My Russia #4 - Leningrad Oblast - Vyborg

Vyborg, Leningrad Oblast.

Sent by Elizabeth from Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Vyborg (/ˈviːbɔːrɡ, ˈviːbərk/; Russian: Выборг, IPA: [ˈvɨbərk]; Finnish: Viipuri, IPA: [ˈʋiːpuri]; Swedish: Viborg, IPA: [ˈvǐːbɔrj]) is a town and the administrative center of Vyborgsky District in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It lies on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of Vyborg Bay, 130 km (81 miles) northwest of St. Petersburg, 245 km (152 miles) east of the Finnish capital Helsinki, and 38 km (24 miles) south of Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland. The most recent census population of Vyborg is 72,530 (2021 Census).

Vyborg was founded as a medieval fortress in Finland under Swedish rule during the Third Swedish Crusade. After numerous wars between the Russians and Swedes, the Treaty of Nöteborg in 1323 defined the border of eastern Finland, and would separate the two cultures. Vyborg remained under Swedish rule until it was captured by the Russians during the Great Northern War. Under Russian rule, Vyborg was the seat of Vyborg Governorate until it was incorporated into the newly established Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous part of the Russian Empire. Finland declared its independence from Russia in 1917, and Vyborg kept its status, and represented internationally as its most multicultural city. During World War II, Vyborg's population was evacuated and the town was ceded to the Soviet Union. In 2010, Vyborg was conferred the status of "City of Military Glory" by Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

The city hosts the Russian end of the 1,222 km (759 mi) Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, laid in 2011 and operated by a consortium led by Russia's Gazprom state hydrocarbons enterprise to pump 55 billion cubic meters (1.9 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas a year under the Baltic Sea to Lubmin, Germany (read more).

Ukraine (Occupied by Russia) - Republic of Crimea - Alushta

Famous structure of Alushta Resort in Alushta City in Republic of Crimea (currently occupied by Russia).

Sent by Olga from Alushta.

Alushta (Ukrainian and Russian: Алушта; Crimean Tatar: Aluşta; Greek: Ἄλουστον, romanized: Álouston) is a city of regional significance on the southern coast of the Crimean peninsula which is within the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a region internationally recognised as territory of Ukraine, but occupied by the Russian Federation and incorporated as the Republic of Crimea. It is located along the Black Sea coast on the road from Gurzuf to Sudak, as well as on the Crimean Trolleybus line. Population: 29,078 (2014 Census).

The area is notable for its arid, rocky terrain due to its proximity to the Crimean mountains. During Byzantine times, the town was called Alouston (Ἄλουστον) meaning "Unwashed". Vestiges survive of a Byzantine defensive tower from a fortress from which the town's name was derived, as well as a 15th-century Genoese fortress. During Genoese rule, the name was modified to Lusta. Adam Mickiewicz dedicated two of his Crimean Sonnets to Alushta (read more).

India - Karnataka - Vidhana Soudha

Vidhana Soudha is the largest state legislative building in India and serves as the seat of the state legislature of Karnataka. It is one of the mot popular tourist attractions in Bangaluru city. It is constructed in Neo-Dravidian style and was completed in 1956. It measures 213.36 by 106.68 metres on the ground and is 53.34 metres tall.

Sent by Murali from Bengaluru, India.

Vidhana Soudha (also spelled Vidhāna Saudha, lit. "Legislative House") is the seat of the Karnataka Legislature in Bengaluru, India. Completed in 1956, it houses the bicameral legislature comprising the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and the Karnataka Legislative Council. Regarded as one of the most prominent examples of post-independence civic architecture in India, it stands as a landmark of Karnataka’s political identity, architectural ambition, and cultural heritage.

Designed in the neo-Dravidian style, Vidhana Soudha consciously rejected colonial architectural influences, incorporating elements from classical temple traditions of the Chalukya, Hoysala, and Vijayanagara dynasties. Conceived by Chief Minister Kengal Hanumanthaiah as a “Shilpa Kala Kavya” (sculptural epic in stone), its massive granite structure features a central dome, ceremonial staircases, carved pillars, and ornamental woodwork. Inscriptions like “Government Work is God’s Work” and motifs such as the Ashoka Chakra convey ideals of ethical governance and national unity.

Beyond its administrative function, Vidhana Soudha serves as a significant civic and cultural symbol. Its premises feature landscaped gardens and have hosted notable events, including the 1986 SAARC Summit. The building has also been featured in philatelic commemorations and has recently expanded its public engagement through permanent LED lighting installations and guided tours initiated in 2025. Its iconic design has inspired similar government buildings across Karnataka, such as the Vikasa Soudha and the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, cementing its status as a powerful emblem of the state's governance and cultural pride (read more).

