RS-54892

In February I've sent an official card to Serbia but it never made it there. It is expired and the user hasn't logged in in months. 

My official card didn't make it to Serbia but this official from Serbia made it to my mailbox. Yay. This is my 4th official from this country. 

Photo: D. Bosnic

RS-54892, sent by Jelena.

Even though the information on the back identifies this palace as the Old Palace, after some googling, I think this is actually the New Palace. 

The New Palace was built in 1911 on the site of an older palace of Knez Mihailo form the 19th century, according to the design of Stojan Titelbah. Since 1922 the palace was residence of king Aleksandar and queen Marija Karadjordjevic, before they moved to the new royal complex at Dedinje. The palace was first converted into a museum, until 1950 when it was used as a government building of the republic of Serbia, and later on as the presidential palace. The building has a high architectural and artistic value and is a protected monument of culture. - in: http://belgrademyway.com

RS-18247

The last time i received a card from Serbia was in 2011!! I don't have many cards from there and this one is only my 3rd official from this country. 

The cards shows the Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade, the country's capital city. 

Copyright © 2004 IP Studio Strugar

RS-18247, sent by Branko.

On the back of the card: "The most significant of the Serbian Churches, the Church of St. Sava, is located at the St. Sava plateau covering an area of 60.000 sq. m. The plateau decoration includes a 400 sq. m. fountain, pedestrian paths, playgrounds and diverse greenery. With the 2004 project for construction and landscaping of the complex around the church, the City of Belgrade marked the bicentennial of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman rule."

Sopocani Monastery - Serbia

The Sopocani Monastery was the last site i was missing from Serbia :D Like the greek card, this one was also sent by Lilia.

The Sopoćani monastery, an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia, was built in the second half of the 13th century, near the source of the Raška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. It is World Heritage Site, added in 1979 with Stari Ras.

The church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and completed around 1265, with interior decorated shortly thereafter. Archbishop Sava II, who became the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1263, is represented in the procession of archbishops in the area of the altar. The frescoes of Sopoćani are considered by some experts on Serbian medieval art as the most beautiful of that period. On the western wall of the nave is a famous fresco of the Dormition of the Virgin. In the 16th century the monks had to temporarily leave the monastery on several occasions due to the Ottoman threat. Finally, during one of the raids in 1689 the Ottoman Turks set fire to the monastery and carried off the lead from the church roof. The brotherhood escaped with some important relics to Kosovo - but did not return to Sopoćani; it remained deserted for over two hundred years, until the 20th century. The church slowly decayed: its vaults caved in, its dome fell down, and the remains of the surrounding buildings were covered with rubble and earth.

Finally, during the 20th century the monastery was restored and today it is settled by a thriving brotherhood of dedicated monks. The fact that most of the Sopoćani frescoes still shine with radiant beauty - surviving more than two centuries of extreme exposure to the elements - many consider nothing less than a divine miracle.

Sopoćani was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia. - in: wikipedia

Novi Sad - Serbia

After a Unesco trade, i've traded again with Judit "helgamano". This time i've chosen two cards from her city, Novi Sad, Serbia's second largest city.

The cards show the Town Hall and the Name of Mary Church, both located in the Liberty Square, the largest central city square, built in the 18th century.

"The Town Hall was built in 1895th in Neo-Renaissance style, designed by architect George Molnar. The facade of the building is a striking Ionic and Corinthian columns. Facade stands out along the 16 Algerian figures that symbolize the various human activities and they are work of Julie Annika. At the top of the building is a tall tower in which there is a bell of St. Florian, patron of the city. Bell was called Matilda, by the name of the benefactress which donated the bell to the fire volunteer squad. Long time ago it served to announce by the number of hits ringtones, the position of the fire outbreak in the city." - in: http://www.visitnovisad.rs/Novi_Sad-guide.html

"The Name of Mary Church is a Roman Catholic Church named after Virgin Mary. The church was built on the foundation of an old Roman Catholic church, which was damaged during Revoluion of 1848. This church was not restored correctly, so Catholics from Novi Sad decided to build a new church. It was finished in the end of the 19th century, in 1894 by architect Georg Molnar. The church is a three-nave building, with gothic arches. The altar is made of carved wood from Tyrol, the windows with stained glass from Budapest and the roof tiles were made of Zsolnay ceramics. It is the highest church in Backa region and dominates the city center of Novi Sad." - in: wikipedia

Studenica Monastery - Serbia

This is one of the cards i've recently received from Lilia "childish". We've traded 6 cards and now i'm waiting for 3 others but these are from a tag.

The 1st 6 cards are from Bulgaria and this one with the Studenica monastery in Serbia.

"The Studenica monastery is a Serbia Orthodox monastery situated 39 km southwest of Kraljevo, in central Serbia. It is one of the largest and richest Serb Orthodox monasteries.

