2009-02-08 ~ Abhishek's PostCrossing Journey

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Fortress of Suomenlinna, Finland

Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori, (Finnish), or Sveaborg (Swedish), is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands (Kustaanmiekka, Susisaari, Iso-Mustasaari, Pikku-Mustasaari, Länsi-Mustasaari and Långören), and which is nowadays part of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.
Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who enjoy it as a picturesque picnic site. Originally named Sveaborg (Fortress of Svea), or Viapori as called by Finns, it was renamed Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918 for patriotic and nationalist reasons, though it is still also known by its original name.
Sweden started building the fortress in 1748 as a protection against Russian expansionism. The general responsibility for the fortification work was given to Augustin Ehrensvärd. The original plan of the bastion fortress was strongly influenced by the precepts of Vauban, the foremost military engineer of the time, and the principles of Star Fort style of fortification, albeit adapted to a group of islands.
In addition to the island fortress itself, seafacing fortifications on the mainland would ensure that an enemy would not acquire a beach-head from which to stage attacks. The plan was also to stock munitions for the whole Finnish contingent of the Swedish Army and Royal Swedish Navy there. In the Finnish War the fortress surrendered to Russia on May 3 1808, paving the way for the occupation of Finland by Russian forces in 1809.

The Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Petersburg, Russia

The Peter and Paul Fortress is the original citadel of St. Petersburg, Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and built to Domenico Trezzini's designs from 1706 to 1740.

Convent of the Order of Christ, Tomar, Portugal

The Convent of the Order of Christ in Tomar, Portugal, was originally a Templar stronghold built in the 12th century. After the Order of the Knights Templar was dissolved in the 14th century, the Portuguese branch of the order was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ, which supported Portugal's maritime discoveries of the 15th century.

Alcobaça Monastery, Alcobaça, Portugal

The Alcobaça Monastery is a mediaeval monastery located in the town of Alcobaça, in central Portugal. It was founded by the first Portuguese King, Afonso Henriques, in 1153, and maintained a close association with the Kings of Portugal throughout its history.
The church and monastery were the first Gothic buildings in Portugal, and, together with the Monastery of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, it was one of the most important of the mediaeval monasteries in Portugal.

Barco Rebelo, Porto, Portugal

Rabelo The boat is a vessel Portuguese, typical of the Douro River that the traditionally carried barrels of port of the Alto Douro, where the vineyards are located, to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the wine was stored, and subsequently marketed.
Today, with a different activity, the Rabelo are used in races, walks on the river Douro (some organized by the tourism Douro Azul) and other initiatives to recall their days of glory.
The Rabelo ships can still be found in Porto. However today, unlike other times, used to transport tourists on a playful and entertaining, and very used to cross the river from Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the tourists can visit some of the wine cellars of Porto .

Hieronymites Monastery, Lisboa, Portugal

The Hieronymites Monastery is located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal. This magnificent monastery can be considered one of the most prominent monuments in Lisbon and is certainly one of the most successful achievements of the Manueline style. In 1983 it was classified by the UNESCO, with nearby Torre de Belém, as a World Heritage Site.

Alto Douro Wine Region, Portugal

Douro is a Portuguese wine region centered around the Douro river in the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro region. It is sometimes referred to as the Alto Douro (upper Douro), as it is located some distance upstream from Porto, sheltered by mountain ranges from coastal influence. The region has Portugal's highest wine classification as a Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC). While the region is associated primarily with Port wine production, the Douro produces just as much table wines (non-fortified wines) as it does fortified wines. The non-fortified wines are typically referred to as "Douro wines".
The style of wines produced in the Douro range from light, Bordeaux style claret to rich Burgundian style wines aged in new oak.

Porto, Portugal

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Dunhuang Grottoes or Mogao Caves, China

The Mogao Caves, or Mogao Grottoes (also known as the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas and Dunhuang Caves) form a system of 492 temples 25 km (15.5 miles) southeast of the center of Dunhuang, an oasis strategically located at a religious and cultural crossroads on the Silk Road, in Gansu province, China. The caves contain some of the finest examples of Buddhist art spanning a period of 1,000 years. Construction of the Buddhist cave shrines began in 366 AD as places to store scriptures and art. The Mogao Caves are the best known of the Chinese Buddhist grottoes and, along with Longmen Grottoes and Yungang Grottoes, are one of the three famous ancient sculptural sites of China.

