Finland - Petäjävesi Old Church

The Petäjävesi Evangelical Lutheran Old Church.

Sent by Terhi, a postcrosser from Helsinki, Finland.

This is from UNESCO : The Petäjävesi Evangelical Lutheran Old Church is a building of considerable global importance as an example of northern timber church architecture. The church is uniquely representative of log construction in the northern coniferous area and of the skills of the peasant population. European architectural trends have influenced the external form and the ground plan of the church, but they have been applied masterfully to traditional log construction. The church combines the layout of a Renaissance central church conception and older forms derived from Gothic groined ceilings. It reflects in an impressive way the architectural beauty of a northern rural Protestant church.

The church is situated on a peninsula where Lakes Jamsa and Petäjävesi meet. The location was determined by the fact that the congregation would be able to reach it by boat or over the ice in the winter. At the present time there is no settlement in the immediate vicinity of the church, since the town of Petäjävesi has developed about 1 km away.

Petäjävesi Old Church was designed and built in 1763-64 by a peasant master-builder, and in 1821 his grandson added the bell tower at the west end. Since a new church was built on the other side of the strait in 1879, the Old Church went out of use and was not maintained for many years, only the bell tower and cemetery being used for their original purpose. Repairs began in the 1920s when an Austrian art historian drew attention to its historical and architectural value.

The ground plan of the church is cruciform, the arms being virtually the same size. This form of church developed first in towns in the later 17th century, and only later spread into the countryside. The model was probably the stone church built in Stockholm in 1656 in a style derived from Italian architecture. The bell tower at the west end of the church is connected to it by a narrow corridor; the vestry is similarly linked with the eastern arm. The main structure is of horizontal log (Blockbau) construction, in the tradition to be found further to the east. The walls were not originally clad with planks, as at the present time. The four arms are covered by high, slightly angular vaults made from reddish pine planks, and there is an octagonal dome at the crossing. The circular design at the top of the dome derives from the classical opaion as interpreted in Renaissance architecture. The masking slats, base and tie-beams of the vaults are decorated in red ochre. The interior largely preserves its original form, as developed during the century (1764-1879) when it was in liturgical use. The distinctive features are the pulpit, pews, balustraded galleries and chandeliers, the elaborate carving of which is entirely the work of local craftsmen and artists.

The exterior is characterized by the steeply pitched roof, reminiscent of Gothic architecture. One of the doorways and the window of the choir have preserved their original triple arches. The lowest tier of the bell tower is in Blockbau construction, the walls and lantern being timber-framed with clapboard cladding. The bell trestle is supported on a sturdy log frame. Unlike the rest of the church, the bell tower is painted a different colour. The church is situated within a graveyard surrounded by a stone wall.

The period of neglect between 1879 and the 1920s was a blessing in disguise. When restoration began the historical importance of the building had been recognized and so interventions for restoration and conservation were kept to a minimum and used traditional techniques and materials. As a result the level of authenticity is exceptionally high.

Antique Maps

Antique Maps

Sent by J. Tills, a postcrosser from Wisconsin, USA. Terima kasih (thanks) for the beautiful stamps.

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Sent by Patricia, a postcrosser from Germany.

This is from Wikipedia : The Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus or Parus caeruleus) is a small passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The bird is easily recognisable by its blue and yellow plumage.

Blue tits, usually resident and non-migratory birds, are widespread and a common resident breeder throughout temperate and subarctic Europe and western Asia in deciduous or mixed woodlands with a high proportion of oak. They usually nest in tree holes, although they easily adapt to nest boxes where necessary. The main rivalry for nests and search for food is the much larger Great Tit.

The blue tit prefers insects and spiders for their diet. Outside the breeding season, they also eat seeds and other vegetable-based foods. Blue tits are famed for their skill, as they can cling to the outermost branches and hang upside down when looking for food.

This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Parus caeruleus.

Most authorities retain Cyanistes as a subgenus of Parus, but the British Ornithologists' Union treats Cyanistes as a distinct genus. This is supported by mtDNA cytochrome b sequence analysis which suggests that Cyanistes is not only distinct, but not close to other tits.

