Portugal - Azores - Angra do Heroismo' Bathing Area and Marina

TERCEIRA
Angra do Heroismo 

Bathing Area and Marina.

Sent by João from Azores, Portugal.

uncancelled stamp

Czechia - Brno - Brno Trade Fairs Pavilion

BRNO - Brno Trade Fair Pavilion.

Sent by Jiri from Brno, Czechia. Jiri used machined stamp due to unacceptable high stamps' costs.

Brno Exhibition Center (Czech: Brněnské výstaviště) is a convention centre based in Brno, Czech Republic. It was established in 1928. The centre occupies a site on 667,000 square metres (7,180,000 sq ft) and provides a total net exhibition area of 125,496 square metres (1,350,830 sq ft)^[2] including open-air space and exhibition halls with an exhibition area of 61,479 square metres (661,750 sq ft).^[3] The centre has 15 exhibition halls with a visitor capacity of 25,000–30,000 (maximum 60,000) a day. The number of visitors per year grew to 780,000 in 2017 (read more).

Russia - Last Russian Emperor (Nicholas II and Family)

Potrait of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna with children, 1913.
Sent by Irina from Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in Russia.

Nicholas II (Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov; 18 May [O.S. 6 May] 1868 – 17 July 1918) was the last reigning Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 1 November 1894 until his abdication on 15 March 1917. He married Alix of Hesse (later Alexandra Feodorovna) and had five children: the OTMA sisters – Olga, born in 1895, Tatiana, born in 1897, Maria, born in 1899, and Anastasia, born in 1901 — and the tsesarevich Alexei Nikolaevich, who was born in 1904.

During his reign, Nicholas gave support to the economic and political reforms promoted by his prime ministers, Sergei Witte and Pyotr Stolypin. He advocated modernisation based on foreign loans and had close ties with France, but resisted giving the new parliament (the Duma) major roles. Ultimately, progress was undermined by Nicholas's commitment to autocratic rule, strong aristocratic opposition and defeats sustained by the Russian military in the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. By March 1917, while Nicholas II was at the front, an uprising in Petrograd succeeded in seizing control of the city itself, the telegraph lines and blocking loyal reinforcements attempts to reaching the capital. The revolutionaries also halted the Tsar’s train, leaving Nicholas stranded and powerless, even though the army at the front remained loyal. With no authority remaining, he was forced to abdicate, thereby ending the Romanov dynasty's 304-year rule of Russia (read more).

Italy - Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia

AQUILEIA

Interior of the Basilica

Sent by Gabriele who is living in Germany.

Located at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea on the Natissa (Natiso) River, the property includes the Archaeological Area and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia. The Roman city dates to 181 BCE and became one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the early Roman Empire until it was sacked and destroyed in 452 by the Huns led by Attila.

The city was a major trading centre connecting the Mediterranean to Central Europe. Aquileia’s wealth and status within the empire was reflected in its magnificent public buildings and private residences many of which survive as archaeological remains. The archaeological area, covering 155 hectares, includes part of the forum and its Roman basilica (courthouse), the late antique horrea, one of the sets of baths, and two luxurious residential complexes. Outside the late Roman city walls, the entire course of which has been located and part of which stills survives, excavations have also revealed a cemetery with some impressive funerary monuments. Below ground archaeological remains of the amphitheatre and the circus have also been preserved (read more).

USA - Missouri - State Capitol Building

MISSOURI STATE CAPITOL BUILDING
Jefferson City, Missouri
The Capitol Building overlooking the Missouri River was built between 1912-17. The bronze front door 13 x 18 feet in size is reputed to be the widest cast since the Roman era and the grand stairway 30 feet wide, the widest in the world. Seven days a week free tours are conducted. Tourists should make it a point to visit this unique and beautiful Capitol Building.
Sent by Rachel from Saint Louisin Missouri, USA.

The Missouri State Capitol is the home of the Missouri General Assembly and the executive branch of government of the U.S. state of Missouri. Located in Jefferson City at 201 West Capitol Avenue, it is the third capitol to be built in the city. (The previous two were demolished after they were damaged by fire.) The domed building, designed by the New York City architectural firm of Tracy and Swartwout, was completed in 1917.

The capitol’s dome is the first thing travelers see when approaching Jefferson City from the north. In addition to the state Senate and House of Representatives, the capitol also contains offices of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor, and some administrative agencies.

It is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a contributing property in the Missouri State Capitol Historic District. The capitol is Jefferson City's leading tourist attraction. It is a destination for school groups who arrive by busloads, particularly during General Assembly sessions. Students fill the galleries to watch the Senate and House of Representatives in action (read more).