Stefan Nemanja, the founder of the medieval Serb state, founded the monastery in 1190. The monastery's fortified walls encompass two churches: the Church of the Virgin, and the Church of the King, both of which were built using white marble. The monastery is best known for its collection of 13th- and 14th century Byzantine-style fresco paintings.

Studenica was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia, and in 1986 UNESCO included Studenica monastery on the list of World Heritage Sites." - in: wikipedia

Belgrade - Serbia

This was a RAS week. If i'm not mistaken, i've received 4 RAS cards in the last few days. They definitely made me smile :). This one from Serbia was sent by Ana.

Once again, thanks dear Ana!!

On this Belgrade card there's the New Belgrade, the left bank of Sava River; the Avala, Monument to the Unknown Soldier; Topcider, Knez Milos Mansion; sculpture "Woman Harvester" and the lake.

Felix Romuliana - Serbia

Felix Romuliana is a roman temple complex in Gamzigrad, Serbia and one of the most important roman sites in Europe. This is my 2nd unesco card from Serbia, it was sent by Sanja "caki", and i'm waiting for a 3rd card.

"Early explorers believed the ancient ruins to have been a Roman military camp, because of their size and numerous towers. Systematic archaeological excavations conducted since 1953 revealed that the site was, in fact, an Imperial palace. It was conceived and built by one of the Tetrarchs, Emperor Galerius, the adopted son and son-in-law of the great Emperor Diocletian. Galerius started construction in 298 (after a victory over the Persians that brought him admiration and glory) to mark the place of his birth. The name Felix Romuliana was given in memory of his mother Romula, who was also a priestess of a pagan cult. The complex of temples and palaces served three main purposes - a place of worship of his mother’s divine personality, a monument to his deeds as emperor, and a luxurious villa for Galerius. Romuliana survived until it was plundered by the Huns in the mid 5th century. Later the site became a humble settlement of farmers and craftsmen, finally to be abandoned at the beginning of the 7th century with the arrival of the Slavs.

Archaeological excavations on the site have unearthed the remains of a Roman compound with 2 temples, 2 palaces and a building with corridor including exceptionally fine mosaics depicting Greek gods Dionysos and Medusa, figural capitals of Hercules, baths and impressive gates. Several valuable hoards of Roman gold coins have been unearthed at the site, which continues to yield important Roman treasures and artifacts." - in: wikipedia

Visoki Dečani Monastery - Kosovo

Great friends always send great cards but when they match our wishes, that's ever greater and special. Ana, dear Ana, checked my Unesco wishlist and decided to send me 2 sites missing on my list.

This one is from Serbia and the other is from Montenegro.

Thanks Ana for helping me, again, with my unesco collection :D

"Visoki Dečani is a major Serb Orthodox Christian monastery located in Kosovo, 12 km (7 mi) south of the town of Péc. The monastic katholikon is the largest medieval church in the Balkans containing the most extensive preserved fresco decoration.

The monastery was established in a chestnut grove by Serbian King Stefan Uros III Decanski in 1327. Its original founding charter is dated to 1330. The following year the king died and was buried at the monastery, which henceforth became his popular shrine. The construction was continued by his son Emperor Stefan Uros IV Dusan until 1335, but the wall-painting was not completed until 1350.

The monastic church, dedicated to Christ Pantocrator and built from blocks of red-purple, light-yellow and onyx marble. The church is distinguished by its imposing size and Romanesque and Early Gothic structure and design. Apart from the extensive and well preserved fresco cycles the interior features the original 14th-century stone templon, the throne of the hegumen and the carved wooden sarcaphagus of the founder King Stefan.

Visoki Dečani was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia. In 2004, UNESCO listed the monastery on the World Heritage List, citing its frescoes as "one of the most valued examples of the so-called Palaeologan renaissance in Byzantine painting" and "a valuable record of the life in the 14th century". In 2006, it was added to the List of World Heritage Sites in danger due to the potential for attacks by ethnic-Albanian partisans; it is protected by the United Nations' KFOR." - in: wikipedia

Official cards of the week

Last week i've sent a few official cards and received 3.

These cards are from Serbia, Belgium and Estonia.

RS-5863, sent by Judit.

"Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina. The city lies in the southern part of Central Europe's Pannonian Plain, on both banks of the Danube river.Is Serbia's second largest city, after Belgrade.
Petrovaradin Fortress is a fortress located in the province of Vojvodina, on the right bank of the Danube river. The cornerstone of the present-day southern part of the fortress was laid on October 18, 1692, by Prince Croy. Petrovaradin Fortress has many underground tunnels as well (16 km of underground countermine system)." - in: wikipedia

BE-54061, sent by Jolien.

"The belfry of Bruges, or Belfort, is a medieval bell tower in the historical center of Bruges, Belgium. One of the city's most prominent symbols, the belfry formerly housed a treasury and the municipal archives, and served as an observation post for spotting fires and other danger. A narrow, steep staircase of 366 steps, accessible by the public for an entry fee, leads to the top of the 83-meter-high building, which leans about a meter to the east.

