Medieval Town of Toruń

Thank you:: Marta Barzal for this postcard

Brief Description

Torun owes its origins to the Teutonic Order, which built a castle there in the mid-13th century as a base for the conquest and evangelization of Prussia. It soon developed a commercial role as part of the Hanseatic League. In the Old and New Town, the many imposing public and private buildings from the 14th and 15th centuries (among them the house of Copernicus) are striking evidence of Torun's importance.

Poland

City and County of Toruń, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodship

N53 0 36 E18 37 9.984

Date of Inscription: 1997

Criteria: (ii)(iv)

Property : 48 ha

Buffer zone: 300 ha

Ref: 835

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the Tri Hita Karana Philosophy

Thank you:: Anis Wahyuni for this Beautiful Postcard

Brief Description

The cultural landscape of Bali consists of five rice terraces and their water temples that cover 19,500 ha. The temples are the focus of a cooperative water management system of canals and weirs, known as subak, that dates back to the 9th century. Included in the landscape is the 18th-century Royal Water Temple of Pura Taman Ayun, the largest and most impressive architectural edifice of its type on the island. The subak reflects the philosophical concept of Tri Hita Karana, which brings together the realms of the spirit, the human world and nature. This philosophy was born of the cultural exchange between Bali and India over the past 2,000 years and has shaped the landscape of Bali. The subak system of democratic and egalitarian farming practices has enabled the Balinese to become the most prolific rice growers in the archipelago despite the challenge of supporting a dense population.

Indonesia

S8 15 33 E115 24 10

Date of Inscription: 2012

Criteria: (ii)(iii)(v)(vi)

Property : 19,520 ha

Buffer zone: 1,455 ha

Ref: 1194rev

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Archaeological Site of Troy

Postcard from Cigdem Ozbek of Turkey, Thank you very Much

Brief Description

Troy, with its 4,000 years of history, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. The first excavations at the site were undertaken by the famous archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1870. In scientific terms, its extensive remains are the most significant demonstration of the first contact between the civilizations of Anatolia and the Mediterranean world. Moreover, the siege of Troy by Spartan and Achaean warriors from Greece in the 13th or 12th century B.C., immortalized by Homer in the Iliad, has inspired great creative artists throughout the world ever since.

Turkey

Province of Çanakkale

N39 57 23.184 E26 14 20.4

Date of Inscription: 1998

Criteria: (ii)(iii)(vi)

Property : 158 ha

Ref: 849

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Margravial Opera House Bayreuth

Another Postcard from Natalie Zoike of Germany:: Thank you very Much::

Brief Description

A masterpiece of Baroque theatre architecture, built between 1745 and 1750, the Opera House is the only entirely preserved example of its type where an audience of 500 can experience Baroque court opera culture and acoustics authentically, as its auditorium retains its original materials, i.e. wood and canvas. Commissioned by Margravine Wilhelmine, wife of Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg–Bayreuth, it was designed by the renowned theatre architect Giuseppe Galli Bibiena. As a court opera house in a public space, it foreshadowed the large public theatres of the 19th century. The highly decorated theatre’s tiered loge structure of wood with illusionistic painted canvas represents the ephemeral ceremonial architectural tradition that was employed in pageants and celebrations for princely self-representation.

Germany

N49 56 40 E11 34 43

Date of Inscription: 2012

Criteria: (i)(iv)

Property : 0.19 ha

Buffer zone: 4.22 ha

Ref: 1379

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Town of Bamberg

Postcard from Natalie Zoike of Germany:: Thank you for your Kindness::

Brief Description

From the 10th century onwards, this town became an important link with the Slav peoples, especially those of Poland and Pomerania. During its period of greatest prosperity, from the 12th century onwards, the architecture of Bamberg strongly influenced northern Germany and Hungary. In the late 18th century it was the centre of the Enlightenment in southern Germany, with eminent philosophers and writers such as Hegel and Hoffmann living there.