India - Gujarat - Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park

Champaner-Pavadagh Archaeological Park is situated in Panchmahal district in Gujarat, India. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 as a cultural site. There is a concentration of largely unexcavated archaelogical , historic and living cultural heritage properties cradled in an impressive landscape which includes prehistoric (chalcolithic) sites, a hill fotress of an early Hindu capital and remains of the 16th-century capital of the state of Gujarat. Lila Gumbaz ki Masjid, Champaner is one of the 114 monuments forming part of the park. The Masjid, built on a high plinth, has a frontage with an arched entrance at the centre flanked by two lateral arches.

Sent by Murali from Bengaluru, India.

Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, located in the Panchmahal District of Gujarat State in north-western India, features a concentration of archaeological, historical, and living cultural heritage properties cradled in an impressive landscape. Focused on Pavagadh Hill, a volcanic formation that rises 800 m above the surrounding plains, the property includes the remains of settlements dating from the prehistoric to medieval periods, the latter represented by a hill-fortress of an early (14th-century) Hindu capital and the remains of an Islamic state capital founded in the 15th century. The large property, comprised of 12 separate areas, contains the remains of fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential precincts, and water-retaining installations, as well as the living village of Champaner.

This area was conquered in the 13th century by the Khichi Chauhan Rajputs, who built their first settlement on top of Pavagadh Hill and fortification walls along the plateau below the hill. The earliest built remains from this period include temples, and amongst the important vestiges are water-retention systems. The Turkish rulers of Gujarat conquered the hill-fortress in 1484. With Sultan Mehmud Begda’s decision to make this his capital, the most important historic phase of this site began. The settlement of Champaner at the foot of the hill was rebuilt and remained the capital of Gujarat until 1536, when it was abandoned.

Except for the structural remains of the main buildings and forts, most parts of the capital city remain buried and unexcavated, though the planning and integration of the essential features of a city – royal estates, utilities, religious edifices, and spaces – can be seen and interpreted. Champaner-Pavagadh’s 14th-century temples and water-retaining installations, together with the later capital city’s religious, military, and agricultural structures, represent both Hindu and Muslim architecture. Champaner’s importance as a capital and residence of a sultan are best illustrated in the Great Mosque (Jama Masjid), which became a model for later mosque architecture in India. At Champaner, the land, the people, and the built heritage are each components of a complex, and dynamic process. The Brahmanical temple of Kalika Mata (the guardian goddess of the hill) atop Pavagadh Hill is an important living shrine, attracting a large number of pilgrims from Gujarat and other parts of the country throughout the year (read more).

India - Uttar Pradesh - Agra Fort

Agra Fort, located on the right bank of the Yamuna River, built in red sandstone, covering a length of 2.5kms and surrounded by a moat, encloses several palaces, towers, and mosques. Jahangiri Mahal is the most noteworthy building inside the fort. The Mahal was the principal zenana (palace for women belonging to the royal household). and was used mainly by the Raiput wives of Akbar. It is a blend of Hindu and Central Asian architecture.

Sent by Murali from Bengaluru, India.

The Agra Fort (Qila Agra) is a historical Mughal fort in the city of Agra, also known as Agra's Red Fort. Mughal emperor Humayun was crowned at this fort in 1530. It was later renovated by the Mughal emperor Akbar from 1565 and the present-day structure was completed in 1573. It served as the main residence of the rulers of the Mughal dynasty until 1638, when the capital was shifted from Agra to Delhi. It was also known as the "Lal-Qila" or "Qila-i-Akbari". Before being captured by the British, the last Indian rulers to have occupied it were the Marathas. In 1983, the Agra fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its importance during Mughal rule. It is about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 mi) northwest of its more famous sister monument, the Taj Mahal. The fort can be more accurately described as a walled city. It was later renovated by Shah Jahan.

Like the rest of Agra, the history of Agra Fort prior to Mahmud of Ghazni's invasion is unclear. However, in the 15th century, the Chauhan‌ Rajputs ‌occupied ‌it. ‌Soon after, Agra assumed the status of capital when Sikandar Khan Lodi (1487–1517 CE) shifted‌ his‌ capital‌ from ‌Delhi and constructed a few buildings in the preexisting fort at Agra. After the first battle of Panipat (1526 CE), Mughals captured the fort and ruled from it. In 1530 CE, Humayun was crowned in it. The fort was given its present appearance during the reign of Akbar (1556–1605 CE). Later, this fort was under the rule of Jats ‌of Bharatpur for 13 years (read more).

USA - Connecticut - Mystic

Mystic, Connecticut

The town of Mystic was founded in 1654, and quickly rose to prominence as a shipbuilding center during the clipper ship era. Nowadays, Mystic has become known for its quintessential New England charm, as well as its two world-class museums : the Mystic Seaport and the Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration. Mystic's beautiful downtown is home to dozens of quaint shops and restaurants, and hots festivals and events year-round.

