Turkey - Hagia Sophia Museum

ISTANBUL
Ayasofya Camii or Hagia Sophia.

Sent by Aysu from Istanbul, Turkey.

This is from Wikipedia : Hagia Sophia (/hɑːɨə soʊfiːə/; from the Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, "Holy Wisdom"; Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia; Turkish: Ayasofya) is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as the Greek Patriarchal cathedral of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

The Church was dedicated to the Logos, the second person of the Holy Trinity, its dedication feast taking place on 25 December, the anniversary of the Birth of the incarnation of the Logos in Christ. Although it is sometimes referred to as Sancta Sophia (as though it were named after Saint Sophia), sophia is the phonetic spelling in Latin of the Greek word for wisdom – the full name in Greek being Ναός τῆς Ἁγίας τοῦ Θεοῦ Σοφίας, "Church of the Holy Wisdom of God".

Famous in particular for its massive dome, it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture." It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian and was the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site, the previous two having both been destroyed by rioters. It was designed by the Greek scientists Isidore of Miletus, a physicist, and Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician.

The church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 49-foot (15 m) silver iconostasis. It was the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly one thousand years. It is the church in which Cardinal Humbert in 1054 excommunicated Michael I Cerularius – which is commonly considered the start of the Great Schism.

In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II, who subsequently ordered the building converted into a mosque. The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed and many of the mosaics were plastered over. Islamic features – such as the mihrab, minbar, and four minarets – were added while in the possession of the Ottomans. It remained a mosque until 1931 when it was closed to the public for four years. It was re-opened in 1935 as a museum by the Republic of Turkey.

For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many other Ottoman mosques, such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque of Istanbul), the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque and the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque.

Turkey - Interior of Hagia Sophia Museum

ISTANBUL
Interior of the Hagia Sophia Museum.

Sent by Aysu from Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey - Anatolia

Anatolian Life.

Sent by Aysu from Istanbul, Turkey.

This is from Wikipedia : Anatolia (from Greek Ἀνατολή Anatolē — "east" or "(sun)rise"; also Asia Minor, from Greek: Μικρὰ Ἀσία Mikrá Asía "small Asia"; in modern Turkish: Anadolu) is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey. The region is bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Aegean Sea to the west. The Sea of Marmara forms a connection between the Black and Aegean Seas through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, and separates Anatolia from Thrace on the European mainland. Traditionally, Anatolia is considered to extend in the east to a line between the Gulf of Iskenderun and the Black Sea, approximately corresponding to the western two-thirds of the Asian part of Turkey. However, since Anatolia is now often considered to be synonymous with Asian Turkey, its eastern and southeastern borders are widely taken to be the Turkish borders with the neighboring countries, which are Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria, in clockwise direction.

Anatolia has been home to many civilizations throughout history, such as the Hittites, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, Armenians, Romans, Georgians, Seljuk Turks, and Ottomans. As a result, Anatolia is one of the most archaeologically rich places on earth.
 

Macau - Red Face Male

Red fulled face (red face male). Go For Fight by Single.

Sent by Diana, a postcrosser from Macau.

Bosnia Herzegovina - Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar

MOSTAR
Old Bridge

Sent by Sabina, a postcrosser from Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina.

This is from UNESCO : The Old Bridge area of the Old City of Mostar, with its exceptional multicultural (pre-Ottoman, eastern Ottoman, Mediterranean and western European) architectural features, and satisfactory interrelationship with the landscape, is an outstanding example of a multicultural urban settlement. The qualities of the site's construction, after the extremely ravaging war damage and the subsequent works of renewal, have been confirmed by detailed scientific investigations. These have provided proof of exceptionally high technical refinement in the skill and quality of the ancient constructions, particularly of the Old Bridge. Of special significance is the Radoboija stream, which enters the Neretva on its right bank. This provided a source of water for the growing settlement, and from it springs a number of small canals used for irrigation and for driving the wheels of water-mills.

