SERBIA

BELARUS

BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY

My first cover from British Antarctic Territory, the UK’s largest Overseas Territory. It lies in Antarctica, the world's most southerly continent. The British Antarctic Territory (BAT) is a sector of Antarctica claimed by the United Kingdom as one of its 14 British Overseas Territories, of which it is by far the largest by area. It comprises the region south of 60°S latitude and between longitudes 20°W and 80°W, forming a wedge shape that extends to the South Pole, overlapping the Antarctic claims of Argentina (Argentine Antarctica) and Chile (Chilean Antarctic Territory). This cover was posted at Signy Research Station, one of Britain’s smallest stations, and the only one occupied in summer. The island’s abundant wildlife and greenery make it an ideal outdoor laboratory.

FRANCE

A nice cover from France, depicting 1 UNESCO stamp celebrating the "Via Turonensis". In medieval times, the "Via Turonensis" (Tours Route) was the most westerly of the four traditional pilgrim routes. It was a fairly movable feast, with several strands running roughly parallel in a southerly direction. It catered for pilgrims from the Low Countries, Paris and Britain, and converged with two of the others at Saint-Palais in the Pyrénées, before crossing into Spain for the final push to Compostela. The Tours Route is one of the four medieval pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela in France. All this 4 routes have been designed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. The routes pass through the following regions of France: Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Midi-Pyrénées, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. UNESCO cites the routes' role in "religious and cultural exchange", the development of "specialized edifices" along the routes, and their "exceptional witness to the power and influence of Christian faith among people of all classes and countries in Europe during the Middle Ages". UNESCO designated 71 structures along the routes and seven stretches of the Chemin du Puy. The structures are largely monuments, churches, or hospitals that provided services to pilgrims headed to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Some are places of pilgrimage in their own right. Other structures include a tower, a bridge, and a city gate.

FRANCE

A nice cover from France, depicting 2 stamps with UNESCO sites: Paris and Via Tolosana (Arles Route). The Arles Route is one of the four medieval pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela in France. All this 4 routes have been designed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. The routes pass through the following regions of France: Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Midi-Pyrénées, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes, and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. UNESCO cites the routes' role in "religious and cultural exchange", the development of "specialized edifices" along the routes, and their "exceptional witness to the power and influence of Christian faith among people of all classes and countries in Europe during the Middle Ages". UNESCO designated 71 structures along the routes and seven stretches of the Chemin du Puy. The structures are largely monuments, churches, or hospitals that provided services to pilgrims headed to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Some are places of pilgrimage in their own right. Other structures include a tower, a bridge, and a city gate.

ARGENTINA

FALKLAND ISLANDS

My first cover from Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about 300 miles (483 kilometres) east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about 752 miles (1,210 kilometres) from the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of about 52°S. The archipelago, with an area of 4,700 square miles (12,000 square kilometres), comprises East Falkland, West Falkland, and 776 smaller islands. As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, and the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defence and foreign affairs. The Falkland Islands' capital is Stanley on East Falkland.

GERMANY

A UNESCO cover from Germany with a single stamps issued in 2016, celebrating the Naumburg Cathedral. The Naumburg Cathedral (German: Naumburger Dom St. Peter und St. Paul), located in Naumburg, is the former cathedral of the Bishopric of Naumburg-Zeitz. The church building, most of which dates back to the 13th century, is a renowned landmark of the German late Romanesque and was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. The west choir with the famous donor portrait statues of the twelve cathedral founders (Stifterfiguren) and the Lettner, works of the Naumburg Master, is one of the most significant early Gothic monuments. The church was erected with the relocation of the Episcopal See from Zeitz in 1028, next to an old parish church. Thus it is the proto-cathedral of the former Catholic Diocese of Naumburg-Zeitz. With the Reformation, Naumburg and its cathedral became Protestant. Naumburg Cathedral remains a Protestant parish church to this day.

SWITZERLAND

A nice UNESCO cover from Swizerland, with 4 stamps celebrating Monte San Giorgio. Monte San Giorgio is a wooded mountain (1,097 m above sea level) of the Lugano Prealps, overlooking Lake Lugano in Switzerland. It lies in the southern part of the canton of Ticino, between the municipalities of Brusino Arsizio, Riva San Vitale and Meride. Monte San Giorgio became a UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2003, because it "is the single best known record of marine life in the Middle Triassic period, and records important remains of life on land as well." The Italian region west of Poncione d'Arzo (Porto Ceresio) was added as an extension to the World Heritage Site in 2010.

