Citânia de Briteiros - Portugal

If you like archaeological sites, this is a nice one to visit in northern Portugal, not far from Guimarães. I've never been there but it seems a nice place to visit. 

These cards were sent by Emanuel and Óscar.

Situated a few kilometres from Guimarães, on top of the São Romão hill above the Ave River valley, the Citânia de Briteiros surprises the visitor with its scenic beauty and because it is one of the most expressive protohistoric settlements of the Iberian Peninsula, due to the dimension and monumentality of its walls, urbanism and architecture. 

The still incipient traces of the organization of a "city" are clearly visible in the streets protected by a set of walls, inside which the circular or rectangular dwellings, sometimes arranged in small "blocks", were sheltered. 

The Citânia de Briteiros is one of the paradigmatic sites in the History of Portuguese and Peninsular Archaeology. Its study began in 1874, when Francisco Martins Sarmento directed the first campaign of archaeological works, which continued in the following years. In the 20th century, the excavation, or restoration, campaigns were retaken by various archaeologists and, as a result of successive works, an extensive area of ruins can be seen today, both on the upper platform (acropolis) and on the eastern slope, but the settlement's subsoil still hides many secrets and valuable scientific information. 

 

Foto: E. Caldas

The initial phase of the use of the São Romão hill dates back to the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic period, when various panels with rock engravings were carved on the granite cliffs of the eastern slope. As a habitat, the site's occupation can be dated to the beginnings of the 1st millennium BC, and it is part of the period designated as the Atlantic Bronze Age. However, the Citânia's golden age dates back to the 2nd century BC, and it was still inhabited after the Peninsular Northwest was integrated in the Roman Empire, during the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. In the 10th century, a small Christian hermitage would be built in the acropolis, among the debris of the old settlement. 

The ruins of the Citânia, its subsoil and the objects collected bear witness to millennia of history. Different materials that bear witness to this occupation can be seen at the Museu da Cultura Castreja (Museum of Castro Culture), at the Solar da Ponte, in Briteiros. - in: https://www.visitportugal.com

Caniçada Dam - Portugal

Many, many years ago, in 2004, I went to Gerês National park for the first time and camped somewhere in the Caniçada Dam. A few weeks later I returned to Gerês but camped in another place.   

This postcard could be from that year but no, it looks a few years older. It was sent by Rui who bought it at a street fair.

 

The Caniçada Dam is one of the best known places and one of the main entry points to Gerês and is located in the Cavado River basin, between the municipalities of Terras de Bouro and Vieira do Minho, Northern Portugal.

With the aim of producing electricity, this infrastructure was inaugurated in 1955, as part of the plan for hydroelectric developments throughout the country. It is a concrete arch dam with a height of 76 m above the foundation and a crest length of 246 m.

For pilgrims to São Bentinho da Porta Aberta, this is a must-see place. In fact, it is a unique sensation to arrive at this huge mantle of water during sunrise.

In addition to the various leisure activities related to water sports , this area allows its visitors to enjoy the landscape of great beauty in the various esplanades located along the reservoir. - in: https://www.descobrirogeres.com

Church of St. Mary of the Castle, Tavira - Portugal

On April 2017 I went on holidays to Algarve. I've been to many places and Tavira was where I started to explore this portuguese region. It was also in Tavira that I had a mini postcrossing meeting. Well, it wasn't exactly mini, we were 5 postcroossers, me, Tiago, Celina, Paulo & Ana and Celina's friend. A few days ago Heidi has also meet Paulo and Ana there. 

Every meeting has cards to sign. 5 years ago I send myself a card with the 1st of these Church of St. Mary of the castle cards. It posting it here with a card that Ninocas sent me 2 years before and also Heidi's card. 

© Edição Vistal * Foto © Art & Concept: Gustav A. Wittich

The church of Santa Maria do Castelo, a short stroll from Tavira's Moorish castle, was built in the 13th century on the site of what was probably one of the largest Moorish mosques on The Algarve. It was significantly damaged in the 1755 earthquake and was later re-modelled in Neo-Classical style, although parts of the clock tower with its arched Arabic-style windows and the Gothic stone portal are believed to date from the original 13th century structure.

© Edição Vistal Foto * © ART & CONCEPT: Gustav A. Wittich

The church exterior is painted white and has a bell tower as well as the clock tower which features an unusual oversized clock dating from the early 19th century.

 

© Edição Vistal Foto * © ART & CONCEPT: Gustav A. Wittich

Inside the church are a number of important treasures, including quite a few brightly painted statues and some intricately decorated blue and white azulejo tilework. One of the chapels contains the tombs of seven knights, who, according to legend were ambushed by Moors, precipitating the attack on the city in which Tavira was reconquered. - in: https://www.travel-in-portugal.com

Monthly Fav. Surprise RR * May' 22

 I don't know what happened to April's cards, so far I've only received one card out of 4!! 3 April's card are still missing but all of the 4 may's card are already here.

 

The cards of this monthly RR are supposed to be a surprise but when I get cards from a missing UNESCO site, the surprise is even greater. Colonies of Benevolence was the only site I was still missing from the Netherlands. Thank you very much Annerie.

Colonies of Benevolence are seven landscapes in the Netherlands and Belgium that were formed during a utopian social experiment in poverty reduction that started at the beginning of the 19th century. The basis of the experiment was the notion that poor people from the city could build a new life in the countryside. By working hard as farmers, such people could eventually provide for their own maintenance. 

