Sanctuary and Portico di San Luca - Bologna

 These last days UNESCO has been annoucing the new World Heritage Sites. As a UNESCO card collector, I'm always interrested to know which sites will be added to the list. However, this year it seems that won't be easy to get cards from most of the candidates!! I don't even have, and I've actually never seen. cards from the Portuguese candidate, which by now, we already know it won't be classified.

On the other hand, Italy has added one more site to it's already long list of classified sites. 

 

Italy adds new sites almost every year and 2021 was no exception. Portico di San Luca, in Bologna, together with the other city porticoes, it was included in UNESCO World Heritage Site list that year. Óscar went on a short work trip to Bologna but had time to visit a bit of the city and send me a card. 

I've been to the city twice and I totally can see myself visiting it again. On a third visit I definitely want to walk along the portico and visit the sanctuary. By the way, the sanctuary card was sent by Marita back in 2011.

 

The Sanctuary of San Luca, located on Colle della Guardia, has been the symbol of Bologna as well as a place of religious worship for centuries. It is connected to the city centre by a road that, starting from Porta Saragozza, unwinds for four kilometres with a portico that boasts over 600 archways and is the longest in the world.

 Photo: Alessandro Canova

 

 The portico started being built in 1674 and, during Ascension week, a procession has been walking along it carrying the Byzantine Madonna with Child to the Cathedral since 1433. The Sanctuary church was, however, built later in the 18th century to replace a previous 15th-century construction.
The sanctuary offers marvellous views over the surrounding landscape. In addition, the panoramic terrace opened in 2017 at a height of 42 metres above Colle della Guardia (300 m asl), enables visitors to admire a unique 180° view of Bolognafrom the hills to the centre stretching out as far as Casalecchio di Reno. - in: https://www.bolognawelcome.com

 

IT-801491

 It's always a pleasure to get official cards from Italy, especially when they're this beautiful. 

On this view from South Tyrol province, in northern Italy, we can see the small town of Longomoso with the earth pyramids on the letf and the Maria Saal Church on the center.

 

IT-801491, sent by Sabrina.

Near Longomoso, as in many other places on the Renon valley, stand impressive Earth Pyramids. These particular formations, located in the Rio Fosco Gorge, have a pinkish-red hue. The bizarre columns of easily eroded rock, protected by capstones, are a unique natural monument.

Milan - Italy

I've been to Italy 4 times and I visited Milan twice. First time was in December 2005 and then October 2019. 

These are 4 of the most famous Milan's attractions.

 

IT-688761, sent by Patrizia.

While Milan (Milano) may not be the first city a tourist thinks of when planning a trip to Italy, it has more than its share of attractions, not to mention history.
Consider that St. Augustine was baptized in a basilica that stood at what is now Piazza del Duomo; artists Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, the composer Verdi, the great tenor Enrico Caruso, and designer Giorgio Armani all lived and worked here; Toscanini conducted regularly at La Scala; Napoleon was crowned (actually, he crowned himself) inside the Duomo; Mussolini founded the Fascist party here; and the entire fashion world looks to Milan's catwalks twice a year for the season's fashions. - in: https://www.planetware.com

 

 In the center of the city and on the Piazza del Duomo (Cathedral Square) you will find the impressive Duomo di Milano, the cathedral of Milan. The construction of this Milan Cathedral started in the fourteenth century and the church was not completed until the middle of the twentieth century. All the details you see on the outside of the church, such as the baroque-style turrets and façade, have been added over the years.
The Milan Duomo is one of the largest cathedrals in europe (the largest being St. Peter's Basilica in Rome) measuring almost 12,000 square meters. As soon as you get close to the Duomo, you will notice how light the building actually is. This is due to the use of white marble. What you will probably notice first are the many pointed turrets (also called pinnacles) and the more than 2,000 statues. As an architecture enthusiast, you don't have to take binoculars with you for a closer look this time, because you can take the stairs or elevator to the roof terrace to carefully observe every small detail. When you get up to the roof, you will not only learn more about the Milan cathedral itself, but you will also enjoy the amazing view. 