Bicycle (11)

Sent by Mary Lou & Greg, postcrossers from San Diego, USA.

Finland - Kemi

View of Kemi, Finland.

sent by Airi, a postcrosser from Kemi, Finland.

This is from Wikipedia : Kemi (Northern Sami: Giepma) is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located very near the city of Tornio. It was founded in 1869 by royal decree, because of its proximity to a deep water harbour.

Kemi is situated by the Bothnian Bay, at the mouth of river Kemijoki, and it is part of Lapland region. The town has a population of 22,579 (31 January 2011) and covers an area of 747.44 square kilometres (288.59 sq mi) of which 652.1 km2 (251.8 sq mi) is water. The population density is 236.83 inhabitants per square kilometre (613.4 /sq mi).

The main economic activity in Kemi is centred on two large paper and woodpulp mills and on the only chromium mine in Europe (which supplies the Outokumpu ferrochrome plant in Tornio). A polytechnic university is also situated in Kemi.

Kemi also has a claim to fame as the home of the world's largest snow castle (reconstructed every year with a different architecture). The snowcastle is usually located at the inner harbour of Kemi.

A model of The Crown of Finland (original was never made for the King of Finland) is kept in the Gemstone gallery. There are also replicas like the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain; the Sceptre of the Czar of Russia; Orbs of Denmark and the Diamond necklace of Marie Antoinette among other things.

It's also the hometown of the Power Metal band Sonata Arctica.

USA - Maryland - Mapcard

MARYLAND
Nickname : Old Line State
Are : 12,327 sq. miles
Entered into Union in 1788

Sent by Bob, a postcrosser from Washington D.C., USA.

Japan - "Ukiyoe"

"Ukiyoe" or "Ukiyo-e"

Sent by Yukari, a postcrosser from Japan.

This is from Wikipedia : Ukiyo-e (浮世絵, literally "pictures of the floating world"?) (Japanese pronunciation: [ukijo.e] or [ukijoꜜe]) is a genre of Japanese woodblock prints (or woodcuts) and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of landscapes, tales from history, the theatre, and pleasure quarters. It is the main artistic genre of woodblock printing in Japan.

Usually the word ukiyo is literally translated as "floating world" in English, referring to a conception of an evanescent world, impermanent, fleeting beauty and a realm of entertainments (kabuki, courtesans, geisha) divorced from the responsibilities of the mundane, everyday world; "pictures of the floating world", i.e. ukiyo-e, are considered a genre unto themselves.

The contemporary novelist Asai Ryōi, in his Ukiyo monogatari (浮世物語, "Tales of the Floating World", c. 1661?), provides some insight into the concept of the floating world:

... Living only for the moment, turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon, the snow, the cherry blossoms and the maple leaves; singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves in just floating, floating; ... refusing to be disheartened, like a gourd floating along with the river current: this is what we call the floating world...

The art form rose to great popularity in the metropolitan culture of Edo (Tokyo) during the second half of the 17th century, originating with the single-color works of Hishikawa Moronobu in the 1670s. At first, only India ink was used, then some prints were manually colored with a brush, but in the 18th century Suzuki Harunobu developed the technique of polychrome printing to produce nishiki-e.

Ukiyo-e were affordable because they could be mass-produced. They were mainly meant for townsmen, who were generally not wealthy enough to afford an original painting. The original subject of ukiyo-e was city life, in particular activities and scenes from the entertainment district. Beautiful courtesans, bulky sumo wrestlers and popular actors would be portrayed while engaged in appealing activities. Later on landscapes also became popular. Political subjects, and individuals above the lowest strata of society (courtesans, wrestlers and actors) were not sanctioned in these prints and very rarely appeared. Sex was not a sanctioned subject either, but continually appeared in ukiyo-e prints. Artists and publishers were sometimes punished for creating these sexually explicit shunga.