There has been human settlement on the Neretva between the Hum Hill and the Velez Mountain since prehistory, as witnessed by discoveries of fortified enceintes and cemeteries. Evidence of Roman occupation comes from beneath the present town.

Little is known of Mostar in the medieval period, although the Christian basilicas of late antiquity continued in use. The name of Mostar is first mentioned in a document of 1474, taking its name from the bridge-keepers (mostari ); this refers to the existence of a wooden bridge from the market town on the left bank of the river which was used by soldiers, traders, and other travellers. At this time it was the seat of a kadiluk (district with a regional judge). Because it was on the trade route between the Adriatic and the mineral-rich regions of central Bosnia, the settlement spread to the right bank of the river. It became the leading town in the Sanjak of Herzegovina and, with the arrival of the Ottoman Turks from the east, the centre of Turkish rule.

The town was fortified between 1520 and 1566, and the bridge was rebuilt in stone. The second half of the 16th century and the early decades of the 17th century were the most important period in the development of Mostar. Religious and public buildings were constructed, concentrated on the left bank of the river, in a religious complex. At the same time many private and commercial buildings, organized in distinct quarters, known as mahalas (residential) and the bazaar, were erected.

Of the thirteen original mosques dating from the 16th and 17th centuries, seven have been destroyed during the 20th century for ideological reasons or by bombardment. One of the two 19th-century Orthodox churches has also disappeared, and the early 20th-century synagogue, after undergoing severe damage in the Second World War, has been converted for use as a theatre. Several Ottoman inns also survive, along with other buildings from this period of Mostar's history, such as fountains and schools.

The administrative buildings are all from the Austro-Hungarian period and have neoclassical and Secessionist features. A number of surviving late Ottoman houses demonstrate the component features of this form of domestic architecture - hall, upper storey for residential use, paved courtyard, and verandah on one or two storeys. The later 19th-century residential houses are all in neoclassical style.

Some early trading and craft buildings are still existent, notably some low shops in wood or stone, stone storehouses, and a group of former tanneries round an open courtyard. Once again, the 19th-century commercial buildings are predominantly neoclassical. A number of elements of the early fortifications are visible. The Hercegusa Tower dates from the medieval period, whereas the Ottoman defences are represented by the Halebinovka and Tara Towers, the watchtowers over the ends of the Old Bridge, and a stretch of the ramparts.

Turkey - Tiles of the Rüstempaşa Mosquée

Tiles of the Rüstempaşa Mosquée (1560).

Sent by Kenan, a postcrosser from Izmir, Turkey.

Canada - British Columbia - 'Ksan Indian Village

'Ksan Indian Village, Hazelton, B.C.
'Ksan Historical Indian Village is a Gitksan village in Hazelton, British Columbia. The Frog House is a traditional longhouse, shown here as it would have looked before European contact. The name Gitksan means "People of the River Mist".

Sent by Glenna, a postcrosser from British Columbia, Canada.

Kyrgyzstan - Camp of Nomads

Camp of Nomads.

Sent by Sonya and Travis who visited Kyrgyzstan in April.

Ukraine - Manyavsky Skyt (Monastery)

Manyava. Manyavsky Skyt (Monastery), 1611.

Sent by Kristine, a postcrosser from Ukraine.

"The Manyavsky Skyt Monastery is surrounded by defensive walls above which rise the pare-shaped domes of a church. The road leading to it climbs high through the dense woods.

The monastery was founded in 1606 by Yov (Job) Knyahynetsky, a Ukrainian from the small town of Tysmenytsya in the land of Prykarpattya (“sub-Carpathian”). Knyahynetsky had spent twenty years at the end of the 16th century in the monastic community of Mount Athos where he had taken monastic vows before he returned to Ukraine with a mission of introducing the monastic rules of Mount Athos into the monasteries of Western Ukraine. And also, he founded a monastery, Manyavsky Skyt (the word “skyt” actually means “a small and secluded monastery”).

