045 POLAND - Zoological Garden in Wroclaw

Wroclaw, situated on the River Oder in Lower Silesia, is the largest city in western Poland. Wroclaw is the historical capital of Silesia and today it's the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. At various times it has been part of the Kingdom of Poland, Bohemia, the Austrian Empire, Prussia and Germany; it has been again part of Poland since 1945, as a result of border changes after World War II. Its population in 2011 was 631 235, making the fourth largest city in Poland.

Wroclaw Zoological Garden is a scientific zoo in Wroclaw. It's the oldest zoo in Poland, having been founded in 1865 as the Breslau Zoological Garden while the city was part of Prussia. It is also the largest (in terms of the number of animals) zoo in Poland. The zoo covers about 30 hectares (74 acres) in downtown Wroclaw. It's home to over 7 100 animals representing more than 850 species.

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postcardswall (direct swap) sent from Wroclaw (Poland) on 03.10.2013

044 MACEDONIA - Skopje and fountain with Alexander the Great

Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia. It's the country's political, cultural, economic and academic centre. It was known in the Roman period under the name Scupi. The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; remains of Neolithic settlements have been found within the old Kale Fortress that overlooks the modern city centre. On the eve of the 1st century AD, the settlement was seized by the Romans and became a military camp. When the Roman Empire was divided into eastern and western halves in 395 AD, Scupi came under Byzantine rule from Constantinople. During much of the early medieval period, the town was contested between the Byzantines and the Bulgarian Empire, whose capital it was between 972 and 992. From 1282, the town was part of the Serbian Empire and acted as its captal from 1346. In 1392, the city was conquered by the Ottoman Turks who renamed the town Üsküp. The town stayed under Ottoman control over 500 years, serving as the capital of pashasanjak of Üsküb and later the Vilayet of Kosovo. At that time the city was famous for its oriental architecture.

In 1912, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Serbia during the Balkan Wars and after the First World War the city became part of the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kingdom of Yugoslavia). In the Second World War, the city was conquered by the Bulgarian Army, which was part of Axis powers. In 1944, it became the capital of Democratic Macedonia (later Socialist Republic of Macedonia), which was a federal state, part of Democratic Federal Yugoslavia. The city developed rapidly after World War II, but this trend was interrupted in 1963 when it was hit by a disastrous earthquake. In 1991, it became the capital city of an independent Macedonia.

The postcard shows a high monument of fountain with Alexander the Great on Bucephalus, which was unveiled on 8 September 2011, on the 20-year anniversary of Macedonia's independence referendum from Yugoslavia. Alexander III of Macedon (Alexander the Great) was the king of Macedon from 336-323 BC.

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Starring You sent from Skopje (Macedonia) on 02.10.2013

043 GERMANY - Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg

Hamburg, officially Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is the second largest city in Germany, which is home to over 1.8 million people, while the Hamburg Metropolitan Region has more than 5 million inhabitants. Situated on the river Elbe, the port of Hamburg is the second largest in Europe after the Port of Rotterdam. The Philmarmonic Hall is located in the HafenCity, a quarter in the district Hamburg-Mitte. HafenCity Hamburg is a project of city-planning where the old port warehouses of Hamburg are being replaced with offices, hotels, shops, official buildings and residential areas. The project is the largest rebuilding project in Europe in scope of landmass. The area of the HafenCity used to be part of the free port, but with the decreased economic importance of free ports in an era of European Union free trade, large conatiner ships and increased border security, the Hamburg free port was reduced in size, removing the current HafenCity area from its restrictions. When completely developed, it will be home to about 12 000 people and the workplace of 40 000 people mostly in office complexes. The prospect for completion is not very clear, but will probably be around 2020-2030.