Germany

District of Upper Franconia

N49 53 30 E10 53 20

Date of Inscription: 1993

Criteria: (ii)(iv)

Property : 142 ha

Buffer zone: 444 ha

Ref: 624

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Komodo National Park

Thank you Very Much, Rosa Amalia

Brief Description

These volcanic islands are inhabited by a population of around 5,700 giant lizards, whose appearance and aggressive behaviour have led to them being called 'Komodo dragons'. They exist nowhere else in the world and are of great interest to scientists studying the theory of evolution. The rugged hillsides of dry savannah and pockets of thorny green vegetation contrast starkly with the brilliant white sandy beaches and the blue waters surging over coral.

Indonesia

East Nusa Tenggara Province

S8 32 35.988 E119 29 21.984

Date of Inscription: 1991

Criteria: (vii)(x)

Property : 219,322 ha

Ref: 609

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Historic Areas of Istanbul

Postcard from Jo of Starring You:: Thank you very much

Brief Description

With its strategic location on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Istanbul has been associated with major political, religious and artistic events for more than 2,000 years. Its masterpieces include the ancient Hippodrome of Constantine, the 6th-century Hagia Sophia and the 16th-century Süleymaniye Mosque, all now under threat from population pressure, industrial pollution and uncontrolled urbanization.

Turkey

City and Province of Istanbul

N41 0 30.492 E28 58 47.748

Date of Inscription: 1985

Criteria: (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)

Property : 678 ha

Ref: 356

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

My Son Sanctuary

Thank you very much: Jo Fearnley of Vietnam

Brief Description

Between the 4th and 13th centuries a unique culture which owed its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism developed on the coast of contemporary Viet Nam. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower-temples located in a dramatic site that was the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom for most of its existence.

Viet Nam

Duy Phu Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam Province

N15 31 0 E108 34 0

Date of Inscription: 1999

Criteria: (ii)(iii)

Property : 142 ha

Buffer zone: 920 ha

Ref: 949

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes

A postcard from Yibbeen of South Korea,  Thank you so Much

Brief Description

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes together comprise three sites that make up 18,846 ha. It includes Geomunoreum, regarded as the finest lava tube system of caves anywhere, with its multicoloured carbonate roofs and floors, and dark-coloured lava walls; the fortress-like Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone, rising out of the ocean, a dramatic landscape; and Mount Halla, the highest in Korea, with its waterfalls, multi-shaped rock formations, and lake-filled crater. The site, of outstanding aesthetic beauty, also bears testimony to the history of the planet, its features and processes.

Korea, Republic of

N33 28 8 E126 43 13

Date of Inscription: 2007

Criteria: (vii)(viii)

Property : 9,475 ha

Buffer zone: 9,371 ha

Ref: 1264

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

 

Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple

A beautiful Postcard from Suhyeon Jeon of South Korea, Gamsahammida::

Brief Description

Established in the 8th century on the slopes of Mount Toham, the Seokguram Grotto contains a monumental statue of the Buddha looking at the sea in the bhumisparsha mudra position. With the surrounding portrayals of gods, Bodhisattvas and disciples, all realistically and delicately sculpted in high and low relief, it is considered a masterpiece of Buddhist art in the Far East. The Temple of Bulguksa (built in 774) and the Seokguram Grotto form a religious architectural complex of exceptional significance.

Korea, Republic of

N35 46 60 E129 20 60

Date of Inscription: 1995

Criteria: (i)(iv)

Ref: 736

Source: http://whc.unesco.org

Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores

A Beautiful Postcard from Ulla Bonora, send from France:: Through FB SWAP: Thank you very Much

Brief Description

Situated on one of the islands in the Azores archipelago, this was an obligatory port of call from the 15th century until the advent of the steamship in the 19th century. The 400-year-old San Sebastião and San João Baptista fortifications are unique examples of military architecture. Damaged by an earthquake in 1980, Angra is now being restored.

 

Portugal

Région autonome des Açores

N38 39 18 W27 13 12

Date of Inscription: 1983

Criteria: (iv)(vi)

Ref: 206

Source: http://whc.unesco.org