Mingyong Glacier, Yunnan, China

Mingyong Glacier is located in the Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, The glacier retreated 200 meters (656 feet) in four years

Songzanling Monastery

Mingyong Glacier is located in the Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, The glacier retreated 200 meters (656 feet) in four years

Umm Qais, Jordan

Umm Qais is a town in Jordan located on the site of the ruined Hellenistic-Roman city of Gadara. The town was also called Antiochia or Antiochia Semiramis and Seleucia. Gadara was a semi-autonomous city of the Roman Decapolis.
Site of the famous miracle of the Gadarene swine, Gadara was renowned in its time as a cultural centre. It was the home of several classical poets and philosophers, including Theodorus, founder of a rhetorical school in Rome; one poet called the city "a new Athens". Perched on a splendid hilltop overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilee, Gadara is today known as Umm Qays and boasts an impressive colonnaded streets, vaulted terrace and the ruins of two theatres. You can take in the sights and then dine on the terrace of a fine restaurant with a breathtaking view of three countries.

Umm ar-Rasas, Jordan

Umm ar-Rasas is an archeological site in Jordan which contains ruins from the Roman, Byzantine, and early Muslim civilizations. The majority of the site has not been excavated. Among the portions excavated so far include a military camp, and several churches.

The Monastery, Petra, Jordan

Petra is an archaeological site in the Arabah, Ma'an Governorate, Jordan.It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture. Petra is also one of the new wonders of the world.
The Monastery, Petra's largest monument, dates from the first century BC. It was dedicated to Obodas I and is believed to be the symposium of Obodas the god. This information is inscribed on the ruins of the Monastery. The Monastery is beautifully carved, though much less decorated than the Treasury, and so huge that even the doorway is several stories tall. Its name, like most Petra structures, does not reflect reality: it was probably a Nabatean temple.

Aqueducte Roma, Tarragona, Spain

Tarragona in Catalan) is a city located in the south of Catalonia and east of Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès.Tarragona tourist attractions include the Museum of Archaeology and the Roman ruins of Tarraco, which has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Tarragona has a wall surrounding the old city, too. There are two gates through the wall of Tarragona: the Portal del Roser and the Portal de Sant Antoni.

Dazu Rock Carvings, China

The Dazu Rock Carvings are a series of Chinese religious sculptures and carvings, dating back as far as the 7th century A.D., depicting and influenced by Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the Dazu Rock Carvings are made up of 75 protected sites containing some 50,000 statues, with over 100,000 Chinese characters forming inscriptions and epigraphs. The sites are located in Chongqing Municipality within the steep hillsides throughout Dazu County (located about 60 kilometers west of the city of Chongqing, China). The highlights of the rock grotto are found on Mount Baoding and Mount Beishan.

Maiko at Golden Pavillion, Kyoto, Japan

Maiko dancers on wooden clogs share a paper umbrella. Hanging down on their back are silk obi sashes with elaborated embroidery.

The Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge

Prague Castle is a castle in Prague where the Czech kings, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Czech Crown Jewels are kept here. Prague Castle is one of the biggest castles in the world at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide.

Charles Bridge is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the beginning of 15th century. As the only means of crossing the river Vltava (Moldau), the Charles Bridge used to be the most important connection between the Old Town, Prague Castle and adjacent areas until 1841. Also this 'solid-land' connection made Prague important as a trade route between east and west Europe. The bridge was originally called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) or the Prague Bridge (Pražský most) but has been the "Charles Bridge" since 1870.

The Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona, Spain

The Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music) is a concert hall designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. It was built in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, between 1905 and 1908 for the Orfeó Català, a choral society founded in 1891 that was a leading force in the Catalan cultural movement that came to be known as the Renaixença. It was inaugurated February 9, 1908.

Vigan City, Phillipines

The City of Vigan [spanish: la cuidad de vigan / ilocano: la cuidad ti vigan] is a 3rd class city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital city of Ilocos Sur. The city, located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea.
It is a World Heritage Site in that it is one of numerous Hispanic towns in the Philippines, and is well-known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine building design, and construction with colonial European architecture.