The Elbphilharmonie Hamburg is a concert hall under construction in Hamburg. The concert hall is designed by Herzog & de Meuron on top of an old warehouse. It will be the tallest inhabited building in Hamburg, with a height of 110 m. On 2 April, 2007, the first Mayor of Hamburg, Ole van Beust, Henner Mahlsted Hochtief Construction AG, project coordinator Hartmut Wegener, Hamburg Minister of Culture Karin von Welck and architect Pierre de Meuron laid the foundation stone in the warehouse Kaispeicher A. In 2007, the construction was scheduled to be finished in 2010 with an estimated cost of €241 million. In November 2008, as an endorsement to the original contract, the costs for the project were estimated at €450 million. The date of completion has been moved to spring 2017 at the earliest. The easternmost part of the building will be occupied by "Westin Hamburg" hotel scheduled to open in 2014. The upper floors west of the concert hall will accommodate apartments.

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Myriam (postcrossing) sent from Hamburg (Germany) on 23.02.2013

042 RUSSIA - Kizhi Pogost (WHS)

Kizhi Pogost is a historical site dating from the 17th century on Kizhi Island. The island is located on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia, Russia. The pogost is the area inside a fence which includes two large wooden churches and a bell-tower. The pogost is famous for its beauty and longevity, despite that it is built exclusively of wood. The pogost was built on the southern part of Kizhi island, on a hill 4 meters above the Lake level. Its major basic structural units is a round log of Scots Pine about 30cm in diameter and 3 to 5 meters long. The Kizhi Pogost was built without using a single nail. Many thousands of logs were brought for construction from the mainland, a complex logistical task in that time.

The church which you can see on the postcard, is the Church of the Transfiguration, which is the most remarkable part of the pogost. It is not heated and is therefore called the summer church and doesn't hold winter services. Its altar was laid June 6, 1714, as inscribed on the cross located inside the church. The church was built on the site of the old one which was burnt by lightning. The church has 22 domes and with a height of 37 m is one of the tallest wooden buildings of the Russian North. It is considered that the 18-dome church on the southern shore of Lake Onega was a forerunner. That church was built in 1708 and burned down in 1963. According to the Russian carpentry traditions of that time, the Transfiguration Church was built of wood only with no nails. All structures were made of scribe-fitted horizontal logs, with interlocking corner joinery - either round notch or dovetail - cut by axes.

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Ivan1999 (postcrossing) sent from Gzhel (Russia) on 06.09.2013

041 USA - Alabama Map and State Capitol

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi. From the American Civil War until World War II, Alabama, like many souther states, suffered economic hardship, in part because of continued dependence on agriculture. Despite the growth of major industries and urban centres, White rural interests dominated the state legislature until the 1960s, while urban interests and African Americans were under-represented. Following World War II, Alabama experienced growth as the economy of the state transitioned from one primarily based on agriculture to one with diversified interests. The establishment or expansion of multiple United States Armed Forces installations added to the state economy and helped bridge the gap between agricultural and industrial economy during the mid-20th century. The state economy in the 21st century is dependent on management, automotive, finance, manufacturing, aerospace, minerals, healthcare, education, retail and technology.

Montgomery is the capital of the state and has around 205 760 inhabitants. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the centre of the state. The Alabama State Captol, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the First Confederate Capitol, is the state capitol building for Alabama. It is located on Capitol Hill, originally Goat Hill. Alabama has had five political capitals during  its history. The current capital building temporarily served as the Confederate Capitol while Montgomery served as the first political capital of the Confederate States of America in 1861, before being moved to Virginia. Architecturally, the building is Greek Revival in style with some Beaux-Arts influences. The central core of the building, as well as the east wing to the rear of structure, is three-stories over a below-grade basement. The north and the south wings are two-stories over a raised basement. The front facade that is seen today is approximately 110 m wide and 36 m tall from the ground level to the top of the lantern on the dome.

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Carey Hross (direct swap) sent from Collinsville (USA) on 31.08.2013

040 GERMANY - Monastic Island of Reichenau

Reichenau Island is an island in Lake Constance in southern Germany. It lies between Gnadensee and Untersee, two parts of Lake Constance, almost due west of the city of Kostanz. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway that was completed in 1838. The causeway is interrupted between the site of the former castle Schopflena and the eastern end of Reichenau Island by the 10-metre-wide Bruckgraben, a waterway which is spanned by a low road bridge that allows passage of ordinary boats but not of sailboats through its 95-metre course. Its total are is less than 7 square kilometers. It was declared a World Heritage Site because of its monastery, the Abbey of Reichenau. The abbey's Münster is dedicated to the Virgin and Saint Mark.