There is some evidence though, both archeological and historical, the latter derived from the chronicles, that suggests that there was a skyt in the Horhanska valley dating to as early as the 13th century. It is believed to have been founded by two monks who travelled all the way from the Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv after this city had been captured and ruined by the Mongols in a massive invasion of the Ukrainian lands. The local tradition has it that shortly after these two monks had settled down in the valley close by the tiny river of Baters, the Virgin Mary revealed herself to them and standing on a rock, which since then was called The Blessed Rock, encouraged the monks to go ahead with founding a monastery. When Yov Knyahynetsky came to that place almost four hundred years later, he found no monastery there but the Virgin Mary appeared again and urged him to found a skyt."(Read more)

Japan - Ogasawara Islands

Nakayama Pass, Chichi Pass, Ogasawara Islands.

Sent by Miki, a postcrosser who lives near Tokyo, Japan.

This is from UNESCO : The Ogasawara Islands are located in the North-Western Pacific Ocean roughly 1,000 km south of the main Japanese Archipelago. The serial property is comprised of five components within an extension of about 400 km from north to south and includes more than 30 islands, clustered within three island groups of the Ogasawara Archipelago: Mukojima, Chichijima and Hahajima, plus an additional three individual islands: Kita-iwoto and Minami-iwoto of the Kazan group and the isolated Nishinoshima Island. These islands rest along the Izu-Ogasawara Arc Trench System. The property totals 7,939 ha comprising a terrestrial area of 6,358 ha and a marine area of 1,581 ha. Today only two of the islands within the property are inhabited, Chichijima and Hahajima.

The landscape is dominated by subtropical forest types and sclerophyllous shrublands surrounded by steep cliffs. There are more than 440 species of native vascular plants with exceptionally concentrated rates of endemism as high as 70% in woody plants. The islands are the habitat for more than 100 recorded native land snail species, over 90% of which are endemic to the islands.

The islands serve as an outstanding example of the ongoing evolutionary processes in oceanic island ecosystems, as evidenced by the high levels of endemism; speciation through adaptive radiation; evolution of marine species into terrestrial species; and their importance for the scientific study of such processes.

Italy - Statue of Constantine

Fragment of the statue of Constantine. Pal. dei Conservatori.

Sent by Aygen, a postcrosser from Rome, Italy.

This is from Wikipedia : The Colossus of Constantine was a colossal acrolithic statue of the late Roman emperor Constantine the Great (c. 280–337) that once occupied the west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius near the Forum Romanum in Rome. Portions of the Colossus now reside in the Courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini, on the Capitoline Hill, above the west end of the Forum.

The great head, arms and legs of the Colossus were carved from white marble, while the rest of the body consisted of a brick core and wooden framework, possibly covered with gilded bronze. Judging by the size of the remaining pieces, the seated, enthroned figure would have been about 12 m (40 ft) high. The head is about 2 ½ m high and each foot is over 2 m long.

The statue's hand may have held a staff with the sacred monogram XP affixed to it. (Medals that Constantine minted around this time show him so decorated.) An inscription is said to have been engraved below the statue:
 
"Through this sign of salvation, which is the true symbol of goodness, I rescued your city and freed it from the tyrant's yoke, and through my act of liberation I restored the Senate and People of Rome to their ancient renown and splendor."

The great head is carved in a typical, abstract, Constantinian style (“hieratic emperor style”) of late Roman portrait statues, whereas the other body parts are naturalistic, even down to callused toes and bulging forearm veins. The head was perhaps meant to convey the transcendence of the other-worldly nature of the Emperor over the human sphere, notable in its larger-than-life eyes which gaze toward eternity from a rigidly impersonal, frontal face. The treatment of the head shows a synthesis of individualistic portraiture: the hooked nose, deep jaw and prominent chin characteristic of all images of Constantine, with the trends of Late Roman portraiture which focus on symbolism and abstraction, rather than detail.

Bicycles (20)

Sent by Lenie, a postcrosser from Zeist, Netherlands.