USA - Tennessee - Mapcard (4)

Tennessee, the Volunteer State
Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State because of its great military traditions, especially during the War of 1812 when there were so many volunteers they drew lots to see who got to join the Army.
It became the 16th state in the Union June 1, 1796. Capital is Nashville. State is 34th in area with 42,244 square miles, and tied with Missouri in bordering more states (eight) than any other. Motto : Agriculture, Commerce. Flower : Iris. Bird : Mocking Bird. Tree : Tulip Poplar. Songs : "Tennessee Waltz," and "Rocky Top."

Sent by Lori from Tennessee, USA.

My other three mapcards of Tennessee are here, here, and here.

Germany - Rhineland-Palatinate - Worms

Cathedral and Imperial City of WORMS on the Rhine - one of the oldest cities in Germany. 
Old Celtic settlement (4th century), Civitas Vangionum of the Romans, bishopric since 346, cathedral 1181, St. Paul's Church 1016, St. Andrew's Church 11th - 13th centuries, Church of Our Lady 15th century, St. Martin's Church 1265, Bergkirche 11th - 12th centuries, part of the city wall 900 - 1200, Luther Memorial 1868.

Sent by Alexander from Worms, Germany.
 
Worms (/vɔːrmz, wɜːrmz/; German pronunciation: [vɔʁms]) is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, situated on the Upper Rhine about 60 km (40 mi) south-southwest of Frankfurt am Main. It had about 84,646 inhabitants as of 2022.

A pre-Roman foundation, Worms is one of the oldest cities in northern Europe. It was the capital of the Kingdom of the Burgundians in the early fifth century, hence is the scene of the medieval legends referring to this period, notably the first part of the Nibelungenlied.

Worms has been a Roman Catholic bishopric since at least 614, and was an important palatinate of Charlemagne. Worms Cathedral is one of the imperial cathedrals and among the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Germany. Worms prospered in the High Middle Ages as an imperial free city. Among more than a hundred imperial diets held at Worms, the Diet of 1521 (commonly known as the Diet of Worms) ended with the Edict of Worms, in which Martin Luther was declared a heretic. Worms is also one of the historical ShUM-cities as a cultural center of Jewish life in Europe during the Middle Ages. Its Jewish sites (along with those in Speyer and Mainz) were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021.

Today, the city is an industrial centre and is famed as the origin of Liebfraumilch wine. Its other industries include chemicals, metal goods, and fodder (read more).

Germany - Lower Saxony - Scharnebeck Twin Ship Lift

Ship Lift Scharnebeck near Lüneburg Largest ship lift in the world. Tecnical data sheet of the lift : Normal lifting height 38m. Usable trough length between the impact protection devices 100 m. Water depth in the trough 3.50 m ± 0.10 m.  Total of the trough filled with water 5,800 t. Total weight of the moving trough (including water)11,600 t. Individual weight of the 224 counterweight disc (6.8 - 3.4 - 0.32 m) 26.5 t. Sent by Martin from Westphalia, Germany. The Scharnebeck twin ship lift is a 38-metre (125 ft) boat lift in Scharnebeck, northeast of Lüneburg, in the District of Lüneburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is on the Elbe Lateral Canal, which connects the Elbe (northern and lower endpoint, at Artlenburg) and the Mittellandkanal (southern and upper endpoint, near Wolfsburg), and is one of two constructions on the canal that overcomes the height difference between the canal endpoints, the other being a 23-metre (75 ft) lock further south at Uelzen. The Scharnebeck twin ship lift was built in 1974 and was at that time the largest ship lift in the world. The first ship passed through the lift on 5 December 1975. There is a museum at the site (read more).

Türkiye - Antalya - Phaselis Beach

Phaselis Beach at Antalya, Türkiye. 

Sent by Levent from Antalya, Türkiye.

Phaselis Beach is a famous beach located in the Kemer district of Antalya, known for its historical and natural beauty. Situated among the ruins of the ancient city of Phaselis, this beach offers a unique holiday experience for both history and nature enthusiasts.

Phaselis Beach is located approximately 45 kilometers from Antalya city center, within the boundaries of Kemer district. Nestled within the ancient city of Phaselis, this beach provides a natural beauty surrounded by historical ruins (read more).

USA - California - Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach, California

Retro Camper on Beach

Lantern Press Original Poster

Sent by Carrie and Richard from Santa Maria in California, USA.