 

This theater in Milan is also called La Scala and when visiting the theater you will witness special neoclassical architecture. Teatro alla Scala was built to replace another theater, which was unfortunately completely destroyed by fire in the eighteenth century. Milan has therefore always been the location for opera; only a church had to make way for the new theater to be built. Famous operas have been performed here for the first time in this theatre, such as Verdi's Otello, Puccini's Madama Butterfly, Rossini's La Cenerentola and Bellini's Norma.
In World War II, the theater was heavily damaged during bombing raids in Milan. Fortunately, with the help of the few outer walls that survived, it was possible to restore it to its former glory. After that, the Teatro alla Scala underwent a major renovation at the beginning of the 21st century. Not only have the architecture and decorative elements been refurbished, but the theater is also completely up to date with regard to technological aspects. 

IT-140921, sent by Denis.

Of course, visiting this shopping center in Milan, you are first of all interested in what shops are located in it. But it is also important to know that this is the oldest shopping center in Italy, perhaps even in the whole world. The property has existed since 1877 and is named after the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. The main structure consists of two passages with glass roofs, which intersect in a central hall with a glass dome. The roof of the Galleria Vittorio Emaneule II is a special element of the shopping center in both day and night light and around the Christmas period it is even more decorated with thousands of lights and other attractive Christmas decorations. Don't just look at the roof and the windows of the luxury shops, because the mosaic floor is also unique.

 

The castle as you find it today, which you can visit for free, was built on the remains of a previously built castle, called Castello di Porta Giova. The Castle of Milan ('Castello Sforzesco') has been expanded and rebuilt several times and eventually it got its square design with the famous round towers at the corners. Restorations have also taken place after bombing and other destruction. With each renovation, the new owners or residents added their own ideas to Castello Sforzesco and architects and artists were hired to adapt and further expand the design of the castle itself, as well as the decorative elements. - in: https://milantips.com

Venice - Italy

Venice is probably one of the most famous and visited cities, not only in Italy, but in the world. The city is known for its canals. The Grand Canal is the largest and most important canal in Venice and forms the city's largest water traffic route.  

With around 3.8 km, it "starts" in the lagoon near the Santa Lucia train station, making an "S" shaped curve through the central neighborhoods, the sestieri, and ends next to the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. The banks of the Grand Canal are lined with more than 170 buildings, most of which date from the 13th to 18th centuries.  

One of these buildings, highlighted in these postcards, is the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. The 1st of these postcards is an official one, received a few days ago, the 2nd was sent by Anne in 2018 and the last was sent in 2009 by Irene.

 

DE-13872773, sent by Kolja.

Santa María della Salute is one of the most important religious edifices in Venice. Its striking dome is depicted in most of the city’s postcards. 

© FLORENTIA MINOR S. N. C. - Fiesole (FI)

Salute, as it is commonly known, was founded in 1631. The basilica was built to commemorate the end of a terrible outbreak of the plague that began in 1630, and killed a large portion of the Veneto population. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Health (Salute in Italian).

The architect, Baldassare Longhena, was commissioned to design the church and had also been responsible for the construction of the Ca’ Rezzonico. Santa Maria della Salute took 56 years to build and was completed in 1687. 

The Basilica’s interior is octagonal with small chapels on each side of the building. Although the church’s decoration is quite plain, there are several impressive paintings by Titian and Tintoretto.

The most magnificent canvas is called “Marriage at Cana” by Tintoretto. It is located in the sacristy.

Every 21 November, the Venetians celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Virgin (Festa della Madonna della Salute). It is one of the most popular festivals in Venice. It involves crossing an improvised bridge over the Grand Canal to the Salute Basilica in recognition of freeing Venice from the plague. - in: https://www.introducingvenice.com/santa-maria-della-salute

Palermo's Cathedral - Italy

    Palermo's Cathedral is one of nine religious and civic structures located on the northern coast of Sicily classified in 2015 as UNESCO WHS, under the name Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale.

