its height by 13 metres (43 ft). The Ostankino Tower remained the second-tallest structure in the world for another 31 years until the Burj Khalifa surpassed both it and the CN Tower in height in 2007. The Ostankino Tower has remained the tallest structure in Europe for 46 years. - in: wikipedia

 RU-1742920, sent by Masha.
Different Moscow's views.

RU-1714898, sent by Elena.
A card from Yaroslav showing the Tolga Monastery. The monastery is almost 700 years old but the present buildings date from about 1670.
Legends hold that in 1314 Bishop Trifon of Yaroslavl, spending the night at the site awoke to see a pillar of fire which led him to an icon of the Virgin and the monastery was established at this location.
The soviets closed the monastery in 1926 and used the building for various purposes including an educational center, a World war II hospital and a correctional center for juvenile delinquents. It was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1987. There has been considerable restoration done and it is now operated as a nunnery. - in: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jenny_rainbow/5912898834/

 RU-1674612, sent by Svetlana.
Another monastery but this one is located 100 km from Nizhny Novgorod.
Zheltovodsky Makaryev Convent (formerly Monastery) of the Holy Trinity is one of the convents of Russian Orthodox Church.
The Makaryev (Makaryevsky) Convent was founded originally as a men's monastery. According to the legend, it was founded by the missionary Saint Macarius (Makary) in the early 15th century.
In 1439, the monastery was burned by Tatar Khan Ulu Mukhammed. Macarius was taken prisoner, but released by the Khan on the condition that he not rebuild the monastery.
In 1620, the monk Avramy (Abraham) from Murom came to this place to rebuild the monastery, and soon he was surrounded by other monks.
Most of the existing major monastery buildings were constructed of stone between 1651 and 1667. The entire complex is surrounded by a fotress-like stone wall with towers, forming a square with each side being about 200 meters long.
The monastery lost importance and its main source of income when the Makaryev Fair was moved to Nizhny Novgorod and monks started leaving. Besides, in the early 19th century the Volga had shifted its course. The monastery buildings were now threatened by the waters of the great river, with its annual spring floods. First, parts of the monastery walls fell due to erosion of the shore. Concerned with the monks' security, the Nizhny Novgorod Eparchy (Orthodox Diocese) and the local authorities decided to abolish the monastery. In 1869, the monastic community was dissolved;
A few years later, the Volga shifted its course again, and now was almost a kilometer away from the monastery buildings, not endangering them anymore. In 1882, the old monastery was resurrected, now as a women's convent.
After the October Revolution, the Bolsheviks nationalized monastic properties. In 1927, the nuns were expelled from the convent. In 1928–1929, the buildings were used for an orphanage, and later rented out to various institutions. The premises were used by a military hospital during World War II, and in 1943 they were transferred to the Lyskovo College of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine.
In January 1992, Zheltovodsky Makaryev Convent of Holy Trinity was restored to the Nizhny Novgorod Orthodox Diocese. As of 2006, twenty-two nuns live there. - in: wikipedia

BY-935800, sent by Alena.
This is a russian card but sent as an official from Belarus.
Smolensk Kremlin is a kremlin (a fortress) enclosing the center of the city of Smolensk in western part of Russia. The partially preserved fortress wall was built between 1595 and 1602, during the reign of Tsars Fyodor I Ioannovich and Boris Godunov. The length of the walls is about 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi), of which less than the half was preserved. The fortifications were built under supervision of the architect Fyodor Kon. The Smolensk Kremlin is classified as an architectural monument protected at the federal level, and also has a great historical significance, in particular, as the fortress protecting the Russian state from the west over centuries. - in: wikipedia

Church of Protection of Holy Virgin - Belarus

The favorites tags are the best way to get our favorites cards. Every now and then I try to tag and the last time I did that, I got this beautiful card from Belarus.

This is the Church of Protection of Holy Virgin in the State Museum of Folk Architecture and  Rural Life.
The museum is located 4 km on southwest of  Minsk and it was opened in 1976. The museum presents 35 monuments of folk architecture of the late XVII - early XX centuries, from different historical and ethnographic regions of Belarus.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Officials from Ukraine

Different, new and not so new, officials from Ukraine.