The Benedictine Abbey of Reichenau was founded in 724 by the itinerant Saint Pirmin, who is said to have fled Spain ahead of the Moorish invaders, with patronage that included Charles Martel, and, more locally, Count Berthold of the Ahalolfinger and the Alemannian Duke Santfrid I. Pirmin's conflict with his local patron resulted in his leaving Reichenau in 727. Under his successor Haito the monastery began to flourish. It gained influence in the Carolingian dynsty, under Abbot Waldo of Reichenau, by educating the clerks who staffed Imperial and ducal chanceries.

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Nina J. Watson (direct swap) sent from Radolfzell (Germany) on 17.07.2013

039 INDIA - Taj Mahal (WHS)

The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal is widely recognized as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the unversally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". Taj Mahal is regarded by many as the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements from Persian and Indian architectural styles. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar component of the Taj Mahal, it is actually an integrated complex of structures.

In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife died during the birth of their 14th child. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632. The cournt chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate the love story tradiotionally held as an inspiration for Taj Mahal. The principal Mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and gardens were finished five years later.

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Gaurav Mishra (direct swap) sent from Mandla (India) on 16.08.2013

038 SLOVENIA - Town of Kamnik

Kamnik is a town in northern Slovenia. It's the central settlement of the Municipality of Kamnik. It encompasses a large part of the Kamnik Alps and the surrounding area. The town of Kamnik has two ruins of castles as well as many examples of historical architecture.The name was first mentioned in the 11th century. The first time it was mentioned as a town was in 1229, when it was an important trading post on the road between Ljubljana and Celje. This makes the town one of the oldest in Slovenia. In the Middle Ages, Kamnik had its own mint and some influential centers of power for the Bavarian counts of Andechs in the region of Carniola at the time. The only remnant of the Bavarian nobility are the two ruined castles which are both strategically built on high ground near the town centre. The Franciscan monastery built in the town itself is a testament to its importance. The building is well preserved and has undergone extensive renovation in recent years.

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Kormen (postcrossing) sent from Kamnik (Slovenia) on 10.05.2013

037 USA - Mendenhall Glacier Alaska

Mendenhall Glacier is a glacier about 19 km long located in Mendenhall Valley, about 19 km from downtown Juneau in the southeast are of the U.S. state of Alaska. The glacier and surrounding landscape is protected as the 5,815-acre Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, a federally-designated unit of the Tongass National Forrest. Originally known as Sitaantaagu ("the Glacier Behind the Town"), the glacier was named Auke Glacier by naturalist John Muir for the Tlingit Auk Kwaan band in 1888. In 1891 it was renamed in honor of Thomas Corwin Mendenhall. It extends from the Juneau icefield, its source, to Mendenhall lake and ultimately the Mendenhall River.

The Juneau Icefield Research Program has monitored the outlet glaciers of the Juneau Icefield since 1942, including Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier has also receded 2.82 km since 1958, when Mendenhall Lake was created and over 4 km since 1500. The end of the glacier currently has a negative glacier mass balance and will continue to retreat in the foreseeable future. Given that average yearly temperatures are currently increasing and the outlook is for this trend to continue, it is actually possible that the glacier might experience a period of stabilization or slight advance during its retreating march. This is because increasing amounts of warm, moist air will be carried up to the head of the icefield, where colder ambient temperatures will cause it to precipitate as snow. The increased amount of snow will feed the icefield, possibly enough to offset the continually increasing melting experienced as the glacier's terminus. However, this intresting phenomenon will fade away if temperatures continue to climb, since the head of the glacier will no longer have cold enough ambient temperatures to cause snow to precipitate.