Sent by Dana from Connecticut, USA.

Mystic is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in Groton and Stonington, Connecticut, United States.

Mystic was a significant Connecticut seaport with more than 600 ships built over 135 years starting in 1784. Mystic Seaport, located in the village, is the largest maritime museum in the United States and has preserved a number of sailing ships, such as the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan. The village is located on the Mystic River which flows into Fishers Island Sound. The Mystic River Bascule Bridge crosses the river in the center of the village. The name "Mystic" is derived from the Pequot term "missi-tuk" describing a large river whose waters are driven into waves by tides or wind. The population was 4,348 at the 2020 census.

Before the 17th century, the Pequot people lived in this portion of southeastern Connecticut. They were in control of a considerable amount of territory, extending toward the Pawcatuck River to the east and the Connecticut River to the west.

To the northwest, the Five Nations of the Iroquois dominated the land linked by the Great Lakes and the Hudson River, allowing trading to occur between the Iroquois and the Dutch. The Pequots were settled just distant enough to be secure from any danger that the Iroquois posed. The Pequot War profoundly affected the Mystic area between 1636 and 1638. In May 1637, captains John Underhill and John Mason led a mission through Narragansett land, along with their allies the Narragansetts and Mohegans, and struck the Pequot Indian settlement in Mystic in the event which came to be known as the Mystic massacre. On September 21, 1638, the colonists signed the Treaty of Hartford, officially ending the Pequot War (read more).

USA - Indiana - Falls Of The Ohio State Park

Falls of the Ohio State Park Interpretive Center has exhibits and films featuring the geologic and cultural history of the Falls of the Ohio. Devonian sea life, the Ohio River, George Rogers Clark, and Lewis & Clark expedition are featured.

Sent by Destany from Indiana, USA.

Falls of the Ohio State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is located on the banks of the Ohio River at Clarksville, Indiana, across from Louisville, Kentucky. The park is part of the Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area. The exposed fossil beds of the Jeffersonville Limestone dated from the Devonian period are the main feature of the park, attracting about 160,000 visitors annually.

The park includes an interpretive center open to the public. The center functions as a museum with exhibits that concentrate on the natural history related to findings in the nearby fossil beds as well as the human history of the Louisville area, covering pre-settlement, early settlement, and the history of Louisville and southern Indiana through the 20th century.

The Woodland Loop Trail features ten stainless steel markers denoting the plant life of the trails, thanks to an Eagle Scout project.

Unlike at other Indiana state parks, annual entrance permits do not allow unlimited free access (rather, only five people per pass per visit) to the interpretive center, as fees are still needed to reimburse the town of Clarksville for building the center (read more).

USA - Utah - Delicate Arch

DELICATE ARCH

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

Probably the best known of the arches in this area, Delicate Arch, is considered by many to be the symbol of Arches National Park. The arch is reached by a 1.5 mile hike and is especially beautiful at sunset.

Sent by Kathleen from Nevada, USA.

Delicate Arch is a 52-foot-tall (16 m) freestanding natural arch located in Arches National Park, near Moab in Grand County, Utah, United States. The arch is the most widely recognized landmark in Arches National Park and is depicted on Utah license plates and a postage stamp commemorating Utah's centennial anniversary of admission to the Union in 1896. The Olympic torch relay for the 2002 Winter Olympics passed through the arch.

Because of its distinctive shape, the arch was known as "the Chaps" and "the Schoolmarm's Bloomers" by local cowboys. Many other names have been applied to this arch including "Bloomers Arch", "Marys Bloomers", "Old Maids Bloomers", "Pants Crotch", "Salt Wash Arch", and "School Marms Pants". The arch was given its current name by Frank Beckwith, leader of the Arches National Monument Scientific Expedition, who explored the area in the winter of 1933–1934. Although there is a rumor that the names of Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch were inadvertently exchanged due to a signage mixup by the National Park Service (NPS), this is false (read more).

USA - South Dakota - Wind Cave National Park (3)

The cave passages are said to "breathe" because air flows in and out, making the air pressure inside the cave the same as outside. 

Sent by Kimberley from Utah, USA. 

This is my third postcard of Wind Cave National Park. The other two are here and here.

Wind Cave National Park protects two very different worlds - one deep within the earth, the other a sunlit world of many resources. Bison, elk, and other wildlife roam the rolling prairie grasslands and forested hillsides of one of America's oldest national parks. Below the remnant island of intact prairie sits Wind Cave, one of the longest and most complex caves in the world (read more).

Coca Cola Ad Card (8)

Coca Cola 50th Anniversary (1886 - 1936).