© SIMEPHOTO - ph. Giovanni Simeone - all rights reserved

    The cathedral is located in the oldest sacred area of Palermo, where the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs had previously built their own places of worship. When the Normans took power, they immediately replaced the Muslim mosque with a Christian church. However, the archbishop of Palermo, Gualtiero Offamilio, had the building demolished in 1184 and began the construction of a new splendid cathedral, a symbol of religious power in the city. A year later, the church was consecrated and dedicated to Maria Assunta.

© Huber Images / Bartuccio

DE-13872777, sent by Dan.

    Over the course of the following centuries, additions and restorations modified the original building. This union of apparently incongruous different styles gives life to a grandiose and harmonious whole. - in: https://www.visitsicily.info

    A major attraction for anyone visiting Palermo’s Cathedral are the royal tombs. Particularly the tomb of Emperor Frederick II and his family members, Emperors Henry VI of Hohenstaufen and Constance of Altavilla. The cathedral is now considered Palermo's most important place of worship.

Bologna - Italy

 The 1st time I've been to Bologna I hardly saw postcards and the only ones that I saw were not that special. This last visit I didn't see many either but those that I saw were absolutely beautiful. I bought a few and decided to mail this one with the Finistrella di Via Piella, famous window on the Canale delle Moline.

 

 www.alessandrocanova.com

This corner of the city is known as "little Venice". Looking out among the buildings, you can see one of the few stretches of running water, which was not covered with asphalt between the beginning of the twentieth century and the postwar period. Canale delle Moline is the extension of Canale di Reno. For the most part of its route the channel is locked between the houses and for this reason in the past it has long been hidden from view. Now it is possible to see it through small windows in via Oberdan, via Malcontenti in addition to via Piella. - in: https://www.bolognawelcome.com

Santa Croce - Florence

 Last month I've been to Italy for the 6th time and I finally visited Florence. I had many cards to choose from but I decided to send myself this one of the Santa Croce Basilica, the largest Franciscan church in Florence, situated in one of the most fascinating squares of the city.

Photo: Luciano Mugnaini 

The original structure dates back to 1212, when Saint Francis of Assisi visited the city. The current construction began in 1294 or 1295 following a project by Arnolfo Di Cambio, and ended in 1443 with the Gothic facade.

Impressive dimension and great mastepieces inside, as the cenotaph of Dante, the beautiful Annunciation by Donatello and the Crucifix by Cimabue, made Santa Croce become the grave of famous people like Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Niccolò Machiavelli (author of The Prince), the composer Rossini, the poet Ugo Foscolo and the tomb of Vittorio Alfieri made by Canova. It's worth visiting also the numerous chapels, the Bardi Chapel, the Pazzi Chapel, designed by Brunelleschi, the Baroncelli Chapel and many others, all painted by Giotto. - in: https://www.virtualuffizi.com

Ivrea - Italy

Ivrea is a town in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. The city has its share of historical landmarks but it was industry that put it on the UNESCO list. Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century was added to this list in 2021. 

Founded in 1908 by Camillo Olivetti, the Industrial City of Ivrea is an industrial and socio-cultural project of the 20th century.

The Olivetti Company manufactured typewriters, mechanical calculators and desktop computers. Ivrea represents a model of the modern industrial city and a response to the challenges posed by rapid industrial change. It is therefore able to exhibit a response and a contribution to 20th century theories of urbanism and industrialisation. Ivrea’s urban form and buildings were designed by some of the best-known Italian architects and town-planners of the period from the 1930s to the 1960s, under the direction of Adriano Olivetti. 

The city is comprised of buildings for manufacturing, administration, social services and residential uses, reflecting the ideas of the Movimento Comunità (Community Movement) which was founded in Ivrea in 1947 based on Adriano Olivetti’s 1945 book l’Ordine politico delle Comunità (The Political Order of Communities). The industrial city of Ivrea therefore represents a significant example of 20th century theories of urban development and architecture in response to industrial and social transformations, including the transition from mechanical to digital industries. - in: https://whc.unesco.org

The building on the card is the Olivetti Study and Research Centre, which originally hosted training courses for Olivetti mechanical designers, a fundamental item of this company’s industrial and social policies. The architectural design was by architect Eduardo Vittoria (1951-1954). 