Vietnam - Mekong Delta - Bicycle-Pulled

Bicycle-pulled - a popular vehicle in the Mekong Delta.

Sent by Lyra, a postcrosser from Vietnam.

Spain - Map of Spain

Map of Spain.

Sent by Belem, a postcrosser from Spain,

Lithuania - Birds

Bitninkas (European Bee-eater)
Žalvarinis (European Roller)
Kukutis (Hoopoe)
Tulžys (European Kingfisher)

Sent by Gintare, a postcrosser from Vilnius, Lithuania.

Netherlands - Nijmegen (4)

Map of Central Nijmegen.

Sent by Anna, a postcrosser from Almere, Netherlands.

Brazil - University of São Paulo - Campus de Pirassununga

An aerial view of Pirassununga Campus of University of São Paulo.

Sent by Constança, a postcrosser from São Paulo, Brazil.

This is from Wikipedia : Universidade de São Paulo (University of São Paulo, short USP) is a public university in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. It is the largest Brazilian university and one of the country's most prestigious. According to reports by the Ministry of Science and Technology, more than 25% of the articles published by Brazilian researchers in high quality conferences and journals are produced at the University of São Paulo.

USP is one of the largest institutions of higher education in Latin America, with approximately 90,000 enrolled students. It has eleven campuses, four of them in São Paulo (the main campus is called Campus Armando de Salles Oliveira, with an area of 7,443,770 m²). The other campi are in the cities of Bauru, Lorena, Piracicaba, Pirassununga, Ribeirão Preto and two in São Carlos. USP is involved in teaching, research and university extension in all areas of knowledge.

In 1934, during a period known for the "search for alternatives", along with political centralisation, efforts were carried out to provide Brazil with modern administrative, educational and military institutions. One of the main initiatives included the creation, that same year, of the University of São Paulo. Its nucleus was the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Languages, with professors coming from France, Italy, Spain, Germany and other European countries.

USP also brought together several research and higher-education institutions that already existed in Brazil such as the Faculty of Medicine (Faculdade de Medicina), the Polytechnic School (Escola Politécnica), "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture (Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz),and the College of Law (Faculdade de Direito).

According to the 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities, USP is placed in the group of the 101-151 top world universities. In the 2011 QS World University Rankings University of Sao Paulo ranked 169th and is the best classified in the specific ranking of South America's universities. In 2011, the University of Sao Paulo is the first Ibero-American institution in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings's top-200 (Position 178 in the World).

Indonesia - Dani Tribe

Dani tribe's youngsters wearing 'Sali', traditional outfits with beads made of seashells.

Sent by Juned, a postcrosser from Bogor, Indonesia.

This is from Wikipedia : The Dani people, also spelled Ndani, and sometimes conflated with the Lani group to the west, are a people from the central highlands of western New Guinea (the Indonesian province of Papua).

They are one of the most populous tribes in the highlands, and are found spread out through the highlands. The Dani are one of the most well-known ethnic groups in Papua, due to the small numbers of tourists who visit the Baliem Valley area where they predominate. "Ndani" is the name given to the Baliem Valley people by the Moni people, and, while they don't call themselves Dani, they have been known as such since the 1926 Smithsonian Institution-Dutch Colonial Government expedition to New Guinea under Matthew Stirling who visited the Moni.

A small fringe group of the Dani, living south of Puncak Trikora and presenting themselves as the Pesegem and the Horip tribes, were met on October 29, 1909, by the Second South New Guinea Expedition led by Hendrikus Albertus Lorentz, who stayed several nights in their village. First contact with the populous Western Dani was made in October 1920 during the Central New Guinea Expedition, which group of explorers stayed for six weeks with them at their farms in the upper Swart River Valley (now Toli Valley). The Grand Valley Dani were only sighted in the summer of 1938 from an airplane by Richard Archbold.

Sweet potatoes are important in their local culture, being the most important tool used in bartering, especially in dowries. Likewise pigs feasts are extremely important to celebrate events communally; the success of a feast, and that of a village "Big Man" (man of influence) or organiser, is often gauged by the number of pigs slaughtered.