BRAZIL

A cover from Brazil with a joint issue Brazil-Israel from 2020, celebrating 2 UNESCO sites in both countries. The joint issue stamps - featuring Tel Aviv next to Jaffa (Yafo) and Recife next to Olinda - represent two adjacent cities that grew alongside each other but developed in different directions. One preserved its historic al and traditional characteristics, while the other developed into a widespread modern metropolis. Historically, the gap between Jaffa and Tel Aviv, which both lie on the Mediterranean Sea shore, is very large. Jaffa is one of the most ancient cities in Eretz Israel, and archeological evidence shows that it was settled as early as the 18th century BCE. Tel Aviv was established in 1909 as a neighborhood of Jaffa. In the early 1920’s it was declared to be a separate city and quickly became the economic, commercial and cultural center of Eretz Israel. In 1950, the two cities were merged into one municipality named Tel Aviv-Jaffa. To a large extent, Jaffa has preserved its ancient character, with houses and archeological finds that reflect the rich history of Eretz Israel and the numerous cultures that ruled it. The material culture of Tel Aviv reflects more modern times, from the cluster of buildings constructed in the international Bauhaus style (which was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the modern buildings that attest to the city’s standing as a vibrant center of innovation. Olinda and Recife were established near each other along the Atlantic coast in the 16th century. Olinda was founded in 1535 and Recife in 1537, and during their first 100 years both cities developed similarly. Each was established by Portuguese settlers who mainly made their living by growing sugar cane in the rich soil surrounding the cities. However, Olinda was granted preferred status and the main cathedral for the region was constructed there in 1540. In 1630, both cities were conquered by the Dutch and the new regime made Recife the regional capital. The Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue, the first synagogue in the “new world”, was founded in Recife in 1636. Recife’s higher status remained intact when the region returned to Portuguese rule in 1654 and the city continued to develop rapidly. Today, Recife is a modern city that serves as the capital of an area with millions of inhabitants, while Olinda, which has preserved much of its ancient character and was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site constitutes part of the modern metropolis of Recife.

CHINA

BRAZIL

A cover from Brazil which includes a stamp celebrating the Iguazu (Iguaçu) Falls (the 2,00 rs stamp on the left). The Iguazu Naional Park is inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986. Together with Iguazú National Park on the Argentinian side, the park protects Iguazu Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls, and is home to many rare and endangered species such as giant anteater or the giant otter. The site had been listed as endangered 1999–2001 due to an illegally opened road through the park, dams on the Iguazu River and helicopter flights.

BRAZIL

A cover from Brazil depicting 3 stamps, including a stamp celebrating Prague, the capital of Czech Republic. The historic centre of Prague was built between the 11th and 18th centuries but the most magnificente monuments, such as Hradcani Castle, St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge nad numerous churches and palaces were built mostly in the 14th century, under the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV. Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

GERMANY

This UNESCO cover from Germany depicts a single stamp celebrating the "Fagus Factory in Alfeld". The Fagus Factory was built by the architect and founder of the Bauhaus Movement Walter Gropius in 1911 and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. It is regarded worldwide as the original Modernist building. The architecture of the Fagus Factory takes into account for the first time the need for light, air and clarity. Its glass and steel construction and its unsupported fully glazed corners give the building a weightless elegance, unusual for factories of that time. With its outstanding steel and glass architecture, the architect succeeded in giving a mid-sized company a completely new and non-traditional image. Fagus shoe lasts have been produced in this living monument for over 100 years. This production process has now been enhanced by the corporate divisions associated with GreCon Electronics and Grecon Dimter Machine Construction.

PORTUGAL

A nice UNESCO cover from Portugal, depicting a complete set issued in 2014 celebrating the University of Coimbra. The University of Coimbra is a Portuguese public university in Coimbra, Portugal. Established in 1290 in Lisbon, it went through a number of relocations until it was moved permanently to its current city in 1537, being one of the oldest universities in continuous operation in the world, the oldest university in Portugal, and one of the country's largest museums of higher education and research institutions.The university is organized into eight different faculties according to a wide range of fields, granting academic bachelor's (licenciado), master's (mestre) and doctorate (doutor) degrees in nearly all major fields of knowledge, such as arts, engineering, humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, medicine, sports and technologies. It is a founding member of the Coimbra Group, a group of leading European research universities, whose inaugural meeting it hosted. The University of Coimbra has over 20,000 students, and hosts one of the largest communities of international students in Portugal, arguably being the most cosmopolitan Portuguese university. On 22 June 2013, UNESCO added the university to its World Heritage List.