Turkey - Turkish Tiles

Turkish Tiles.

Sent by Ahmet, a postcrosser from Istanbul, Turkey.

Netherlands - Breda

Multiviews of Breda.

Sent by Gerda, a postcrosser from Breda, Netherlands.

This is from Wikipedia : Breda (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈbreɪ̯.ˌdaː]) is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa ('wide Aa') and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance. Although a direct Fiefdom of the Holy Roman Emperor, the city obtained a municipal charter; the acquisition of Breda, through marriage, by the house of Nassau ensured that Breda would be at the center of political and social life in the Low Countries.

Breda's urban area is home to an estimated 316,000 people (2008).

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) .

Sent by Jaana, a postcrosser from Finland.

This is from Wikipedia : The Red-throated Loon or Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata) is a migratory aquatic bird found in the northern hemisphere. It breeds primarily in Arctic regions, and winters in northern coastal waters. It is the most widely distributed member of the loon or diver family. Ranging from 55–67 centimetres (22–26 in) in length, the Red-throated Loon is the smallest and lightest of the world's loons. In winter, it is a nondescript bird, greyish above fading to white below. During the breeding season, it acquires the distinctive reddish throat patch which is the basis for its common name. Fish form the bulk of its diet, though amphibians, invertebrates and plant material are sometimes eaten as well. A monogamous species, the Red-throated Loon forms long-term pair bonds. Both members of the pair help to build the nest, incubate the eggs (generally two per clutch) and feed the hatched young.

The Red-throated Loon has a large global population and a significant global range, though some populations are declining. Oil spills, habitat degradation, pollution and fishing nets are among the major threats this species faces. Natural predators—including various gull species, and both Red and Arctic Foxes, will take eggs and young. The species is protected by a number of international treaties.

Taiwan - Yehliu Geopark

Yehliu Geopark
Taipei County, Taiwan

Sent by Yi-fan, a postcrosser from Taiwan.

This is from Wikipedia : Yehliu (Chinese: 野柳; pinyin: Yěliǔ) is a cape on the north coast of Taiwan in the town of Wanli between Taipei and Keelung.

The cape, known by geologists as the Yehliu Promontory, forms part of the Taliao Miocene Formation. It stretches approximately 1,700 meters into the ocean and was formed as geological forces pushed Datun Mountain (大屯山) out of the sea.

A distinctive feature of the cape is the hoodoo stones that dot its surface. These shapes can be viewed at the Yeliu Geopark operated by the North Coast and Guanyinshan National Scenic Area Administration. A number of rock formations have been given imaginative names based on their shapes. The most well-known is the "The Queen's Head" (女王頭), an iconic image in Taiwan and an unofficial emblem for the town of Wanli. Other formations include "The Fairy Shoe", "The Bee Hive", "The Ginger Rocks" and "The Sea Candles."

France - Rhône-Alpes - 69 Rhône - Lyon

Lyon, the third biggest city in France.

Sent by The Pastry Class, a group from Lyon, France.

This is from Wikipedia : Lyon (French pronunciation: [ljɔ̃], locally: [lijɔ̃]; Occitan: Lion [liˈu]; Arpitan: Liyon [ʎjɔ̃]; English: /liːˈɒn/), traditionally spelt Lyons in English, is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at 470 km (292 mi) from Paris, 320 km (199 mi) from Marseille, 160 km (99 mi) from Geneva, 280 km (174 mi) from Turin. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais.

The city of Lyon has 483,181 inhabitants. Together with its suburbs and satellite towns, Lyon forms the largest conurbation in France outside Paris with a population estimated to be 1,422,331; its overall metropolitan area was estimated to have a population of 2,118,132. Its urban region represents half of the Rhône-Alpes region population with 2.9 million inhabitants. Lyon is the capital of this region, as well as the capital of the smaller Rhône département.