 Author: Oleg Totskiy
UA-610034, sent by Anna.
Anna sent me a sunrise in Kiev with the Pechersk Lavra.
The word pechera means cave. The word lavra is used to describe high-ranking monasteries for monks of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Therefore the name of the monastery is also translated as Kiev Cave Monastery, Kiev Caves Monastery or the Kiev Monastery of the Caves.
It was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine on 21 August 2007, based on voting by experts and the internet community. - in: wikipedia

 UA-658427, sent by Sergey.
On this card there's the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church in Kamianets-Podilskyi and part of the castle. Kamianets-Podilskyi is a city in western Ukraine.
The church was built between 1799 - 1801 and the castle is a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site,  and also one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine.

Photo by My Postcard Studio
UA-630904, sent by Valeria.
Valeria sent me this great card of the Medzhybizh Fortress in Western Ukraine.
It was built as a bulwark against Ottoman expansion in the 1540s.
The history of this building keeps memories about the confrontation between the Ukrainians and the Polish gentry, architectural remains of Kiev Rus times, and even late Paleolithic tools and fragments of Tripoli culture (V century B C). According to the legend in the underground passages of the fortress there are hidden golden carriage and wagons with silver. - in: http://citycard-ua.com/ukraine/interestplaces/medzhybizh-fortress

Sunday, July 14, 2013

MO-21175

I've already sent 1 or 2 officials to Moldava but this is the 1st i received from there. 
This is the orthodox Church of St. Mary in Orheiul Vechi.

Foto: V. Galperin
MO-21175, sent by Vladimir.
St. Mary Church is part of the Orheiul Vechi Monastery Complex, located 10 kilometres to the southeast of Orhei city.
This monastery was carved into a massive limestone cliff.  The Cave Monastery, inside a cliff overlooking the gently meandering “Răut River”, was dug by Orthodox monks in the 13th century. It remained inhabited until the 18th century, and in 1996 a handful of monks returned to this secluded place of worship and are slowly restoring it. 
The cliff face is dotted with what seem to be holes; most of these are other caves and places of worship dug over the millennia, as this region was a place of worship for Geto-Dacian tribes from before Christ’s time. In all, the huge cliff has six complexes of interlocking caves, most of which are accessible only by experienced rock climbers and many of which are out-of-bounds for tourists.
In the 18th century the cave-church was taken over by villagers from neighbouring Butuceni. In 1905 they built a church above ground dedicated to the Ascension of St Mary. The church was shut down by the Soviets in 1944 and remained abandoned throughout the communist regime. Services resumed in 1996, though it still looks abandoned. - in: http://liviudumitru.eu/2012/02/26/old-orhei-orheiul-vechi/#

RO-63952

Today is Postcrossing Birthday!!! 8 years later that's amazing how this project touched and changed millions of lives around the world. 
I've joined postcrossing almost 7 years ago and i can't imagine my life without it. Postcards and my postcrosser friends make me a very happy person. 
Thank you Postcrossing and Happy Birthday. 

RO-63952, sent by Elena.
A wonderful official from Romania showing the Putna Monastery.
The Putna monastery is a Romanian Orthodox monastery, one of the most important cultural, religious and artistic centers established in medieval Moldavia; as with many others, it was built and dedicated by Prince Stephen the Great. The Putna Monastery houses the tombs of Stephen —nowadays, a place of pilgrimage —, and several of his family members. The icon veils and tombstones are held as fine examples of Moldavian art in Stephen the Great’s time.
Right after Stephen the Great won the battle in which he conquered the Kilia citadel, he began work on the monastery as a means to give thanks to God, on July 10, 1466 - the church was to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Putna was completed in three years, but was consecrated only after one more year passed, given that the Moldavians engaged in other battles. On September 3, 1470, during a ceremony attended by Stephen and all his family, the monastery was consecrated, and subsequently became the most important religious site in the area.
The present church was practically rebuilt between 1653 and 1662 by Vasile Lupu and his successors. Although the building follows the ground plan of a typical 15th and 16th century Moldavian church, it has many architectural and decorative features that are characteristic of 17th century architecture. - in: wikipedia

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Magura Cave - Bulgaria

This cave from Bulgaria is not an UNESCO WHS but was added to the tentative list in 1984. 
This is one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Bulgaria. It consists of the main gallery and three side branches. The overall length of the cave is approximately 2500 meters.