Pismo Beach (Chumash: Pismuʔ) is a city in the southern portion of San Luis Obispo County, in the Central Coast area of California, United States. Its estimated population was 8,072 at the 2020 census, up from 7,655 in the 2010 census. The Pismo clam was named for the long, wide beach where they were once found in abundance (read more).

Eid Al-Fitr - Indonesia

Families usually have a special meal served during Lebaran include ketupat, opor ayam, rendang and several types of snacks such as nastar, kaastengels and puti salju cookies.

Sent by Bibin from Indonesia.

Serbia - Captain Miša Mansion

Captain Miša Mansion, Belgrade.

Sent by Iva from Belgrade, Serbia.

The Mansion of Miša Anastasijević (Serbian: Капетан Мишино здање, romanized: Kapetan Mišino zdanje) is one of the most notable buildings in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the University of Belgrade's administration and governance building. 

The building was designed by Czech architect Jan Nevole and built in 1863. It had been originally designed to serve for the anticipated court of the grandson of Karađorđe Petrović, who was married to Captain Miša’s youngest daughter Sara. Nevertheless, following the realization of construction, Captain Miša Anastasijevic gave his mansion as a gift to “his mother country for educational purposes”. In September 1863, the Belgrade Higher School was moved into the building. This site is often regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in Belgrade. Today, the seat of the University of Belgrade is headquartered within its premises (read more).

USA - Michigan - Michigan State University

MSU SPARTAN STADIUM
East Lansing, Michigan
This is band day at MSU; upwards of 3,000 musicians from 35 high schools from around the state are guests of Michigan State University. This half-time spectacle is an annual event. The seating capacity of the Spartan Stadium is 76,000.

Sent by Suzi from Seattle in Washington, USA.

Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the country. After the introduction of the Morrill Act in 1862, the state designated the college a land-grant institution in 1863, making it the first of the land-grant colleges in the United States. The college became coeducational in 1870. Today, Michigan State has facilities all across the state and over 634,000 alumni.

Michigan State is a member of the Association of American Universities and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". The university's campus houses the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden, the Abrams Planetarium, the Wharton Center for Performing Arts, the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, and the country's largest residence hall system (read more).

Bicycle (54)

Bicycle Collections (#54)

Sent by Marianne from Utrecht, Netherlands.

Germany - Bavaria - Nuremberg (4)

Greetings From Nuremberg. 

Sent by Erwin who lives near Nuremberg, Germany.

My three other postcards of Nuremberg are here, here, and here.

USA - Texas - Mapcard (4)

Mapcard of Texas.

Sent by Bre from USA.

My other mapcards of Texas are here, here, and here.

Germany - North Rhine-Westphalia - Issum

Issum - Forecourt of the Catholic Parish.

Sent by Ingo from Krefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Issum is a municipality in the district of Kleve, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located approximately 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of Geldern (read more).

China - Liaoning Province - Shenyang

The Impression of Shenyang.
The Charm of Shenyang Landscape

Sent by David from Shenyang in Liaoning Province, China.

Shenyang, formerly known by its Manchu name Mukden, is a sub-provincial city in China and the provincial capital of Liaoning province. It is the province's most populous city with a population of 9,070,093 as of the 2020 census, also making it the largest city in Northeast China by urban population, and the second-largest by metropolitan population (behind Harbin). The Shenyang metropolitan area is one of the major megalopolises in China, with a population of over 23 million. The city's administrative region includes the ten metropolitan districts, the county-level city of Xinmin, and the counties of Kangping and Faku (read more).

China - Jiangsu Province - Zhouzhuang Town Exploration Guide

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA - KUNSHAN
ZHOUZHUANG TOWN EXPLORATION GUIDE

Sent by Monna from Kunshan in Jiangsu Province, China.

Zhouzhuang (Chinese: 周庄; pinyin: Zhōuzhuāng; Wu: Tseu-zaon) is a water town known for its canals in Jiangsu province, China. It is located within the administrative area of Kunshan, 30 km southeast of the city centre of Suzhou.

Zhouzhuang is a popular tourist destination, classified as a AAAAA scenic area by the China National Tourism Administration. It is noted for its profound cultural background, well preserved ancient residential houses, and elegant watery views. A 2017 article in the Smithsonian Magazine described Zhouzhuang as "the most famous and most commercialized ancient water town in China," noting that its architecture "dates back more than 900 years, with about 60 original brick archways and 100 original courtyards." It has also been called "Venice of the East".

CNN ranked Zhouzhuang the third most beautiful water town in China in 2017 and included it in its 2019 collection of Asia's 13 most picturesque towns (read more).