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Salomeja (postcrossing) sent from Vilnius (Lithuania) on 02.04.2013

036 CHINA - Guangzhou and Liede Bridge

Guangzhou - known historically as Canton - is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in China. Located on the Pearl River, about 120 km north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port. One of the five National Central Cities, it holds subprovincial administrative status. Guangzhou is the third largest Chinese city. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 12.78 million. In 2008 Guangzhou was identified as a Beta World City by the global city index produced by the GaWC, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

The tower in the background is called the Canton Tower. It's a 600 m-high multi-purpose Chinese observation tower. The tower briefly held the title of tallest tower in the world, replacing the CN Tower, before being surpassed by the Tokyo Skytree in 2011. As a new south-north route in the new CBD of Guangzhou, Liede Bridge plays a significant role to the traffic of the city. The main structure of Liede Bridge also has a beautiful name "the shell of the Pearl River". The 4.3 kilometres bridge connects Haizhu District with Tianhe District and opened in 2009.

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Natalia (postcrossing) sent from Guangzhou (China) on 08.05.2013

035 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Dubai

Dubai is a city located in the United Arab Emirates. The emirate of Dubai is located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf and is one of the seven emirates that make up the country. It has the largest population in the UAE and the second-largest land terriotory after Abu Dhabi. The earliest mention of Dubai is in 1095 AD and the earliest recorded settlement in the region dates from 1799. The Seikhdom of Dubai was formally established in 1833 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti Al-Maktoum when he persuaded around 800 members of his tribe of the Bani Yas, living in what was then the Second Saudi State and now part of Saudi-Arabia. Today, Dubai has emerged as a cosmopolitan metropolis that has grown steadily to become a global city and a business and cultural hub of the Middle East and the Persian Guld Region.

Atlantis is a resort located on Dubai's reclaimed artificial island The Palm. It was the first resort to be built on the island and is based on the myth of Atlantis includes distinct Arabian elements. The resort opened in September 2008. The hotel has 23 floors and 1539 rooms. Burj Al Arab is a luxury hotel in Dubai. At 321 m, it is the fourth tallest hotel in the world, however 39% of its total height is made up of non-occupiable space. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m from Jumeirah beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. The shape of the structure is designed to mimic the sail of a ship. Sometimes referred to as "the world's only 7-star hotel", its star rating is disputed. Burj Khalifa is a skyscraper and the tallest man-made structure in the world, at 829,8 m. Constructions began on 21 September 2004 with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010 and is part of the new 490 acre development called Downtown Dubai.

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Nastya (postcrossing) sent from Dubai (UAE) on 30.03.2013

034 Czech Republic - Historic Centre of Telc (WHS)

Telc is a town in southern Moravia, near Jihlava in the Czech Republic. The town was founded in the 13th century as a royal water fort on the crossroads of busy merchant routes between Bohemia, Moravia and Austria. Besides the monumental 17th century Renaissance chateau with an English-style park (a rebuilding of original Gothic castles), the most significant sight is the town square, a unique complex of long urban plaza with well-conserved Renaissance and Baroque houses with high gables and arcades. The Gothic castle was built in the second half of the 14th century. At the end of the 15th century the castle fortifications were strengthened and a new gate-tower built. In the middle of the 16th century the medieval castle no longer satisfied Renaissance nobleman Zacharias of Hradec, who had the castle altered in the Renaissance style. The ground floor was vaulted anew, the facade decorated with sgraffito and the state apartments and living quarters received stucco ornamentation together with trompe l'oeil and chiaroscuro paintings in 1553. The counter-reformation brought the Jesuits to the town, who built the church of Name of Jesus in 1666-1667, according to the plans of Domenico Orsi. The column of the Virgin and the fountain in the centre of  the square date from the 18th century.

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Karolína Sejnová (direct swap) sent from Dobris (Czech Republic) on 26.08.2013

033 GREECE - Acropolis, Athens (WHS)

The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a high rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and containing the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon which is shown on the postcard. While there is evidence that the hill was inhabited as far back as the fourth millennium BC, it was Pericles (495-429 BC) in the fifth century BC who coordinated the construction of the site's most important buildings including the Parthenon, the Propylaia, the Erechtheion and the temple of Athena Nike. The Parthenon and the other buildings were seriously damaged during the 1687 siege by the Venetians in the Morean War when the Parthenon was being used for gunpowder storage and was hit by a cannonball.

