2009-09-27 ~ Abhishek's PostCrossing Journey

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Valletta, Malta

Malta-1, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Valletta is the capital city of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt (English: The City) in Maltese.It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta. Valletta contains buildings from the 16th century onwards, built during the rule of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem (the Knights Hospitaller). The city is essentially Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture in selected areas, though World War II left major scars on the city. The City of Valletta was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.

Paramaribo, Suriname

Suriname-1, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Paramaribo is the capital and largest city of Suriname, located on banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people. The historic inner city of Paramaribo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002.The area, a trading post started by the Dutch, was taken by the English in 1630, and in 1650 the city became the capital of the new English colony. The area changed hands often between the English and Dutch but it was in Dutch hands again in 1667 and under Dutch rule from 1815 until the independence of Suriname in 1975.

Portobelo Fort, Panama

Panama-2, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Portobelo is a port city in Colón Province, Panama. It is located on the northern part of the Isthmus of Panama.
Portobelo was founded in 1597. From the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries it was an important silver-exporting port in New Granada on the Spanish Main and one of the ports on the route of the Spanish treasure fleets. Today, Portobelo is a sleepy city with a population of fewer than 5,000. It has a deep natural harbor. In 1980 the ruins of the fortification, along with nearby Fort San Lorenzo, were declared a World Heritage Site.
According to www.worldheritagesite.org, "The Panamanian forts of Portobelo and San Lorenzo on the Caribbean coast form part of the defence system built by the Spanish Crown to protect transatlantic trade. They are magnificent examples of 17th- and 18th-century military architecture."

Cathedral and main square in the old quarter, Panamá Viejo, Panama

Panama-1, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Panamá Viejo is the remaining part of the old Panama City and former capital of the country. It is located in the suburbs of the modern city. Together with the historical district of Panamá, it forms a World Heritage Site.

The city was founded August 15, 1519 by Pedro Arias Dávila and other 100 inhabitants; at the time, it was the first permanent settlement in the Pacific Ocean, substituting the two cities of Santa María la Antiga del Darién and Acla. Two years later, in 1521, the settlement was promoted to the status of city by a royal decree and was given a coat of arms by Charles V of Spain, forming a new Cabildo. Shortly after its creation the city became a starting point for various expeditions in Peru and an important base where gold and silver were sent to Spain.

In 1539 and 1563, the city suffered some fires which destroyed parts of it but they did not harm the city's development. In 1610, the city reached a population of 5000, with 500 houses and some convents and chapels, a hospital and a cathedral.

Church of All Saints, Kiev, Ukraine

Ukraine-5, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Kiev Pechersk Lavra, also known as the Kiev Monastery of the Caves, is a historic Orthodox Christian monastery in Kiev, Ukraine. Since its foundation as the cave monastery in 1015 the Lavra has been a preeminent center of the Eastern Orthodox Christianity in Eastern Europe. Together with the Saint-Sophia Cathedral, it is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was named one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine on August 21, 2007, based on voting by experts and the internet community.
The most important churches inside the monastery are the Church of All Saints, Church of the Saviour at Berestove and the Refectory Church.

Puszta, Hungary

Hungary-1, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Puszta is a concept often associated with the traditional Hungarian landscape. It means "plains", a vast wilderness of grass and bushes. With a capital letter and a definite article, it refers to the flattest parts of the Alföld (the Great Hungarian Plain). It was originally inhabited by cowherds, shepherds, and horseherds. From 1999, The Puszta (or Hortobágy National Park) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hungary.

Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans, France

France-9, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

The Saline Royale (Royal Saltworks) is located at Arc-et-Senans in the department of Doubs. It is next to the Forest of Chaux and about 35 kilometers from Besançon, France. The architect was Claude-Nicolas Ledoux (1736-1806), a prominent Parisian architect of the time. The work is an important example of an early Enlightenment project in which the architect based his design on a philosophy that favored arranging buildings according to a rational geometry and a hierarchical relation between the parts of the project.

Today, the Institut Claude-Nicolas Ledoux has taken on the task of conservator and is managing the site as a monument. UNESCO added the "Salines Royales" to its List of World Heritage Sites in 1982.

Parish of Saint Emilion, France

France-8, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Saint-Émilion is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in south-western France.Saint-Émilion's history goes back to prehistoric times and is a World Heritage site, with fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets.
The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century AD. In the 4th century, the Latin poet Ausonius lauded the fruit of the bountiful vine.

The town was named after the monk Émilion, a travelling confessor, who settled in a hermitage carved into the rock there in the 8th century. It was the monks who followed him that started up the commercial wine production in the area.

A set of 3 beautiful cards from Berlin, Germany

Germany-40, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Germany-39, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Germany-38, originally uploaded by Abhishek's Received Postcards.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Naracoorte Caves National Park, Australia

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

Naracoorte Caves is a national park near Naracoorte in the Limestone Coast tourism region in the south-east of South Australia (Australia). It was officially recognised in 1994 for its extensive fossil record when the site was inscribed on the World Heritage List, along with Riversleigh. The park preserves 6 km² of remnant vegetation, with 26 caves contained within the 3.05 km² World Heritage Area.