The Dani use an earth oven method of cooking pig and their staple crops such as sweet potato, banana, and cassava. They heat some stones in a fire until they are extremely hot, then wrap cuts of meat and pieces of sweet potato or banana inside banana leaves. The food package is then lowered into a pit which has been lined with some of the hot stones described above, the remaining hot stones are then placed on top, and the pit is covered in grass and a cover to keep steam in. After a couple of hours pit is opened and the food removed and eaten. Pigs are too valuable to be served regularly, and are reserved for special occasions only.

Ritual small-scale warfare between rival villages is integral to traditional Dani culture, with much time spent preparing weapons, engaging in both mock and real battle, and treating any resulting injuries. Typically the emphasis in battle is to insult the enemy and wound or kill token victims, as opposed to capturing territory or property or vanquishing the enemy village. The Dani practiced cannibalism well into the 20th century, as documented by missionaries who were invited to witness tribe members dismembering the body of an enemy slain in battle the day before as the fallen warrior's kin watched from a nearby hilltop.

Changes in the Dani way of life over the past half century are tied to the encroachment of modernity and globalization, despite tourist brochures describing trekking in the highlands with people from the 'stone age'. Observers have noted that pro-independence and anti-Indonesian sentiment tends to run higher in highland areas than for other areas of Papua. There are cases of abuses where Dani and other Papuans have been shot and/or imprisoned trying to raise the flag of West Papua, the Morning Star.

Poland - Będzin

Views of interesting places in Będzin, Poland.

Sent by Ewa from Będzin, Poland.

This is from Wikipedia : Będzin [ˈbɛnd​͡ʑin] (also Bendzin, Yiddish: Bendin בענדין, German: Bendzin, Bendsburg) is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland. Located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Czarna Przemsza river (tributary of the Vistula), the city borders the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metro area with a population of about 2 million.

It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since its formation in 1999. Before 1999, it was located in Katowice Voivodeship. Będzin is one of the cities of the 2.7 million person conurbation - Katowice urban area and within a greater Silesian metropolitan area populated by about 5,294,000 people. The population of the city is 58,639 (2008).

According to archeological finds, the settlement has existed since the early Middle Ages. The earliest historical mention of Będzin comes from 1301, when it is listed as a village. It was granted Magdeburg rights and became a city in 1358.

Until World War II, Będzin had a vibrant Jewish community. According to the Russian census of 1897, out of the total population of 21,200, Jews constituted 10,800 (around 51% percent). According to the 1921 census the town had a Jewish community consisting of 17,298 people, or 62.1 percent of its total population. In September 1939, the German Army (Wehrmacht) overran this area, followed by the SS death squads (Einsatzgruppen), who burned the Będzin synagogue and murdered many of the Jewish inhabitants. A Będzin Ghetto was created in 1942. Eventually, in the summer of 1943, most of the Jews in Będzin were deported to the nearby German concentration camp at Auschwitz. Since Będzin was one of the last Polish communities to be liquidated, there are a relatively large number of survivors from there, and an extensive collection of their personal photographs were recovered, offering photographic insight into the pre-war life there.

USA - New York

NEW YORK
From the United Nations Looking Downtown.

Sent by Oleg, a postcrosser from New York, USA. Terima kasih (thanks) for the nice beautiful big UN stamps.

Peru - Market in Pisac-Cusco

Pisac-Cusco, Peru
"Don't bargain honey, I can't come down, how much do you think I make on these onions?"

Sent by Tanya from Lima, Peru.

Peru - Puya de Raymondi

Puya de Raymondi or Puya Raimondii.

Sent by Tanya from Lima, Peru.