The city is known for its historical and architectural landmarks and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lyon was historically known as an important area for the production and weaving of silk and in modern times has developed a reputation as the capital of gastronomy in France. It has a significant role in the history of cinema due to Auguste and Louis Lumière who invented the cinematographe in Lyon. The city is also known for its famous light festival 'Fete des Lumieres' which occurs every 8 December and lasts for four days, that earned Lyon the title of Capital of Lights (not to be mixed up with Paris the city of lights). The legend says that the Virgin Mary saved the city from the plague, and to thank her a statue was built and on the day it was erected the whole city was lit by candles that its citizens put at their windows. The local professional football team, Olympique Lyonnais, has increased Lyon's profile internationally through participation in European football championships.

Economically, Lyon is a major centre for banking as well as for chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech industries. The city contains a significant software industry with a particular focus on video games, and in recent years has fostered a growing local start-up sector. Lyon also hosts the international headquarters of Interpol, Euronews and International Agency for Research on Cancer. Lyon is ranked 2nd in France as an economic centre and convention centre on some measures. Lyon was ranked 9th globally and 2nd in France for innovation in 2010.  It ranked 38th globally in Mercer's 2010 liveability rankings.

North Korea - Chollima Statue

Chollima Statue in Pyongyang.

Sent by Jo of Vietnam who visited North Korea.

This is from Lonely Planet : An interesting example of how the Kim regime has sought to incorporate traditional Korean myths into its socialist cult, is the bronze statue of the Korean Pegasus, the steed Chollima. According to legend, Chollima could cover hundreds of kilometres a day and was untameable (see North Korea Speak, ).

Kim Il Sung appropriated the myth in the period of reconstruction following the Korean War so that the zeal of the North Korean workers to rebuild their shattered nation and construct vast and pointless monuments to the leadership became known as 'Chollima speed'. When North Korea broke through to the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 1966, it was apparently because Kim senior had urged them to play 'Chollima football'.

Germany - Amrum Island

A mapcard of Amrum Island.

Sent by Claus, a postcrosser from Hamburg, Germany.

This is from Wikipedia :  Amrum (Öömrang North Frisian: Oomram) is one of the North Frisian Islands on the German North Sea coast, south of Sylt and west of Föhr. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. With the island being a refuge for many endangered species of plants and animals, its soil being largely unfavourable for agriculture and as a popular seaside resort in general, Amrum's population almost exclusively lives from the tourism industry.

Amrum's area measures 20.46 km², making it the tenth-largest island of Germany. It is one of three isles with a geestland core in Nordfriesland. To the east, it borders to the Wadden Sea mud flats of the North Sea. The east side is also where the island's ancient hamlets are situated: Norddorf, Nebel, Süddorf and Steenodde. On the geestland core one can find extended areas of heath and woodland which form a strip that runs along a north-south line on the axis. West of this woodland strip, the entire island is covered with dunes. The maximal width of this area amounts to more than a kilometre, its length measures about 12 km. Amrum's tallest dune near Norddorf, called a Siatler (the settling dune) reaches 32 m of height. Northward, the dune area extends into a small peninsula called Odde. In the south of Amrum, the newest settlement, Wittdün, is located. West of the dunes, the entire shore of Amrum is made up of the Kniepsand beach; it counts among northern Europe's largest sand beaches. North of Norddorf there is some marshland, another small marsh area can be found between Süddorf and Steenodde. Both of them are protected from the sea by dikes. During low tide it is possible to reach the neighbouring island of Föhr by mudflat hiking.

Amrum's population amounts to about 2,300 and the island is divided into three municipalities: Norddorf, Nebel and Wittdün. They adhere to the Amt Föhr-Amrum.

China - Beijing - Suzhou Street

Suzhou Street, The Summer Palace, Beijing

Sent by Jiani, a postcrosser from Shanghai, China.