Veenhuizen was the largest Colony of Benevolence. In Veenhuizen large dormitory structures and larger centralized farms along planted avenues were built for orphans, beggars and vagrants that worked under the supervision of guards. 

A card from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, sent by Karissa.

Pennsylvania's state capital, Harrisburg, was named from the prominent Harris family in 1785. The state temporarily renamed the capital "Louisburg" in honor of Louis XVI and France's contributions to the U. S. Revolutionary war, but citizens continued to refer to the capital as "Harrisburg".

Niclas Nordlund

If I'm not mistaken, this is my 1st card from the Äland islands and I couldn't be happier about it. I don't know if Merri checked my favs but I had 1 or 2 cards depicting this castle in my wall. 

Kastelholm Castle is a well-preserved castle ruin, built originally on a small islet in the late 14th century. However, since then the land has risen from the sea and today only two sides of the castle are surrounded by water.  Kastelholm Castle was originally a fortress built for defence. However, over time, it gained more importance as an administrative centre.
As Åland's only medieval fortress, Kastelholm Castle has undergone several extensive renovations since the late 19th century. The castle is now a museum. - in: https://www.marinefinland.fi

 

© Fotoverlag HUBER

Antje decided to show me some of the beautiful Bavaria's castles. Neuschwanstein; Linderhof; Jagdschloss; Nymphenburg München; Hohenschwangau and Herrenchiemsee.

DE-11822828

Look at these colors! No wonder the Grand Prismatic Spring is one of the most visited and photographed attractions of the Yellowstone National Park. It is also the largest hot spring in the United States, and the third largest in the world.

 

DE-11822828, sent by Astrid and Lucy.

Grand Prismatic Spring was noted by geologists working in the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871, and named by them for its striking coloration. Its colors match most of those seen in the rainbow dispersion of white light by an optical prism: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue.

The bright, vivid colors in the spring are the result of microbial mats around the edges of the mineral-rich water. The mats produce colors ranging from green to red; the amount of color in the microbial mats depends on the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoids and on the temperature gradient in the runoff. In the summer, the mats tend to be orange and red, whereas in the winter the mats are usually dark green. The center of the pool is sterile due to extreme heat.

The deep blue color of the water in the center of the pool results from the intrinsic blue color of water. The effect is strongest in the center of the spring, because of its sterility and depth. - in: wikipedia

Rock Islands - Palau

 Speaking of postcards from not so common countries, now I have this one from Palau. I confess that I had to check google maps to see where exactly this island country is located. It lies in the Pacific Ocean and it shares maritime boundaries with international waters to the north, the Federated States of Micronesia to the east, Indonesia to the south, and the Philippines to the northwest.  

A postcard from a new country is already good enough this is also from a new UNESCO site, in fact, that's why I wanted to swap with Maureen. Rock Islands were added to the World Heritage list in 2012.

 

Photographer: Ricky Chou

Rock Islands Southern Lagoon covers 100,200 ha and includes 445 uninhabited limestone islands of volcanic origin. Many of them display unique mushroom-like shapes in turquoise lagoons surrounded by coral reefs. The aesthetic beauty of the site is heightened by a complex reef system featuring over 385 coral species and different types of habitat. They sustain a large diversity of plants, birds and marine life including dugong and at least thirteen shark species. The site harbours the highest concentration of marine lakes anywhere, isolated bodies of seawater separated from the ocean by land barriers. They are among the islands’ distinctive features and sustain high endemism of populations which continue to yield new species discoveries. The remains of stonework villages, as well as burial sites and rock art, bear testimony to the organization of small island communities over some three millennia. The abandonment of the villages in the 17th and 18th centuries illustrates the consequences of climate change, population growth and subsistence behaviour on a society living in a marginal marine environment. - in: https://whc.unesco.org

UNESCO WHS from Kazakhstan

May was a good month when it comes to cards from new UNESCO sites. I've got great cards, some of them from not so common countries. These two are from Kazakhstan, from where I only had one site. Both cards were sent by Adil. On the Western Tien-Shen card he used a postcrossing stamp :)

Western Tien-Shen was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2016 and the Petroglyphs of the Archaeological Landscape of Tanbaly in 2004.

Photos: 2021 «Qazaqstan 30»

From the fields of wildflowers at lower altitudes to dramatic craggy peaks of winter snow, Kazakhstan's heavenly Western Tien-Shan mountains are some of the most biologically diverse and prosperous regions of the world. Three protected areas make up the World Heritage Site - Karatau Nature Reserve, Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve, and Sairam-Ugam National Park. Together they offer a haven for endemic rare and endangered species. It was also here that some of the first fruits were domesticated centuries ago before spreading out across the world on the trading routes of the Great Silk Road. - in: https://visitworldheritage.com

 

 Photos: 2021 «Qazaqstan 30»

Set around the lush Tanbaly Gorge, amidst the vast, arid Chu-Ili mountains, is a remarkable concentration of some 5,000 petroglyphs (rock carvings) dating from the second half of the second millennium BC to the beginning of the 20th century. Distributed among 48 complexes with associated settlements and burial grounds, they are testimonies to the husbandry, social organization and rituals of pastoral peoples. Human settlements in the site are often multilayered and show occupation through the ages. A huge number of ancient tombs are also to be found including stone enclosures with boxes and cists (middle and late Bronze Age), and mounds (kurgans) of stone and earth (early Iron Age to the present). The central canyon contains the densest concentration of engravings and what are believed to be altars, suggesting that these places were used for sacrificial offerings. - in: https://whc.unesco.org