Sent by Tijn from Amsterdam, Netherlands.

reproduction printed on postcard

1936 replica of image on Anniversary Poster of Coca Cola

Printed in Milano Italy by Nuova Arti Grafiche Ricordi

From 1997

Condition is near mint

See many more Coca Cola postcards listed! (read more)

Germany - Bremen - Klimahaus Bremerhaven 8° Ost

Klimahaus 8° Ost in Bremerhaven, Germany, a unique science center focusing on climate and climate change.

Sent by Diana from Wuppertal, Germany.

From the tropical climate of the South Seas to the sweltering Sahel heat, on to the eternal ice of the Antarctic and up into the cool Alpine air - here you can experience the different weather and living conditions for yourself. Along the eighth degree of longitude, you can immerse yourself in settings that are based on real locations and find out how people live around the globe.

Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of climate at the Climate Experience Center Bremerhaven!

Discover how the climate and weather have developed and what steps we can take to protect our planet. The new permanent exhibition “Weather Extremes” brings you up close to spectacular weather phenomena - with impressive 360-degree stagings and real reports from people who have experienced them (read more).

Germany - Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - St. Nikolai Church in Greifswald

St. Nikolai Church (Cathedral of St. Nicholas) in Greifswald, Germany, with colorful baroque tenement houses in the background.

Sent by Edeltraut from Achem, Germany.

St. Nikolai, Greifswald (German: Greifswalder Dom St. Nikolai), dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of seafarers and merchants, is a Brick Gothic church located in the western part of the centre of Greifswald. It was the main church and seat of the bishop of the Pomeranian Evangelical Church.

The first written sources referring to a church dedicated to St. Nicholas in Greifswald are from 1263. The oldest extant parts of the church have been dated to the last third of the 13th century. The building of the church started with the erection of a single-nave choir, which was later incorporated in a hall church with two aisles and a nave of equal size. The foundations of the western tower were laid at the same time. The church was furnished with its first organ already in 1362. In 1385 work was begun on a new choir with a straight eastern wall, which was finished in 1395 (read more).

Germany - Lower Saxony - Tostedt

Scenes from Tostedt, a municipality in the district of Harburg in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Sent by Silke from Tostedt, Germany.

Tostedt (Low German Töst) is a municipality in the district of Harburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the central administration of the collective municipality (Samtgemeinde Tostedt) which consists of 9 joint communities.

Tostedt is located on the northwestern edge of Lüneburger Heide, 35 km southwest of Hamburg and 55 km east of Bremen. The areas highest point of 70 meters above sea level is to be found at the entrance facing Welle, its lowest point is 43 meters above sea level at the eastend of Todtglüsingen.

Near Tostedt the river Este flows towards Hollenstedt, and there are the spring of the river Oste towards Sittensen, as well as the streams Dohrener Mühlenbach, Langeloher Bach and Todtglüsinger Bach (read more).

Germany - Brandenburg - Dutch Quarter (Holländisches Viertel) in Potsdam

Scenes of Dutch Quarter (Holländisches Viertel) in Potsdam, Germany.

Sent by Gunter from Hesse, Germany.

The Dutch Quarter (German: Holländisches Viertel) is a neighborhood in Potsdam, Germany, consisting of 134 red Dutch brick buildings, almost all of which have been renovated.

It was built from 1733 to 1740 and designed by Jan Bouman following the order of Frederick William I of Prussia, who invited talented Dutch craftsmen to settle there. Under him, known as the "soldier king", the district was planned and the two western squares were built. After his death in 1740, his son and successor Frederick the Great had the quarter with the two eastern squares completed largely according to his father's plans (read more).

Germany - Lower Saxony - Stade

Scenes from the Hanseatic city of Stade, Gerany and the surrounding region known a "Altes Land" (Old Land.

Sent by Heike from Stade, Germany.

Stade (German pronunciation: [ˈʃtaːdə]; Low German: Stood), officially the Hanseatic City of Stade (German: Hansestadt Stade, Low German: Hansestadt Stood) is a city in Lower Saxony in northern Germany. First mentioned in records in 934, it is the seat of the district (Landkreis) which bears its name. It is located roughly 45 km (28 mi) to the west of Hamburg and belongs to that city's wider metropolitan region. Within the area of the city are the urban districts of Bützfleth, Hagen, Haddorf and Wiepenkathen, each of which have a council (Ortsrat) of their own with some autonomous decision-making rights.

Stade is located in the lower regions of the river Elbe. It is also on the German Timber-Frame Road.

The first human settlers came to the Stade area in 30,000 BC.

Swedish and Danish Vikings under Eric the Victorious conquered Stade and looted the town during the 990s. Many prominent Saxons were taken back as slaves by Swedish troops. A majority of Vikings withdrew after taking plenty of plunder. A minor part of the Swedish and Danish forces stayed but were later defeated by reinforcements sent by the emperor (read more).