UNICART
The cave is located near the village of Rabisha, in the district of Vidin. The beginnings of the formation of the cave go back 15 million years ago on a hill which is 461 meters high. The cave has a number of accessible halls and galleries which were inhabited during the Bronze Age and which contain remnants of settlements and drawings on the walls. The remnants in the largest hall bear evidence to the existence of life from 3100 years to 900 years before our era - i.e. the early Iron Age. In one of the side galleries a large number of ritual drawings can be seen, which are among the masterpieces of late prehistoric art in Europe. In all probability, this gallery was a cult shrine of the cave prehistoric settlement. The Magoura Cave has been declared a monument of culture and a remarkable natural site. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/45/

King Tomislav Square - Zagreb

Both of these cards show the King Tomislav square in Zagreb. The 1st card was bought by me in 2006 and the 2nd was sent by Manuela. 

 King Tomislav Square is, dominated by a monument to the first Croatian king.  He reigned from 910 until 928, first as Duke (dux Croatorum) of Dalmatian Croatia in 910–925, and then became first King (rex Croatorum) of the Croatian Kingdom in 925–928.

In addition to the monument, is located in the square, the main train station, the largest railway station in Croatia, and also the Art Pavilion.  The pavilion was built in 1898 of the iron skeleton of the Croatian pavilion at the Millennium Exhibition in Budapest. The style blends the elements of a classical appearance with a hint of Art Nouveau.
It is the oldest gallery in the Southeast Europe and the only purpose-built gallery in Zagreb designed specifically to accommodate large scale exhibitions.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Vrboska - Croatia

A croatian card sent by Manuela. And OMG, i've just discovered that this is a card from the only croatian UNESCO place that i was still missing!!! 
I read this on wikipedia and confirmed at the UNESCO list gallery and documents! Someone is very happy now. 
Settlement on the northern coast of the island of Hvar in a deep narrow bay surrounded by pine forest, vineyards, and olive groves. Vrboska lies on the north-eastern side of the UNESCO protected world heritage site Stari Grad Plain. - in: wikipedia

Along a narrow and curving fjord , unusual only as wonders are on Hvar island, there lies Vrboska – the smallest town on the island.
But even if it is the smallest, Vrboska is the treasure of the island. Founded in the 15th century, it is often reffered to as "Little Venice" due to numerous small bridges.
From the entrance, which is its widest part, surrounded with thick pine forest, it narrows curving into a canal along both sides of which are situated picturesque architectural objects of Gothic, Neo- Renaissance and Baroque style.
The narrow, curving, streets, the pine forest, the stone buildings and a small islet in the middle of the cove, bathed in sunshine and hidden in the depths of the bay. 
The Vrboska area was inhabited even in ancient times, to which ruins of Roman building testify. It grew from a fishermen's village and harbour to a place called Vrbanj (hence its own name Vrboska) in 15th century into a small town which outshines even the bigger and better known places on the island by its beauty.
Vrboska is comprised of two parts. Pjaca (eastern part) and Podva (western part).
Typical Mediterranean local architecture of small houses on both sides of the canal connected to old town houses from the periods of Renaissance, Gothic and Baroque, as well as old churches on one side of the canal and rich villas on the other side gives the place special charm and warmth. - in: http://vrboska.info/en/120/about-vrboska/

Fishermen's Bastion - Budapest

Raquel has been to Budapest last April and i hope i can visit the city too one day. 
I've a few cards from Budapest and i'm glad Raquel sent me this one, because since i've joined postcrossing, i've been waiting to receive a card from this place. I finally got it. 

The bastion is located right behind the Matthias Church in the Castle District. It is one of the city's biggest tourist draws and functions as some sort of ornate viewing platform. 
The Fisherman's Bastion was built at the site of an old rampart that, during the Middle Ages, was defended by the guild of fishermen, who lived nearby in Vízívaros (watertown), at the foot of the hill. Thus the name of the bastion. An old fish market also sat at this location during medieval times.

SIMIX PRINT
Designed by architect Frigyes Schulek and built between 1899 and 1905, the white-stoned Fisherman's Bastion is a combination of neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque architecture and consists of turrets, projections, parapets, and climbing stairways. 
The bastion is made up of seven towers - each one symbolizing one of the seven Magyar tribes that, in 896, settled in the area now known as Hungary. The structure looks straight out of some fairy-tale and conjures up thoughts of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty. Still, it seems to be in sync with the style of the Church of Our Lady and nicely complements the church, which was the intention of the architect. 
A monumental double stairway, decorated with reliefs of coats-of-arms and various motifs, connects the bastion with the streets below. - in: http://www.aviewoncities.com/budapest/fishermansbastion.htm

CZ-286756

Ještěd Tower is a 94 metre-tall tower used to transmit television signal built on the top of Ještěd mountain near Liberec in the Czech Republic.