The Acropolis and its monuments are universal symbols of the classical spirit and civilization and form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world. In the second half of the fifth century BC, Athens, following the victory against the Persians and the establishment of democracy, took a leading position amongst the other city-states of the ancient world. In the age that is followed, as thought and art flourished, an exceptional group of artists put into effect the ambitious plans of Athenian statesman Pericles and, under the inspired guidance of the sculptor Pheidias, transformed the rocky hill into a unique monument of thought and the arts.

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One of my friends who doesn't want his name on my blog. I'm sorry

032 USA - Night View of Portland

Portland is a city located in the U.S. state of Oregon, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, estimated to have reached 587,865 in 2012, making it the 28th most populous city in the United States. Portland is Oregon's most populous city and the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest region after Seattle and Vancouver. Approximately 2,289,800 people live in the Portland metroploian area, the 19th most populous metropolian area in the USA. Portland was incorporated in 1851 near the end of the Oregon Trail and is the county seat of Multnomah County. The city has a commission-based government headed by a mayor and four other commissioners as a well as Metro, a distinctive regional government. Because of its public transportation networks and efficient land-use planning, Portland has been referred to as one of the most environmetally friendly or "green" cities in the world.

Located in the Marine west coast climate region, Portland has a climate marked by both warm, dry summers and wet, cool-to-chilly winter days. The climate is ideal for growing roses. For more than a century, Portland has been known as the "City of Roses" with many rose gardens - most prominently the International Rose Test Garden. The city is also known for its abundant outdoor activities, liberal political values and beer and coffee enthusiasm.

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Megan (postcrossing) sent from Portland (USA) on 30. 08.2013

031 AUSTRALIA - Ningaloo Coast (WHS)

Ningaloo Reef is a fringing coral reef located off the north west coast of Western Australia, approximately 1200 km north of Perth. The reef is 260 km long and is Australia's largest fringing coral reef and the only large reef positioned very close to a landmass. It is known for its seasonal feeding concentrations of the whale shark and the conservation debate surrounding its potential tourism development. In 1987 the reef and surrounding waters were designated as the Ningaloo Marine Park.

Although most famed for its whale sharks which feed there during March to June, the reef also rich in coral and other marine life. During the winter months, the reef is part of the migratory routes for dolphins, dugongs, manta rays and humpback whales. The beaches of the reef are an important breeding ground of the loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles. They also depend on the reef for nesting and food. The Ningaloo supports an abundance of fish (500 species), corals (300 species), molluscs (600 species) and many other marine invertebrates. The reef is less than half a kilometre offshore in some ares. In 2006, researches from the Australian Institute of Marine Science discovered in the marine park's deeper waters gardens of sponges that are thought to be species completely new to science.

030 FRANCE - Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne (WHS)

Carcassonne is a fortifed French town in the Aude department of which it is the prefecture, om the fromer province of Languedoc. Carcassonne was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century, though the Romans had fortified the settlement earlier. The fortress, which was thoroughly restored in 1853 by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997. The folk etymology - involving a chatelaine names Carcas, a ruse ending a siege and the joyous ringing of bells ("Carcas sona") - though memoralized in a neo-Gothic sculpture of Mme. Carcas on a column near the Narbonne Gate, is of modern invention.

The Cité de Carcassonne is located on a hill on the right bank of the River Aude, in the south-east part of the city proper. Founded during the Gallo-Roman period, the citadel derives its reputation from its 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long double surrounding walls interpersed by 52 towers. The town has abou 2500 years of history and has seen the Romans, Visigoths, Saracens and Crusaders. The town was annexed to the kingdom of France in 1247 A.D. It provided a strong  French frontier between France and the Crown of Aragon. In 1659 after the Treaty of the Pyrenees, the province of Roussillon became a part of France and the town lost its military significance. Fortifications were abandoned and the town became one of the economic centres of France, concentrating on the woollen textile industry.