SPAIN

A nice UNESCO cover from Spain, depicting a single stamp issued in 2020 celebrating "Petra", in Jordan. Petra is a historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. Petra lies around Jabal Al-Madbah in a basin surrounded by mountains which form the eastern flank of the Arabah valley that runs from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The area around Petra has been inhabited from as early as 7000 BC, and the Nabataeans might have settled in what would become the capital city of their kingdom, as early as the 4th century BC. However, archaeological work has only discovered evidence of Nabataean presence dating back to the second century BC,by which time Petra had become their capital. The Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs who invested in Petra's proximity to the trade routes by establishing it as a major regional trading hub. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system, Petra is also called the "Rose City" because of the colour of the stone from which it is carved. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. UNESCO has described Petra as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage". Petra is a symbol of Jordan, as well as Jordan's most-visited tourist attraction.

KAZAKHSTAN

SERBIA

A nice UNESCO cover from Serbia, depicting a complete set issued in 2007 celebrating "Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius". Gamzigrad is an archaeological site, spa resort and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Serbia, located south of the Danube river, in the city of Zaječar. It is the location of the ancient Roman complex of palaces and temples Felix Romuliana, built by Emperor Galerius in Dacia Ripensis. The Late Roman fortified palace compound and memorial complex was commissioned by Emperor Caius Valerius Galerius Maximianus in the late 3rd and early 4th centuries. It was known as Felix Romuliana, named after the emperor’s mother. The site consists of fortifications, the palace in the north-western part of the complex, basilicas, temples, hot baths, memorial complex, and a tetrapylon. The group of buildings is also unique in its intertwining of ceremonial and memorial functions. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007.

SWITZERLAND

A nice UNESCO cover from Switzerland, depicting 3 different stamps celebrating the Convent of Saint-Gall. The Abbey of Saint Gall (German: Abtei St. Gallen) is a dissolved abbey (747–1805) in a Catholic religious complex in the city of St. Gallen in Switzerland. The Carolingian-era monastery has existed since 719 and became an independent principality between 9th and 13th centuries, and was for many centuries one of the chief Benedictine abbeys in Europe. It was founded by Saint Othmar on the spot where Saint Gall had erected his hermitage. The library of the Abbey is one of the oldest monastic libraries in the world. The city of St. Gallen originated as an adjoining settlement of the abbey. Following the secularization of the abbey around 1800, the former Abbey church became a Cathedral in 1848. Since 1983 the abbey precinct has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

BELARUS

NORWAY

SERBIA

A nice cover from Serbia, depicting a complete set issued in 2018 with 2 paintings located at "Sopocani Monastery". The Sopoćani Monastery (Serbian Cyrillic: Манастир Сопоћани), an endowment of King Stefan Uroš I of Serbia, was built from 1259 to 1270, near the source of the Raška River in the region of Ras, the centre of the Serbian medieval state. It is a designated World Heritage Site, added in 1979 with Stari Ras, the first capital of Serbia. The monastery is located 15 km west of the town of Novi Pazar.

GERMANY

A nice UNESCO cover from Germany with 2 stamps celebrating the "Bauhaus" buildings and its sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau. Founded in 1919 in Weimar, the Bauhaus was the most influential art school of the 20th century. The buildings designed by the masters of the Bauhaus are fundamental representatives of Classical Modernism. The joint heritage site includes the Bauhaus school buildings in Weimar and the Haus am Horn, Weimar; the Bauhaus Dessau building, the Meisterhäuser (where senior staff lived)and the Laubenganghäuser ('Houses with Balcony Access'); and the ADGB Trade Union School in Bernau bei Berlin. All this complex is inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996.

LITHUANIA

FRANCE

GERMANY

A nice UNESCO cover from Germany, depicting a se-tenant set of 2 issued in 2014, celebrating the "Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen". The site consists of the city hall and the statue of Roland that stands near it. The city hall was built in the 15th century when Bremen joined the Hanseatic League. It was renovated in the 17th century, and a new city hall was built nearby in the early 20th. Under the Holy Roman Empire, Bremen had extensive autonomy that allowed the town to grow and made the city hall a center of power. Both the old and new city halls survived bombings during World War II. The statue of Roland was built in 1404. It stands 5.5 m (18 ft) high.

BELARUS

The Mir Castle Complex is recognized by UNESCO for its cultural significance since 2000, as an excepcional exemple of a central European castle, reflecting in its design and layout successive cultural influences (Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance) that blend harmoniously to create an impressive monumento to the history of this region

BELARUS

RUSSIA

A beautiful cover from Russia, featuring a single stamp issued in 2021 on topic "EUROPA - Endangered species".