This is from Wikipedia : Puya raimondii, also known as Queen of the Andes, is an endemic species of Bolivia and Peru, and whose distribution is restricted to the high Andes at an elevation of 3200 – 4800 m. It was the French scientist Alcide d'Orbigny (1802–1857) who was the first non-native person to discover it in 1830, in the region of Vacas, Cochabamba Department, in Bolivia at an altitude of 3960 m (12,992 ft). The name of Puya raimondii commemorates the Italian scientist Antonio Raimondi (1826–1890), who resided in Peru for many years and made wide botanical explorations there. He discovered this species later in Peru in the region of Chavín de Huantar and published it as Pourretia gigantea in El Perú, Volume 1, Page 297 . In 1928, the name was changed to Puya raimondii by the German botanist Hermann Harms.

This plant has a gigantic inflorescence that may reach up to 10 m height, with more than three thousand flowers and six million seeds in each plant. Its reproductive cycle is approximately 40 years.

One planted near sea level at the University of California Botanical Garden, USA, in 1958 grew to 7,6 m (24 ft 11) in and bloomed as early as August 1986 after only 28 years. It is not only the largest of the Puya species, but also the largest Bromeliad. It can reach 3 m tall in vegetative growth, with a flower spike 9–10 m tall. Like most Bromeliads, it dies soon after flowering. It is considered to be an endangered species. Seeds were collected of P. raimondii in 1999 and 2000 of the rodales of Huashta Cruz (district Pueblo Libre, Ancash region, Peru), near the city of Caraz. It is also known to grow in the Masma Chicche District of Jauja Province.

Only 45 km West from Caraz (Ancash - Peru) at 4200m above sea level, at Huashta Cruz, on the Cordillera Negra, there is a "rodal" of puyas, with an impressive 145 km view of the Cordillera Blanca. The place it's known as "Huinchus" as the presence of the (Patagona Gigas) giant colibri, it's often spotted here. In the area of Catac in Peru there are lots of the famous Puyas Raimondi. On August 10, 2009, these plants were clearly shown signs of an imminent blooming stage. These plants are mainly located in the spacious forests from three important places of Ancash: the gully of Ingenio in Catac, the punas of Cajamarquilla and the gully of Queshque, also in Catac.

In Bolivia - apart from Vacas Municipality where these plants are spread on an area of about 1 km² - the only other place to find Puya raimondii is Comanche mountain in Caquiaviri Canton, Caquiaviri Municipality, Pacajes Province, La Paz Department.

Chile - Circuito Cultural Transantiago

What is it? It's a special Transantiago bus loop tour that will take you to the main attractions of the city including museums, cultural centres, typical areas an heritage buildings. The bus circuit operates on Sundays and holidays between 10:00AM and 6:30PM.
How can I use it? You can get on Cicuito Cultural in the circuit bus stops marking your Bip! Card* only once, a courier will give you a bracelet that will allow you to board the buses of the circuit as many times as you like and to continue visiting other places of your interest.

Sent by my best friend Hernán from Santiago, Chile.

This is from Wikipedia : Transantiago is a public transport system that serves Santiago, the capital of Chile. It is considered the most ambitious transport reform undertaken by a developing country according to the World Resources Institute.

The system was introduced on February 10, 2007. It standardized bus routes and eliminated redundancy of same; redundancies were commonplace in the old system, which was run by thousands of independent bus operators. The system combines local (feeder) bus lines, main bus lines and the Metro (subway) network. It includes an integrated fare system, which allows passengers to make bus-to-bus or bus-to-metro transfers for the price of one ticket, using a single contactless smart card.

Transantiago's implementation was problematic, as the decreased bus fleet and the newer routes have proved insufficient to properly serve a population inadequately informed of pending changes. The major complaints are the lack of buses and their inconsistent frequencies, missing or poor infrastructure (such as segregated corridors, prepaid areas and bus stops), the network's coverage, and the number of transfers needed for longer trips. As a result, users have overcrowded the Metro, which is generally held to be fast and dependable.

Transantiago's first stage of implementation began on October 22, 2005, when a group of ten new companies took control of the capital's bus system, immediately introducing 1,181 new, modern low-floor buses (approximately half of them being articulated) made by Volvo in Brazil, replacing 461 yellow-colored buses from the old system. The new buses will temporarily run alongside the over 7,000 existing older buses that will be gradually removed from the system until 2010. In October 2006, a users' information system was introduced.