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR - July '23

Lets continue with this marathon of monthly surprise cards. In July they were from the Netherlands, Italy, Russia and Cuba but most of them were sent from somewhere else. The Dutch card was sent from Germany, the Italian from Finland and the Cuban also from Germany.

If you ever visited Amsterdam you probably noticed that the houses along the canals are narrow, tall and a bit skewed. Why is that? Back in the 15th century the the land planning laws were strict. Planning required that facades be built of lightweight materials with large windows to reduce weight.  Most of the older buildings have been built on wooden poles, which over time have become less sturdy. Combined with the wet conditions of the soil, the houses are simply sinking over time. Most of the houses are attached to each other, so it looks like they sort of lean on each other and keep their balance together. 

Taxes were charged according to the width of the frontage which explains why most Amsterdam houses are narrow. So the wider facade, the more tax you pay. Despite that the houses are actually rather deep.

Card sent by Helen.

Mina found me a volcano card. 

Even though Mount Etna is one of the world’s most active volcanoes, it is considered to be a safe volcano - most eruptions do not endanger those visiting or living in the area. Often, the biggest inconvenience is the ash that carpets surrounding towns during eruptions. 

If you’re thinking of booking a holiday to Catania and eastern Sicily, you can visit the volcano even during an eruption. There are plenty of hiking routes that steer well clear of the summit and craters where explosions take place. Visiting during an eruption is a thrilling experience and some guides organise tours at night especially to marvel at the fiery light show. - in: https://www.euronews.com

 

Nadezhda sent me autumn on a card. When I saw it I thought it was from Manteigas, a town in my region where there's a beautiful beech forest that at this time of the year looks pretty much like this. But no, this card is from Russia, don't know exactly where from though.

Cuba Imagen

A Cuban card sent from Germany by Grace, an Italian lady living in Switzerland!! 

Grace has never been to Cuba but her Cuban sister-in-law is her supplier of Cuban cards. 

The Museo de la Revolución (Revolution Museum) of Havana is hosted in the old Presidential Palace, built between 1913 and 1920, and used by several presidents of Cuba, the last of them Fulgencio Batista. 

This monumental construction in Centro Habana houses one of the most interesting museums in all Cuba. The museum exhibits several collections of photographs, flags, documents, weapons, and other objects related to the revolutionary fighting against Batista, and the history of Cuba, in chronological order, from the pre-Columbian culture in Cuba (on the top floor), to the current society. In here stand out the exhibitions about the assault of Moncada in 1953, and about the life of Che Guevara, in the bottom rooms.
In the entrance of the museum there is a fragment of the former wall of the city, as well as a SAU-100 tank used by Castro during the invasion of Cochinos Bay in 1961. - in: https://www.tripcuba.org

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR - June '23

 It also took a few more months to get all the June's cards. One of them had to be resent.

 

Amami-Ōshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island is a Japanese UNESCO site added to the WHS list in 2021. I already had a card of the Okinawa Island and now Tomoko sent me this one with Amami-Ōshima and Tokunoshima Islands.

The islands have been separated from the continent and other landmasses for millions of years, and therefore harbor a significant number of endemic and rare animals and plants, including the Iriomote leopard cat, the Amami rabbit and the Okinawa rail.
Amami Oshima attracts with its beautiful beaches dotted along its coastline with white sand and clear, warm waters, as well as for its mangrove forest and several unique animals and plants.
Located south of Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima is visited for its relatively uncrowded beaches and its style of bullfighting, as well as the annual Tokunoshima Triathlon. - in: https://www.japan-guide.com

 

This is not my 1st card of this castle in Malaysia but this card, sent by Jessie, shows a much better view of the castle. 

Kellie’s Castle is perched on top of a hill in Batu Gajah, Perak. Built in 1915 by Scottish planter, William Kellie-Smith,  who arrived in Malaysia in 1890. Smith married his Scottish sweetheart, Agnes, and brought her to Malaysiaa in 1903, and they were blessed with a daughter named Helen and a son, Anthony. 

