The Scott Monument - Edinburgh

One of my favorite cities in Europe is definitely Edinburgh and I can't wait to go back. Óscar visited this city last September and this card brought me some good memories of my trip to the scotish capital. One of the last things I did was to climb the Scott Monument. If you're not afraid of hights and narrow spaces, this climb is totally worth it. The views of the city are great. 

Photography © Ian Mills

The Scott Monument is the tallest monument to a writer in the world, a Victorian Gothic superstructure towering at 200 feet 6 inches tall with its highest platform reached by 287 steps. It’s a dizzying climb and the staircase narrows as you reach the top but the reward at the end of this claustrophobic ascent is panoramic views of Edinburgh, from Princes Street Gardens where the monument stands, to the Pentland Hills and the Firth of Forth. 

Following Scott’s death in 1832, a competition was held to design a monument to him. The winner was one ‘John Morvo’, who turned out to be George Meikle Kemp, a self-taught architect who disguised his name fearing his lack of architectural qualifications and reputation would disqualify him. In 1838 Kemp was awarded the contract to construct the monument and John Steell was commissioned to design a monumental statue of Scott to rest in the space between the tower’s four columns. Steell’s statue, made from white Carrara marble, shows Scott with his favourite dog Maida by his side. There are also 64 figures of characters from Scott’s novels around the monument, created by a variety of Scots sculptors. The foundation stone was laid on the 15th of August 1840 and building took nearly four years. It was inaugurated on the 15th of August 1846, but Kemp did not see live to see his design realised having drowned in the Union Canal some months before. - in: http://www.cityofliterature.com/a-to-z/scott-monument-2/

CZ-1462390

I've a thing for old bridges and this one is Písek is a very old one, it is the oldest bridge in Czech Republic and one of two oldest bridges in Central Europe. 

Písek is a medium-sized town on the Otava river in the South Bohemian Region, about 44 km (27 mi) northwest of České Budějovice. The town is most famous for the Stone Bridge over the Otava river. 

Foto: Ivan Rillich

CZ-1462390, sent by Kveta.

The Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) from the second half of the 13th century is the most important landmark in the town. It is the oldest bridge in Czechia which has survived until today. It is therefore older than the world famous Charles Bridge in Prague.

The bridge itself was built in the Gothic style, but there are replicas of Baroque statues on it. The Stone Bridge in Písek bears therefore a certain resemblance to Charles Bridge. Obviously, it is much shorter than the famous bridge from Prague: 109.75 m (360 ft) vs. 621 m (2,037 ft). Charles Bridge is also nearly 4 m (13 ft) wider. But the bridge from Písek is roughly one century older than its more famous cousin. - in: https://www.amazingczechia.com/destinations/pisek/

German officials

I bought several postcards in Germany and when I got home I had a few more waiting for me, some of them were officials. 

DE-7574993, sent by Mark.

Merkstein is a town in Aachen district, in the west of North Rhine-Westphalia. 

DE-7572982, sent by Matthias, with a matching Oktoberfest stamp and postmark. 

Oktoberfest is the world's largest beer festival. It is held annually in Munich, running from mid or late September to the first weekend in October, with more than six million people from around the world attending the event every year. 

The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since the year 1810. 

In 1887, the Entry of the Oktoberfest Staff and Breweries took place for the first time. This event showcases the splendidly decorated horse teams of the breweries and the bands that play in the festival tents. This event always takes place on the first Saturday of the Oktoberfest and serves as the official prelude to the Oktoberfest celebration. It involves about 1,000 participants, including the landlords' families in decorated carriages, the magnificent horse-drawn drays of the Munich breweries, waitresses on decorated floats and all the beer tent bands. - in: https://abeaumonster.typepad.com/my-blog/2012/09/grand-entry-of-the-oktoberfest-landlords-and-breweries-aka-parade.html

DE-7581236, sent by Johanna.

Situated on a rocky ridge, Burg Rheinstein rises approximately 270 feet above the Rhine River in the Loreley Valley. 

Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Germany

These cards were both bought by me. The 1st in 2011 when I attended an international Postcrossing meeting in Köln, and the 2nd is the card I decided to send from my trip to Bavaria 2 weeks ago. Rothenburg was the place I wanted to see the most, its really a lovely town, fairy tale kind of place. I definitely want to visit the town again. 

One of the most famous postcard images from Rothenburg ob der Tauber is definitely the Plönlein. A narrow half-timbered building with a small fountain in front, it is framed by the Kobolzeller tower and the higher Siebers Tower, with lovingly restored townhouses to the right and left, creating a charmingly picturesque effect.

The word “Plönlein” derives from the Latin “planum” meaning “flat square”.

Both gate towers were built as part of the first expansion of the town in 1204. The Kobolzeller Tower secured the entrance to the town from the Tauber Valley. Built from dressed quarry stones, the Siebers Tower protected the southern gate until the Infirmary Quarter was incorporated within the town fortifications in the 14th century. - in: https://www.rothenburg.de/welcome/sightseeing/buildings-squares/ploenlein/

Foto: Thomas Endlein

Between the Rödertor and Galgentor towers is one of the finest half-timbered houses in Rothenburg. It is a loving restoration of the original house, completely destroyed in 1945 by an air raid. Its highly decorative gable, pretty windows and colorful heraldic symbols were fully restored to their former glory in 1951. The coat of arms with the crowned serpent was created by the legendary blacksmith, Georg Gerlach himself. The forge closed in 1967, since when it has been in private ownership. - in: https://www.rothenburg.de/welcome/sightseeing/buildings-squares/old-forge/

Combourg Castle - France

To thank me for the card I sent from Germany, Damien sent me a new french castle. This medieval castle is located in Combourg in the Ille-et-Vilaine département of Brittany.

The castle was built around 1025 by Guinguené, the Archbishop of Dol. He gave it to his illegitimate brother Riwallon, the first Lord of Combourg.

The castle was made famous by François-René de Chateaubriand, the renowned French writer and politician, whose family had acquired the property in 1761, and it is where he spent part of his childhood. From his descriptions of the castle, it has come to be considered "the birthplace of Romanticism". Chateaubriand wrote in his Memoirs from Beyond the Grave, "I became what I am in the woods of Combourg."

In 1876, Count Geoffroy de Chateaubriand, grandson of François-René's eldest brother (Jean-Baptiste de Chateaubriand), undertook its restoration. The project was led by a prominent French architect, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (...). 

Privately owned, the castle is listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. - in: wikipedia

FR-1085699

While I was on holidays I've got 14 cards, one of them was this official from France, sent by a 16 years old girl. 

Editions LA GOELLE

The forest of Saou is a mountain range and a forest composed of a perched syncline, considered as one of the highest in Europe. Its basin is entirely located in the city of Saou, in the Drôme department, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.  

Our Lady of Cavadonga - Spain

Every time Celina travels, she sents me a card. Last month she travelled from southern Portugal to northwest Spain, from where she sent this card with Our Lady of Cavadonga. 

© FISA - ESCUDO DE ORO, S. A.

The Virgin of Covadonga is an image of the Virgin Mary that can be seen in a cave in Covadonga, Principality of Asturias. She is the patroness of Asturias and one of the seven patrons of the autonomous communities of Spain. The cave is an important Marian shrine in Spain.

According to tradition, the Virgin helped the Christians captained by Don Pelayo, causing a collapse of stones during the Battle of Covadonga, which decimated the Arab army. This victory is legendarily regarded as the beginning of the Reconquest and the reintegration of the Christian kings on the Peninsula.