Transantiago became fully operational on February 10, 2007 with the introduction of a new route system dividing bus lines into two complementary groups: main and local lines. In addition, a new fare structure was implemented, allowing transfers at small or zero fares between buses and metro, when using the new contactless smartcard. 1,776 new buses will operate at this stage. The older yellow-colored (now painted over) buses will only operate through the secondary local lines in conjunction with new but simpler buses. It is expected that by 2010, the older buses will be completely replaced by over 4,600 new vehicles.

Serbia - Belgrade (6)

Multiviews of Belgrade.

Sent by Ana, a postcrosser from Belgrade, Serbia.

Finland - Ylivieska

Views of Ylivieska.

Sent by Kaki, a postcrosser from Finland.

This is from Wikipedia : Ylivieska is a town and a municipality of Northern Ostrobothnia region, Finland. It has a population of 14,094 (31 January 2011), and it serves as the administrative centre for Kalajokilaakso and Pyhäjokilaakso, an area with about 90,000 inhabitants.

Ylivieska is also the commercial center of the Oulu South region, the southern part of Oulu province.

The closest cities near Ylivieska are Oulu (130 km/81 mi) and Kokkola (79 km/49 mi), the neighbouring municipalities are Oulainen, Haapavesi, Nivala, Sievi, Kalajoki, Alavieska and Merijärvi.

The municipality is unilingually Finnish.

Ylivieska is located in Northern Ostrobothnia about 130 kilometres (80 mi) south of the city of Oulu.

The town is characterized by the Kalajoki River, which runs SE–NW through the town centre. The agricultural and economical area of the Kalajoki river basin is known as Kalajokilaakso.

Ylivieska is situated along the Ostrobothnia railway, which leads from Helsinki the national capital to Rovaniemi in the north of the country. The railway was opened 1886 and it has had a significant role in the town's economical development.

USA - California - Olvera Street

OLVERA ST. - LOS ANGELES, CA.
Flower and camera day at quaint Olvera Street, oldest street in Los Angeles.

Sent by Yesenia, a postcrosser from USA.

This is from Wikipedia : Olvera Street is in the oldest part of Downtown Los Angeles, California, and is part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. Many Latinos refer to it as "La Placita Olvera." Circa 1911 it was described as Sonora Town.

Having started as a short lane, Wine Street, it was extended and renamed in honor of Agustín Olvera, a prominent local judge, in 1877. There are 27 historic buildings lining Olvera Street, including the Avila Adobe, the Pelanconi House and the Sepulveda House. In 1930, it was converted to a colorful Mexican marketplace. It is also the setting for Mexican-style music and dancing and holiday celebrations, such as Cinco de Mayo. (Read more)

Russia - Russian Folk Kind Characters

Russian Folk Kind Characters

Sent by Viktoriya, a postcrosser from Yaroslavl, Russia.

USA - Pennsylvania - Steamtown National Historic Site

STEAMTOWN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE, Scranton, PA.
Engine #2317 shown here, a 4-6-2 type was formerly owned by the Canadian Pacific R.R. and once pulled intercontinental expresses in Canada. Built in 1923 and based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, this engine and tender weighing nearly 300 tons now thrills visitors with excursions through the lush mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania.

Sent by Dan, a postcrosser from Pennsylvania, USA.

This is from Wikipedia : Steamtown National Historic Site (NHS) is a railroad museum and heritage railroad located on 62.48 acres (25.3 ha) in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania, at the site of the former Scranton yards of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). The museum is built around a working replica turntable and a roundhouse that is largely a replica but which includes two authentic sections built in 1902 and 1937. All the buildings on the site are listed with the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Yard-Dickson Manufacturing Co. Site.