Workers were brought in from India to build the opulent mansion, and bricks and marbles were imported from the country as well. However, things began to take a tragic turn when Smith died of pneumonia in 1926, during a short trip to Lisbon, Portugal. Following his sudden death, the construction of the castle was suspended. Agnes eventually sold the castle to a British company, Harrisons and Crosfield. It was then abandoned and became a historical site years later. - in: https://www.malaysia.travel  

 

 Immagine de Giancarlo Gasponi

I've recently realized how slow Italian mail service can be. The cards that I've sent from Italy in the beginning of this month, took about 3 weeks to arrive to their destinations in Europe but for Susanna things were a bit worse. Some of the cards she sent in June got lost and she resent a few, including this one. I only noticed a few days after getting the card that she used a matching stamp. 

The ‘Spanish steps’ in Rome, built in Rococo style between 1723 and 1726, are the steps that lead from the Piazza di Spagna square to the French monastery church Trinita dei Monti (built between 1502–1587). There are 135 steps and three different terraces, referring to the Holy Trinity (the Trinità). The top of the stairs near the Egyptian obelisk offers a beautiful view. - in: https://romesite.com

www.papersisters.de

In June Lara visited the small country of Liechtenstein and sent this card that was still missing in my HP collection.

The Principality of Liechtenstein is a micro state in Europe, just covering 160 square kilometers. It is the smallest country in the world with two borders - in the East with Austria, in the West with Switzerland. Situated between the Rhine and the Alps, it is with its capital Vaduz well worth a visit! - in: https://www.papersisters.de

Roman Forum - Italy

Two weeks ago I was in Italy and two weeks before my friend Anne has also been there. We haven't been to the same places though. She visited Rome, where this card is from, and I've been somewhere else. More about my trip when my cards finally arrive. 

The Forum was originally covered by a swamp. It was only in the late 7th century BCE that the valley was reclaimed and the Roman Forum began to take shape. It was destined to remain the centre of public life for over a millennium.

The various monuments were built through the centuries: first the buildings for political, religious and commercial activities, then during the 2nd century CE the civil basilicas, used for judicial activities. Already at the end of the republican age, the ancient Roman Forum had become insufficient to serve as the administrative and representative centre of the city.

 

Ed. CHROMASON * Ph Andrea Panegrossi, Paolo Cipolina

The various dynasties of emperors added only prestigious monuments: the Temple of Vespasian and Titus and that of Antoninus Pius and Faustina, dedicated to the memory of the deified emperors, and the monumental Arch of Septimius Severus, built at the western end of the Forum in 203 CE to celebrate the emperor’s victories over the Parthians.

The last great development was carried out by the emperor Maxentius in the early years of the 4th century CE, when the temple dedicated to the memory of his son Romulus and the imposing Basilica on the Velian Hill was erected. The last monument built in the Forum was the Column erected in 608 CE in honour of the Byzantine emperor Phocas.

After this date, part of the area was gradually buried under silt, turning to meadow and taking the name of the Campo Vaccino, but some monuments survived by being converted into churches. The Iulia Curia became the church of Sant’Adriano; part of the temple of Antonino and Faustina was transformed into the church of San Lorenzo in Miranda, while the temple of Romulus became the church of the Santi Cosma and Damiano. The church of Santa Maria Nova was erected in the 9th century in one of the cells of the Temple of Venus and Roma. In the 16th century, the church of San Giuseppe dei Falegnami was constructed over the Mamertine Prison, the medieval name of the Tullianum, an ancient jail built by Ancus Marcius (640–616 BCE), where Catiline and Vercingetorix were imprisoned. According to an unproven medieval tradition, St. Peter was also held prisoner in it. Finally, in the 17th century, the church of Santi Luca e Martina was rebuilt on the ruins of the Secretarium Senatus. 

It was not until the unification of Italy that the first systematic excavation work was carried out in the area. - in: https://colosseo.it

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