Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * July 16

Its now time for a few RR posts. For the July Monthly Favorite Surprise RR, I got cards from Germany, Lithuania, Russia and Australia.

Stefanie sent me a Corvey Abbey card with a matching stamp.

The Imperial Abbey of Corvey or Princely Abbey of Corvey was a Benedictine abbey on the River Weser, 2 km northeast of Höxter, now in North Rhine-Westphalia. It was one of the Imperial abbeys of the Holy Roman Empire from the late Middle Ages until 1792 when the abbey was dissolved and Corvey converted into a prince-bishopric. It was in turn secularized in 1803 and absorbed into the newly created Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda. In 2014, the former abbey was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. - in: wikipedia

© Schöning GmbH & Co. KG

Also from Germany and also sent by  Stefanie, a card from Nuremberg, a city in the German state of Bavaria. 

On the card there's the medieval church of St. Lorenz, dedicated to Saint Lawrence. It was built in gothic style between 1243 and 1315. It was badly damaged during the Second World War and later rebuilt. It is one of the most prominent churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria.

Fotografas: a. Kuliesis

Last year I've been to Kaunas, I've been to the castle but couldn't find castle cards. Now, thanks to Ieva, I finally have one.

This splendid 13th-century castle, probably built by Grand Duke Kęstutis to defend the way to Trakai, was the country's first defensive bastion and the only double-walled castle in Lithuania. 

The surrounding walls were initially over two metres wide and 13m high. Unlike most other castles of the time this one was made of stone, not wood. - in: https://www.inyourpocket.com/kaunas/Kaunas-Castle_12067v

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow is by itself the symbol of new Russia. Built in 19th century, it was destroyed by the Communists to be restored almost hundred years later. 

Card sent by Olga.

Photos: Dana Yergi, Bob Halstead and Dinah Halstead 

These colorful fishes are: clown fish, coral trout, big eyes and angel fish. The card was sent by Alison.

On the back of the card: The Great Barrier Reef, the 7th Natural Wonder of the World, is home for over 1500 species of fish and 400 special of coral.