About the sender

There is no sender, because I bought it there in May 2013

029 SOUTH AFRICA - Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populated city in South Africa after Johannesburg and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, as well as for such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to East Africa, India and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. As off 2011 the metropolitan region had an estimated population of 3.74 million.

The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront in the historic heart of Cape Town's working harbour is South Africa's most-visited destination, having the highest rate of foreign tourists of any attraction in the country. Situated between Robben Island and Table Mountain and set against a backdrop of sea and mountain views, it offers a variety of shopping and entertainment options to visitors, intermingled with office locations, the Somerset Hospital, hotels and luxury apartments in the residential marina. Prince Alfres, second son of Queen Victoria, began construction of the harbour in 1860. The first basin was named after himself, the second after his mother, hence the name.

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Isabel Rink Postcrossing (direct swap) sent from  Hannover (Germany) on 26.08.2013

028 MALAYSIA - Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. According to the CTBUH's official definition and ranking, they were the tallest building the the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101, but they remain the tallest twin building in the world. The buildings are the landmark of Kuala Lumpur with nearby Kuala Lumpur Towers. The height of the towers is measured to the top of their structural components such as spire, but don't include antennas. Spires are considered actual integral parts of the architectural design of building to which changes would substantially change the appearance and design of the builing, whereas antennas may be added or removed without such consequences. The building is 452 m (1483 ft) high and the top floor is at 375 m (1230 ft).

The towers were designed by Argentine architect César Pelli. They chose a distinctive postmodern style to create a 21st-century icon for Kuala Lumpur. Planning of the Petronas Towers started on 1 January 1992 and included rigrous tests and simulations of wind and structural loads of the design. Seven years of construction followed, beginning on 1 March 1993 with the excavation which envolved moving 500 truckloads of earth every night to dig down 30 metres (98 ft) below the surface. The construction of the superstructure commenced on 1 April 1994. Interiors with furniture were completed on 1 January 1996, the spires of Tower 1 and 2 were completed on 1 March 1996 and the first batch of PETRONAS personal moved into the building on 1 January 1997. The building was officially opened by the Prime Minister of Malaysia's Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad on 1 August 1999.

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Geok Chu (postcrossing) sent from Perling (Malaysia) on 29.08.2013

027 FRANCE - Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Reims (WHS)

Notre-Dame de Reims is the seat of the Archdiocese of Reims, where the kings of France were crowned. The cathedral replaces an older church, destroyed by a fire in 1211, that was built on the site of zje basilica where Clovis was baptized by Saint Remi, bishop of Reims, in AD 496. The three portals are laden with statues and statuettes; among European cathedrals, only Chartres has more sculpted figures. The central portal, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is surmounted by a rose window framed in an arch itself decorated with statuary, in place of the usual sculptured tympanum. The "gallery of the kings" above shows the baptism of Clovis in the centre flanked by statues of his successors. Fire destroyed the roof and the spires in 1481: of the four towers that flanked the transepts, nothing remains above the height of the roof. Above the choir rises an elegant lead-covered timber bell tower that is 18 m (about 59 feet) tall, reconstructed in the 15th century and in the 1920s.

The interior of the cathedral is 138.75 m (about 455 feet) long, 30 m (98 feet) wide in the nave and 38 m (125 feet) high in the centre. It comprises a nave with aisles, transepts with aisles, a choir with double aisles and an apse with ambulatory and radiating chapels. It has interesting stained glass ranging from the 13th to the 20th century. The rose window over the main portal and the gallery beneath are of rare magnificence.

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Ulla Bonora Alijoki (direct swap) sent from Marly (France) on 1.09.2013

026 GREECE - Monastery of Nea Moni (WHS)

Nea Moni is an 11th-century monastery on the island of Chios. It is located on the Provateio Oros Mt. in the island's interior, about 15km from Chios town. It is well known for its mosaics, which, together with those at Daphni and Hosios Loukas, are among the finest examples of "Macedonian Renaissance" art in Greece.