Most of the steam locomotives and other railroad equipment at Steamtown NHS were originally collected by F. Nelson Blount, a millionaire seafood processor from New England. In 1964, Blount established a non-profit organization, the Steamtown Foundation, to operate Steamtown, USA, a steam railroad museum and excursion business in Bellows Falls, Vermont. In 1984, the foundation moved Steamtown to Scranton, conceived of as urban redevelopment and funded in part by the city. But the museum failed to attract the expected 200,000 to 400,000 annual visitors, and within two years was facing bankruptcy.

In 1986, the U.S. House of Representatives, at the urging of Scranton native Representative Joseph M. McDade, approved $8 million to begin turning the museum into a National Historic Site. The idea was derided by those who called the collection second-rate, the site's historical significance questionable, and the public funding no more than pork-barrel politics. But proponents said the site and the collection were ideal representations of American industrial history. By 1995, the National Park Service (NPS) had acquired Steamtown, USA and improved its facilities at a total cost of $66 million.

Steamtown National Historic Site has since sold a few pieces from the Blount collection, and added a few others deemed of greater historical significance to the region. Low visitor attendance and the need of costly asbestos removal from many pieces of the collection have spurred discussion about privatizing Steamtown.

Germany - Brandenburg - Potsdam

Views of places in Potsdam, Germany; Schloss Cecilienhof, St. Nicolas' Church, Sanssouci Palace, Babelsberg Palace, Brandenburg Gate, and Russian Orthodox Church.

Sent by Denise, a postcrosser from Werder, Germany.

Potsdam (German pronunciation: [ˈpɔtsdam]), is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg. It directly borders the German capital Berlin and is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, 24 kilometres (15 miles) southwest of Berlin's city center.

Potsdam has several claims to national and international notability. In Germany, it had a similar status that Windsor has in the United Kingdom: it was the residence of the Prussian kings and the German Kaiser, until 1918. Around the city there are a series of interconnected lakes and unique cultural landmarks, in particular the parks and palaces of Sanssouci, the largest World Heritage Site in Germany. The Potsdam Conference, the major post-World War II conference between the victorious Allies, was held at another palace in the area, the Cecilienhof.

Babelsberg, in the south-eastern part of Potsdam, was a major film production studio before the war and has enjoyed increased success as a major center of European film production since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Filmstudio Babelsberg is the oldest large-scale film studio in the world.

Potsdam developed into a centre of science in Germany from the 19th century. Today, there are three public colleges, the University of Potsdam and more than 30 research institutes in the city. (read further)

Germany - Lutherstadt Eisleben

Lutherstadt Eisleben.

Sent by Ariane, a postcrosser from Germany.

This is from Wikipedia : Eisleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is famous as the hometown of Martin Luther, hence its official name is Lutherstadt Eisleben. As of 2005, Eisleben had a population of 24,552. It lies on the Halle–Kassel railway.

Eisleben is divided into old and new towns (Altstadt and Neustadt); the latter of which was created for Eisleben's miners in the 14th century.

Eisleben was the capital of the district Mansfelder Land and is the seat of the Verwaltungsgemeinschaft ("collective municipality") Lutherstadt Eisleben.

Eisleben was first mentioned in 997 as a market called Islebia and in 1180 as a town. It belonged to the counts of Mansfeld until it passed to the Electorate of Saxony in 1780. It was assigned to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1815 and was administered within the Prussian Province of Saxony. It became part of the new state of Saxony-Anhalt after World War II.

The Protestant reformer Martin Luther was born in Eisleben on November 10, 1483. His father, Hans Luther, was a miner like many of Eisleben's citizens. Luther's family moved to Mansfeld when he was only a year old and he lived in Wittenberg most of his life, but by chance he was in Eisleben when he preached his last sermons and died (1546).

Eisleben was a pioneer of "heritage tourism" — it took steps to preserve its Luther memorials as far back as 1689.

Together with the Luther sites in Wittenberg, the "Birth House" and "Death House" of Martin Luther in Eisleben were designated a World Heritage Site in 1997. Also in Eisleben is the St. Peter and Paul Church, where Luther was baptised (the original font survives) and St. Andreas Church, where he preached his last sermons.