Sto. Tomas de Villanueva Church, Miag-ao, Iloilo, Philippines

The Miag-ao Church was built in 1786 by Spanish Augustinian missionaries and was declared as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Baroque Churches of the Philippines" in 1993. On the front facade, which is flanked by two watchtower belfries, one can see the unique blending of Spanish and native influences.

Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines

China

Byodo-in Temple, Japan

Japan-4, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

The Byodo-In Temple is a non-denominational Buddhist temple located on the island of O'ahu in Hawai'i at the Valley of the Temples. At 47-200 Kahekili Highway, the Byodo-In Temple is a replica of a 900-year-old Buddhist place of worship at Uji in Kyoto prefecture of Japan. Inside the Byodo-In Temple is a nine-foot (3 m) Lotus Buddha, the largest wooden Buddha carved in over 900 years. It is covered in gold and lacquer. Outside is a three-ton, brass peace bell. Surrounding the temple are large koi ponds that cover a total of two acres (8,000 m²). Around those ponds are lush Japanese gardens set against a backdrop of towering cliffs of the Ko'olau mountains. Sparrows are often seen fluttering about and playing in the garden trees while peacocks strut about displaying their beautiful feathers.

Kozan-Ji Temple, Japan

Japan-2, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

Kozan-ji, or Toganoo-san Kozan-ji, is an Omuro Buddhist temple located in Ume-ga-hata Toganoo-cho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by famous monk Myoe and is renowned for its numerous national treasures and important cultural properties, in particular the famous picture scroll called Choju-giga. The temple celebrates Biyakkoshin, Zenmyoshin and Kasuga Myojin, as well as the temple's tutelary Shinto deity. In 1994, it was registered as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto".
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Himeji Castle, Japan

Japan-3, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

Himeji Castle is a flatland-mountain Japanese castle complex located in Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture and comprising 83 wooden buildings. It is occasionally known as Hakurojo or Shirasagijo ("White Heron Castle") because of its brilliant white exterior.
It was registered as the first Japanese National Cultural Treasure by UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Japanese National Cultural Treasure in December, 1993. Along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle, it is one of Japan's "Three Famous Castles", and is the most visited castle in Japan.

USA-12, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

The Liberty Bell, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is one of the most prominent symbols of the American Revolutionary War. It is a familiar symbol of independence within the United States and has been described as an icon of liberty and justice.

New York, USA

The Empire State Building, with the World Trade Center facing south.
I really loved this one, just because it has the WTC.

Portugal Calander 200

Convent of the Order of Christ, Tomar, Portugal

Portugal-5-3, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

The Convent of the Order of Christ, Portugal, was originally a Templar stronghold built in the 12th century. After the Order of the Knights Templar was dissolved in the 14th century, the Portuguese branch of the order was turned into the Knights of the Order of Christ, which supported Portugal's maritime discoveries of the 15th century. The Convent of Christ of Tomar is one of Portugal's most important historical and artistic monuments.

Cabo da Roca, Portugal

Portugal-5-2, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca) is a cape which forms the westernmost point of both mainland Europe and mainland Portugal. The cape is in the Portuguese municipality of Sintra, west of Lisbon district, and also forms the westernmost extent of the Serra de Sintra.

Vasco da Gama Tower, Lisoba, Portugal

Portugal-5-1, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

The Vasco da Gama Tower is a 145 m/476 ft-high lattice tower in Lisbon, Portugal, built over the Tagus river. It is named after Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who was the first European to arrive in India by sail, in 1498.

The Russian Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia-6, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

The Russian Museum is the first state museum of the Russian fine art in the country. It was established in 1895 in St Petersburg under the decree of the Emperor Nicholas II. Grand opened for visitors on March 19, 1898. The museum, originally called the "Russian Museum of Emperor Alexander III", was established in 1895 and opened its doors to the public on March 7 (19) 1898. The first few pictures that formed the original collection were donated by the Hermitage, the Academy of Fine Arts and the various royal palaces surrounding St. Petersburg.
The Russian Museum today is a unique depository of artistic treasures, a famous restoration centre, an authoritative institute of academic research, one of the major cultural and educational centres, research and methodological centre of art museums of the Russian Federation, overseeing activities of 260 art museums of Russia.