"Over 60 stores extend from North Palace Gate entrance into a street about 300 meters (328.1 yards) in length. Along the Back Lake, the street design imitates the ancient style of shops on the banks of rivers in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, that is, taking the running water of Back Lake as the street and its banks as a market. The area served as an entertainment place where Emperors and concubines could feel as if they were strolling on a commercial street. When the royals went there, eunuchs and maids of honor would playact as peddlers, customers and shop assistants to mimic market activities.
Built during the reign of Qianlong (1711-1799), it was burned down by Anglo-French allied force in 1860. Until 1986, it was rebuilt and in 1990 it was opened to the public. Today's market includes stores such as dyers, souvenir shops, drugstores, banks, shoe stores, teashops, and hockshops, with clerks dressed in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) costumes."(Source)

Russia - Arms Victory 1945

Russian Arms Victory 1945 (World War II). Sent by Natalie, a postcrosser from Belgorod, Russia.

Chile - Selk'nam

SEK'NAM (ONAS) - TIERRA DEL FUEGO - CHILE
The Onas lived in Tiera del Fuego. The paintings are representation of different Divinities during the Hain initiation ceremony.

Sent by Arnold, a postcrosser from Santiago, Chile.

Chile - Roberto Matta : Attouchement, 1955

Roberto Matta : Attouchement, 1955

Sent by my great pal Hernán from Santiago, Chile.

This is from Wikipedia : Roberto Sebastián Antonio Matta Echaurren (November 11, 1911 – November 23, 2002), better known as Roberto Matta, was one of Chile's best-known painters and a seminal figure in 20th century abstract expressionist and surrealist art.

Born in Santiago, he initially studied architecture at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, but became disillusioned with this occupation and left for Paris in 1933. His travels in Europe and the USA led him to meet artists such as Arshile Gorky, René Magritte, Salvador Dalí, André Breton, and Le Corbusier. Matta was of Spanish, Basque and French descent.

It was Breton who provided the major spur to the Chilean's direction in art, encouraging his work and introducing him to the leading members of the Paris Surrealist movement. Matta produced illustrations and articles for Surrealist journals such as Minotaure. During this period he was introduced to the work of many prominent contemporary European artists, such as Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp.
 

Russia - Sverdlovsk Oblast - Verkhoturye

A view of Trinity Stone and Verkhoturye citadel from the Tura River.

Sent by Olga from Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia.

This is from Wikipedia : Verkhoturye (Russian: Верхоту́рье) is a historical town and the administrative center of Verkhotursky District of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located in the middle Ural Mountains on the left bank of the Tura River 306 kilometers (190 mi) north of Yekaterinburg. Population: 8,815 (2010 Census preliminary results); 7,815 (2002 Census; 8,973 (1989 Census); 10,900 (1967).
Verkhoturye was founded in 1598 by Vasily Golovin and Ivan Voyeykov on the site of the Vogul settlement of Neromkar. There were major fires in 1674 and 1738. The railroad arrived in 1906. It lost town status in 1926 and regained it in 1947. Two oil pipelines pass through the area and there are plans to build an oil refinery.

In contrast to the surrounding mining towns, Verkhoturye has been relatively untouched by industrialization and much of its historic appearance has been preserved. Being one of the oldest Russian settlements east of the Urals, and with forty churches in the area, Verkhoturye is considered one of the centers of Russian Christianity. Famous churches include the Trinity Church (1703—1712), Nikolay Monastery (established in 1604) with the Cathedral of Exaltation of the Holy Cross (1905—1913), and Transfiguration Church (1821). In addition, the town houses the oldest female monastery beyond Urals (established in 1621).

Netherlands - Texel

A mapcard of Texel Island.

Sent by Anna, a postcrosser from Hoogezand in Netherlands.

This is from Wikipedia : Texel is a municipality and an island in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the largest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends to Denmark. The next island in the archipelago, to the north of Texel, is Vlieland.
The name Texel is Frisian, but because of historical sound-changes in Dutch, where all -x- sounds have been replaced with -s- sounds (compare for instance English Fox, Frisian Fokse, German Fuchs with Dutch Vos), the name is typically pronounced Tessel in Dutch.