© Ing. Lubomir Tlusty - IMAGE PRESS
© Foto: Milan Drahoñovsky
CZ-286756, sent by Petr.
Ještěd Tower is a reinforced concrete construction with a shape called hyperboloid, built between 1963 and 1968. The tower's architect was Karel Hubáček. The shape was chosen since it naturally extends the silhouette of the hill and moreover well resists the extreme climate conditions on the top of the hill. In the Tower's lowest sections it contains a hotel and a tower restaurant. It serves as a dominant attraction in the city and as a place to oversee much of Bohemia and parts of Poland and Germany. - in: wikipedia

Saturday, July 6, 2013

PL-712213

Something is wrong with my officials. I've 20 officials travelling, most of them for more than two weeks to european countries. I've checked the users profiles and they're active, so i don't understand why the postcards are still travelling. If my cards are not registered, i don't receive cards but i keep receiving them. Now i've more received cards, 7, than sent. I really hope all those sent cards don't get lost :(

Fot. Dariusz Krakowiak
PL-712213, sent by Susan.
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland.
The church in the bigger image is St. Mary's Church, one of the oldest churches in the city, dating back to 19th century.

Turzańsk Wooden Tserkva - Poland

It was last month the Unesco comitte decided the new World Heritage Sites. 19 new sites were added to the list; i already had 4 of those sites and this week received another one, sent by Joanna. This wooden church is one of the sixteen Wooden tserkvas of Carpathian region in Poland and Ukraine.

Situated in the eastern fringe of eastern Europe, the transnational property numbers a selection of 16 tserkvas, churches, built of horizontal wooden logs between the 16th and 19th centuries by communities of the Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic faiths. They represent the cultural expression of four ethnographic groups and the formal, decorative and technical characteristics they developed over time. The tserkvas bear testimony to a distinct building tradition rooted in Orthodox ecclesiastic design interwoven with elements of local tradition, and symbolic references to their communities’ cosmogony. The tserkvas are built on a tri-partite plan surmounted by open quadrilateral or octagonal domes and cupolas. They feature wooden bell towers, iconostasis screens, and interior polychrome decorations as well as churchyards, gatehouses and graveyards. - in: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1424/

Fot. © A. Szczerbicki
The Greek Catholic church dedicated to St. Archangel Michael (today’s Orthodox church) was erected between 1801 and 1803. In 1871, the wooden bell tower was constructed and in 1936, the church was enlarged. The church, along with few other churches that remain in the Oslawa Valley, adheres to the type of architecture that spread on the central and eastern Lemkos’ Lands in the 19th c. - in: http://www.touristlink.com/poland/the-church-complex-of-turzansk/overview.html

Pieniny - Poland

A mountain card from Poland sent by Manuela.

Fot. © T. Ogórek
 Pieniny is a mountain range in the south of Poland and the north of Slovakia. The most spectacular part of Pieniny is protected in the trans-border Pieninski National Park.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Celina's cards

Just a few days ago, Celina went on a nice trip to visit 5 different countries, Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. I've to admit i'm a but jelous... i've only been to Poland yet and would love to visit the other countries too.
She sent me cards fromLlithuania, Latvia and Poland.

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city. It is located in the southeast of the country. It is the second biggest city of the Baltic states, after Riga.
Vilnius is known for its Old Town of beautiful architecture, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Its Jewish influence until the 20th century has led to it being described as the “Jerusalem of Lita" and Napoleon named it "the Jerusalem of the North" as he was passing through in 1812.
The Cathedral Square in Vilnius is the main square of the Vilnius Old Town, right in front of the neo-classical Vilnius Cathedral. It is a key location in city's public life, situated as it is at the crossing of the city's main streets and reflecting the city's diversity. Regularly held at this site are fairs and gatherings of townspeople, military parades, religious and official public events, attractions and large concerts, New Year’s salutes and exhibitions. It is not merely the most lively and important location in the city, but is also one of the most significant and widely known symbols of Lithuania. - in: wikipedia

Felistella
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states and home to more than one third of Latvia's population.
Riga was founded in 1201 and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. - in: wikipedia

Photos by Christian Parma
Several views from Warsaw in Poland.
Freta Street; Castle Square; Piwna Street; Old Town Market Square; Castle Square; Old Town Market Square; Barbican; Old Town Mermaid and Royal Castle.