Transfiguration Church, Kizhi, Russia

Russia-4, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Kizhi is an island on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia (Medvezhyegorsky District), Russia with an ensemble of wooden churches, chapels and houses.The Kizhi Pogost, as it is known in Russian, is the area inside the perimeter wall or fence and includes 2 large churches and a bell-tower.
The jewel of its architecture is the 22-domed Transfiguration Church (1708), with a large iconostasis—a wooden screen covered with religious portraits, featuring much gold leaf.

Novospassky Monastery, Moscow Kremlin, Russia

Russia-5, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

Novospassky Monastery (New monastery of the Saviour) is one of the fortified monasteries surrounding Moscow from south-east.
It was the first monastery to be founded in the Moscow Kremlin in the early 14th century, affiliated with the Saviour church. Upon its removal to the left bank of the Moskva River in 1491, the cloister was renamed the New Saviour, to distinguish it from the original one in the Kremlin.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C, USA

USA-15, originally uploaded by Abhishek Chandra.

The picture above shows, The Three Soldiers ,a bronze statue at a short distance away from the Veterans Memorial Wall.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national war memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War and who died in service or are still unaccounted for.
The memorial currently consists of three separate parts: the Three Soldiers statue, the Vietnam Women's Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, which is the most well-known part of the memorial.

US-334742 - Hershey, USA

USA-17, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Kinkaku-ji Temple, Japan

Kinkaku-ji or "Golden Pavilion Temple" is the informal name of Rokuon-ji or "Deer Garden Temple" in Kyoto, Japan. It was originally built in 1397 to serve as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, as part of his estate then known as Kitayama. It was his son who converted the building into a Zen temple of the Rinzai school. The temple was burned down twice during the Onin War.

Todai-ji Temple, Japan

Todai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden), the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu. The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara," together with seven other sites including temples, shrines and places in the city of Nara. Sika deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Japan

Kiyomizu-dera is an independent Buddhist temple in eastern Kyoto. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) UNESCO World Heritage site. Not one nail is used in the whole temple. The temple is part of the 33-temple route of the Chugoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage through western Japan, which is still traced by worshippers today.

Originally uploaded by Abhishek

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Philippines

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. The National Park is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the northern coast of the island. It is bordered by St. Paul Bay to the north and the Babuyan River to the east. The City Government of Puerto Princesa has managed the National Park since 1992. It is also known as St. Paul's Subterranean River National Park, or St. Paul Underground River. The entrance to the Subterranean River is a short hike from the town of Sabang. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park has been nominated for the "New Seven Wonders of Nature" competition.

Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand

Lan Than, Chinese Rock Giants (Left and Right) with weapons in hand and wearing a tight suite of armor, Marco Polo, Chinese Giant in European cloth (middle).

Wat Pho, also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon or The Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is a Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok, Thailand, located in the Rattanakosin district directly adjacent to the Grand Palace. It is one of the oldest and largest temples in Bangkok.
There are 16 sheltered gates to the sacred quarter. Each sheltered gate has a crown-like spire decorated with multicolored mosaic bowls cut into petals.
Such decoration can be found all around this monastery, and it was said that this architectural design specially pleased King Rama III. Passing through any of the sheltered gate you will see Chinese rock giants holding weapons in hands, standing on both sides as the gate guardians known as "Lan Than the Dvarapala".

Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Philippines

Another one of the Paoay Church.
Read more another post Paoay Church, Philippines

San Agustín Church, Philippines

San Agustín Church is a Roman Catholic church under the auspices of The Order of St. Augustine, located inside the historic walled city of Intramuros in Manila. Completed by 1607, it is the oldest church currently standing in the Philippines. No other surviving building in the Philippines has been claimed to pre-date San Agustin Church.

In 1993, San Agustin Church was one of four Philippine churches constructed during during the Spanish colonial period designated by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, under the classification "Baroque Churches of the Philippines". It had been named a National Historical Landmark by the Philippine government in 1976.

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