The monastery was built in the mid 11th-century, by Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomachos and his wife. According to tradition, it is built on the location where three monks miraculously found an icon of the Virgin Mary, hanging from a branch of myrtle. At that time, Constantine was exiled in nearby Lesbos and the monks visited him and told of a vision according to which he would eventually become emperor. Constantine promised to build a church if this should come to pass. Indeed, in 1042, Constantine became emperor and in gratitude began constructing the monastery, dedicated to the Theotokos. The main church was inaugurated in 1049 and the complex finished in 1055, after Constantine's death.

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Helena Lut (direct swap) sent from Haarlem (Netherlands) on 18.08.2013

025 China - The Great Wall (WHS)

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, wood and other materials, generally built along an east-to-west line across the historical northern borders of China in part to protect the Chinese Empire or its prototypical states against intrusions by various nomadic groups or military incursions by various warlike people or forces. Several walls were being built as early as the 7th century BC; these, later joined together and made bigger and stronger, are now collectively referred to as the Great Wall. Especially famous is the wall built between 200-206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Since then, the Great Wall has on and off been rebuilt, maintained and enhanced; the majority of the existing wall was reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty. A comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has concluded that the Ming walls measure 6259 km (3889 mi).

This section of the wall is called the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall. Gubeikou is a town of Miyun County in northeastern Beijing. The area is one of the important passes of the Great Wall, serving as an ancient chokepoint for travelers between the Northeast and Beijing. As of 2011, it had 4 residential communities and 9 villages under its administration.

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Liu Chi Ho (direct swap) sent from Honkong on 29.08.2013

024 SPAIN - City of Jaca

Jaca is a city of northeastern Spain near the border with France, in the midst of the Pyrenees in the province of Huesca. Jaca, a ford on the Aragón River at the crossing of two great early medieval routes, one from Pau to Zaragoza, was the fortified city out of which the County and Kingdom of Aragon developed: Jaca was the capital of Aragon until 1097 and also the capital of Jacetania.

Jaca is home to medieval walls and towers surrounding an 11th-century Romanesque cathedral. The citadel, a fortification dating to the late 16th century, is home to a colony of Rock Sparrows. The Moorish writers mention Dyaka as one of the chief places in the province of Sarkosta (Zaragoza). When it was reconquered is unknown. Ramiro I of Aragon (1035-1063) gave it the title of city and in 1063 held within its walls a council, in which, the people were called in to sanction its decrees: an early milestone in the parliamentary traditions in the Pyrenees. The mutiny of the garrison at Jaca, demanding the abolition of monarchy and a democratic republic, December 12-13, 1930, was suppressed with some difficulty. It was an early event that presaged the Spanish Civil War.

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Marta (postcrossing) sent from Zaragoza (Spain) on 27.09.2013

023 RUSSIA - Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor (WHS)

The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor encompasses the old town of Kotor, the fortifications of Kotor and the surrounding region of the inner Bay of Kotor.

The old town of Kotor is contained within the city walls and a well preserved and restored medieval cityscape with notable building including the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon. Kotor was heavily damaged during the earthquake on April 15, 1979 and this prompted the site to be also listed on the Danger List in 1979 when the site was inscribed.

The fortifications consist of a system of defensive military buildings to protect the medieval town of Kotor. They include the city walls with gates and bastions, ramparts that ascend the mountain of St. John, the castle of St. John and supportive structures. While some of the structures date back to Roman and Byzantinian times, most of the fortifications were erected during the Venetian rule; later some modifications were made by the Austrians.

The region that is included in the heritage is the inner bay of Kotor (past the Verige strait) with its surrounding mountains and towns, notably Risan and Perast in addition to Kotor. Further the islets of St. George and Our Lady of the Rocks are part of the heritage site.

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Екатерина Стифеева (direct swap) sent from Moscow (Russia) on 27.08.2013

022 BELGIUM - Historic Centre of Brugge (WHS)

Bruges (English: Brugge) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country. Bruges received its city charter in 1128 and new walls and canals were built. Since about 1050. gradual silting had caused the city to lose its direct access to the sea. A storm in 1134, however, reestablished this access through the creation of a natural channel. The new sea arm stretched all the way to Damme, a city that became the commercial outpost for Bruges.