USA - Wisconsin - Horicon Marsh Education & Visitor Center

HORICON MARSH EDUCATION & VISITOR CENTER

HORICON, WISCONSIN

WOOLY MAMMOTH & NATIVE AMERICAN HUNTER

Sent by Alex from Milwaukee in Wisconsin, USA.

The Ramsar Convention of the United Nations has formally recognized Horicon Marsh as a wetland of international importance. This renowned marsh is now home to the Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center.

The Wildlife Education Program has been conducted at the marsh since the mid-1980s. This program focuses on the marsh's abundant wildlife resources, their ecology and applied management. It relies on diverse wildlife to develop a wide range of educational programs aimed at introducing and sharing our native wildlife with a broad audience.

The Horicon Marsh Education and Visitor Center, completed in 2009, has a new, modern design and enhanced visitor services (read more).

USA - Alaska - Anchorage

Greetings from Anchorage, Alaska.

Sent by Erica from Anchorage, Alaska, USA.

Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 census,^] it contains nearly 40 percent of the state's population. The Anchorage metropolitan area, which includes Anchorage and the neighboring Matanuska-Susitna Borough, had a population of 398,328 in 2020, accounting for more than half the state's population. At 1,706 sq mi (4,420 km²) of land area, the city is the fourth-largest by area in the U.S.

Anchorage is in Southcentral Alaska, at the terminus of the Cook Inlet, on a peninsula formed by the Knik Arm to the north and the Turnagain Arm to the south. First settled as a tent city near the mouth of Ship Creek in 1915 when construction on the Alaska Railroad began, Anchorage was incorporated as a city in November 1920. In September 1975, the City of Anchorage merged with the Greater Anchorage Area Borough, creating the Municipality of Anchorage. The municipal city limits span 1,961.1 sq mi (5,079.2 km²), encompassing the urban core, a joint military base, several outlying communities, and almost all of Chugach State Park. Because of this, less than 10 percent of the Municipality (or Muni) is populated, with the highest concentration of people in the 100 square-mile area that makes up the city proper, on a promontory at the headwaters of the inlet, commonly called Anchorage, the City of Anchorage, or the Anchorage Bowl (read more).

Hong Kong - Hong Kong Museum of Art

Hong Kong Museum of Art

Sent by Ah Si Lian from Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) is the first and one of the main art museums of Hong Kong, located in located in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, near the Victoria Harbour waterfront, providing a scenic view of Hong Kong’s skyline. It is a public museum managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Government. HKMoA has an art collection of over 17,000 items, dedicated to preserving and showcasing Chinese and international art. Admission is free for permanent exhibitions. Its rival is the non-government-managed Hong Kong Arts Centre. These two museums are considered to be the top two art museums in Hong Kong that dictate the discourse of art in Hong Kong.

It has an extended branch, the Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, at the Hong Kong Park in Central (read more).

Sri Lanka - Elephants at Pinnawala

Elephants at Pinnawala.

Sent by Malika from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (Sinhala: පින්නවල අලි අනාථාගාරය), is a captive breeding and conservation institute for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village, 13 km (8.1 mi) northeast of Kegalle town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. Pinnawala has the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. In 2023, there were 71 elephants, including 30 males and 41 females from 3 generations, living in Pinnawala.

The orphanage was founded to care and protect the many orphaned unweaned wild elephants found wandering in and near the forests of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC).

On 31 August 2021, a 25 year old elephant named Surangi gave birth to twin male baby elephants at the orphanage. It also marked the first instance of the birth of twin elephants in Sri Lanka after a gap of 80 years since 1941 (read more).

Denmark - Monarchy of Denmark

Crown Princess Mary (born 1972)
Frederik Prince of Demark, Crown Prince (born 1968)

Sent by Linda from Hasselager, Denmark.

The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was already consolidated in the 8th century, whose rulers are consistently referred to in Frankish sources (and in some late Frisian sources) as "kings" (reges). Under the rule of King Gudfred in 804 the Kingdom may have included all the major provinces of medieval Denmark.

The current unified Kingdom of Denmark was founded or re-united by the Viking kings Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth in the 10th century. Originally an elective monarchy, it became hereditary only in the 17th century during the reign of Frederick III. A decisive transition to a constitutional monarchy occurred in 1849 with the writing of the first democratic constitution, replacing the vast majority of the old absolutist constitution. The current Royal House is a branch of the ducal House of Glücksburg, originally from Schleswig-Holstein in modern-day Germany, the House of Glücksburg itself being a collateral branch of the House of Oldenburg. The House of Glücksburg also produced the monarchs of Norway, of the United Kingdom and the former monarch of Greece in the direct male line (read more).