To the sides and back of the tower stands the former market hall, a rectangular building only 44 m broad but 84 m deep, with an inner courtyard. The belfry, accordingly, is also known as the Halletoren (tower of the halls)." - in: wikipedia

EE-65744, sent by Ene.

"Sangaste Castle, misleadingly described in most local brochures as being a 'copy' of Windsor Castle, isin fact a wildly eccentric, red-brick, neo-Gothic manor house, which until recently had very basic accommodation with very little appeal for most tourists, let alone the British royal family (not surprisingly the Queen and Prince Philip gave it a miss when they came to Estonia in October 2006). For many years it served as a children's holiday home and it has scarcely been refurbished since then, but this should not put off passing visitors who can eat well here and can try to make sense of the building, both inside and out. Refurbishment started in 2006 so in due course the interior of the building will become a fully functional conference centre.
The owner of the building throughout its existence as a private house was the scientist Count Magnus von Berg (1845-1938), who become famous for his work on the cultivation of rye. He commissioned this house in 1874.

The large reception/meeting rooms on the ground floor exhibit hunting trophies. The first floor has a small exhibition of items and photographs linked to the family.
Von Berg, rather than Hippius, must have been responsible for the total eccentricity that the building now represents. Every window is different, as are all the porches and the towers.
In the park at the back of the castle is an oak tree allegedly planted by Peter the Great. This park is often also called an 'English garden' but is largely a play area for children with a wood in the background. This wood contains about 300 different species of tree." - in: http://www.aviastar.org/travel/gallery.php?dir=eesti/sangaste

CH & RS

Yesterday i've received 2 new official cards, 1 from Switzerland and the other from Serbia.

CH-38681, sent by Catherine.

This a card from Bern, the capital city of Switzerland. The official language of Bern is German. The spoken language is the Swiss German dialect Bernese German.

The historic center of Bern has been featured in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1983, and Bern is among the world’s top ten cities for the best quality of life.

RS-4948, sent by Sasha.

This is my 1st official from Serbia!

The card is from Oplenac and it shows the St. George's Church.
The church of St. George and the mausoleum of the Karađorđević dynasty was built at the top of Mali Oplenac (Little Oplenac). King Petar I decided to build a church and a mausoleum for both his ancestors and descendants to fulfil a wish of his parents buried in Vienna.
The church is covered with white marble from nearby Venčac mine. Interior is covered in mosaics, with more than 6 million pieces.

St. Paraskeve Church

I won a lottery a few weeks ago hosted by Ana "BraveJ" and this week i've received this huge and beautiful card.

The Church of St. Paraskeve was built in 1938 at the place of the old chapel, above the spring which was considered to be miraculous.

The church of St. Ruzica, above it, was built in 1730, was a gunpowder magazine in the 18th century, and was converted into a military church between 1867 and 1869. Heavily damaged during the First World War, the church was renovated in 1925.

Other Languages RR - Group 27

Today i've received the last card of this group dedicated to the months. Thanks Ana, Ziga and Janek for these great cards :)

This is the card sent by Ana "BraveJ" with the beautiful St. Sava Church, "an Orthodox church in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, one of the largest in the world. The church is dedicated to Saint Sava, founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church and an important figure in medieval Serbia. It is built on the Vračar plateau, on the location where his remains are thought to have been burned in 1595 by the Ottoman Empire's Sinan Pasha. From its location, it dominates Belgrade's cityscape, and is perhaps the most monumental building in the city. The building of the church structure is being financed exclusively by donations." - in: wikipedia

This is an italian card but sent by Slovenia. Ziga "krepki" read that i like vulcanoes and sent me this Vesuvius card. "Mount Vesuvius is an active stratovolcano east of Naples. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting. Mount Vesuvius is on the coast of the Bay of Naples, about 9 kms (6 miles) east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is conspicuous in the beautiful landscape presented by that bay, when seen from the sea, with Naples in the foreground. Mount Vesuvius is best known for its eruption in AD 79 that led to the destruction of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. It has erupted many times since and is today regarded as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world because of the population of 3,000,000 people now living close to it and its tendency towards explosive eruptions. It is the most densely populated volcanic region in the world." - in: wikipedia

And finally another card that fits my wishlist. This one was sent by Janek "ulvikaru". Pakri is a peninsula in Estonia that ends in the sea with a limestone cliff up to 25 metres high. The Pakri lighthouse is the highest lighthouse in Estonia with 52 metres.

Kosovo

"Kosovo is a province of Serbia which has been under United Nations administration since 1999. While Serbia's sovereignty is recognised by the international community, in practice Serbian governance in the province is virtually non-existent. The province is governed by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo with the help of the local Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, as well as security provided by the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR)." - in: wikipedia.

Card sent by "falascaracing".