Brugge is an outstanding example of a medieval historic settlement which has maintained its historic fabrics as this has envolved over the centuries and where original Gothic constructions form part of the town's identity. As one of the commercial and cultural capitals of Europe, Brugge developed cultural links to different parts of the world. It is closely associated with the school of Flemish Primitive painting.

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Lara Van Houcke (direct swap) sent from Ertvelde (Belgium) on 10.09.2013

021 SPAIN - La Sagrada Familia (WHS)

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (English: Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family), is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Spain, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926). Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral which must be seat of a bishop.

Though construction of Sagrada Familia had commenced in 1882, Gaudi became involved in 1883, taking over the project and transforming it with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. Gaudi devoted his last years to the project and at the time of his death at age 73 in 1926 less than a quarter of the project was complete. Sagrada Familia's construction progressed slowly as it relied on private donations and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War, only to resume intermittent progress in the 1950s. Construction passed the midpoint in 2010 with some of the project's greatest challenges remaining and an anticipated completion date of 2026, the centenary of Gaudi's death.

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Luis (postcrossing) sent from Barcelona (Spain) on 31.08.2013

020 ISRAEL - Masada (WHS)

Masada is an ancient fortification in the Southern District of Israel, on top of an isolated rock plateau (akin to a mesa) on the eastern edge of the Judaean Desert, overlooking the Dead Sea. Herod the Great built palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Masada between 37 and 31 BC. The Siege of Masada by troops of the Roman Empire towards the end of the First Jewish-Roman War ended in the mass suicide of the 960 Jewish rebels and their families hiding there.

The cliffs on the east edge are about 1,300 feet (400m) high and the cliffs on the west are about 300 feet (91m) high; the natural approaches to the cliff top are very difficult. The top of the plateau is flat and rhomboid-shaped, about 1,800 ft (550m) by 900 ft (270m). There was a casemate wall around the top of the plateau totaling 4,300 feet (1.3km) long and 12 feet (3.7m) high with many towers and the fortress included storehouses, barracks, an armory, the palace and cisterns that were refilled by rainwater. Three narrow, winding paths led from below up to fortified gates.

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Christina Pinchuk-Olebu (direct swap) sent from Holon (Israel) on 30.08.2013

018 FINLAND - Snowscape Lapland

Lapland is a region is northern Europe. It stretches across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. On the north, it is bounded by the Barents Sea, on the west by the Norwegian Sea and on the east by the White Sea. The name Lapland refers to land inhabited by the Sami people, formerly called Lapp people, which is now considered derogatory, who are the minority indigenous people of the region.

Lapland lies largely north of the Artic Circle. The western portion is mountainous, rising towards the Norwegian border, with the highest point beiung Mount Kebnekaise (2,111m/6,926ft.). The climate is subarctic and vegetation is sparse, except in the densely forested southern portion. North of the Artic Circle polar night characterises the winter season and midnight sun the summer season-both phenomena are longer the further north one goes. Traditionally, the Sami people divide the year in eight seasons instead of four.

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Seija (postcrossing) sent from Kangasala (Finland) on 1.09.2013

017 USA - Independance Hall and Liberty Bell (WHS)

The Independence Hall is located in Philadelphia in the US-American state Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is the fifth biggest city in the United states and one of the most significant cities. The building was originally called Pennsylvania State House and was finalized in 1741. It was the seat of the Pennsylvanian government which has been one of the 13 British colonies. in 1775, the second Congress meet there and Thomas Jefferson accepted the Declaration Of Independence. In 1787, the Philadelphia Convention developed the Constitution of the United States of America.

The Liberty Bell is Americas most important symbol of Liberty and Democracy. This Bell was first set up in 1753 as a present for the 50 years of religious freedom in Pennsylvania.

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Arnold Postcrossing (direct swap), sent from Bellaire (USA) on 15.08.2013