VIETNAM

This cover from Vietnam depicts a complete set of 3 stamps (issued in 2015), celebrating the Trang An Landscape Complex. Tràng An is a scenic area located at the southern margin of the Red River Delta. It contains limestone karst peaks with valleys. There are archaeological traces of human activity for more than 30,000 years, dating back from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. Hoa Lư was the ancient capital of Vietnam, established in the 10th and 11th centuries. On 23 June 2014, at the 38th session of the World Heritage Committee in Doha, the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

GIBRALTAR

This cover cover from Gibraltar features a complete set issued in 2016 celebrating the Gorham's Cave Complex. The step limestone cliffs on the eastern side of Gibraltar contain four caves with archaelogical deposits that provide evidence of Neanderthal occupation over a span of more than 100.000 years. Scientific research on these sites has already contributed to debates about Neanderthal and human evolution. The Gorham's Cave Complex is recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site since 2016.

UN NEW YORK

This cover from United Nations (New York Office) depicts 2 stamps of same ype, celebrating the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (Qin Shi Huang) is located in Lintong District, Xi'an, Shaanxi province of China. This mausoleum was constructed over 38 years, from 246 to 208 BC, and is situated underneath a 76-meter-tall tomb mound shaped like a truncated pyramid. The layout of the mausoleum is modeled on the Qin capital Xianyang, divided into inner and outer cities. The tomb itself has not yet been excavated. Archaeological explorations currently concentrate on various sites of the extensive necropolis surrounding the tomb, including the Terracotta Army to the east of the tomb mound. The Terracotta Army served as a garrison to the mausoleum and has yet to be completely excavated. In 1987, the mausoleum, including the Terracotta Warriors, was listed as World Heritage Sites.

FRANCE

KAZAKHSTAN

This beautiful cover from Kazakhstan depicts a miniature sheet issued in 2006 celebrating the "Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve". This nature reserve is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan. Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan is a part of the Kazakh Uplands (known in Kazakh as saryarka, or "yellow range") which has been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO. It was inscribed on July 7, 2008. The site comprises the Naurzum State Nature Reserve (located in Kostanay Province) and Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve (located in Aqmola Region). The two reserves contain wetlands which serve as important stop-over points for migrating birds from Africa, Europe, and South Asia. It is estimated that 15–16 million birds, including many endangered species, use the site as a feeding ground. The pink flamingos in particular are a major attraction within Korgalzhyn Reserve.The site is also home to wildlife commonly found on the Kazakh steppe, including marmots, wolves, and the endangered saiga. Korgalshyn nature reserve, being a part of world heritage site, is one of the most popular areas in Kazakhstan in terms of birdwatching.

BRAZIL

This cover from Brazil depicts 2 different stamps, including a stamp issued in 1999 celebrating the Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda. Olinda is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state capital.The town of Olinda has been inhabited since 1535. As the former capital of the Captaincy of Pernambuco during the colonial era, Olinda has many historical buildings. The centre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. The Carnaval of Olinda, a popular street party, is very similar to traditional Portuguese carnivals, with the addition of African influenced dances, reflecting the history of the Northeast. All the festivities are celebrated on the streets with no bleachers or roping, and unlike in other cities, admission is free. There are hundreds of small musical groups (sometimes featuring a single performer) in many genres.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

This cover from USA depicts 3 different stamps, including2 stamps on the right corner, both celebrating the Grand Canyon National Park. Located in northwestern Arizona, the Grande Canyon National Park is the 15th site in the United States to have been named as a national park. The park's central feature is the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, which is often considered one of the Wonders of the World. The Grand Canyon was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. The park celebrated its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.

UN NEW YORK

This amazing UNESCO cover United Nations (Office of New York) depicts a miniature sheet of 4 stamps celebrating Delos. The island of Delos, near Mykonos, near the centre of the Cyclades archipelago, is one of the most important mythological, historical, and archaeological sites in Greece. The excavations in the island are among the most extensive in the Mediterranean; ongoing work takes place under the direction of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades, and many of the artifacts found are on display at the Archaeological Museum of Delos and the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Delos had a position as a holy sanctuary for a millennium before Olympian Greek mythology made it the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. From its Sacred Harbour, the horizon shows the three conical mounds that have identified landscapes sacred to a goddess in other sites: one, retaining its Pre-Greek name Mount Kynthos, is crowned with a sanctuary of Zeus. In 1990, UNESCO inscribed Delos on the World Heritage List, citing it as the "exceptionally extensive and rich" archaeological site which "conveys the image of a great cosmopolitan Mediterranean port".

BRAZIL

This cover from Brazil depicts 1 stamp, celebrating the 450th anniversary of the town of Salvador de Bahia. The Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia in Brazil, is a historic neighborhood in western Salvador, Bahia. It was the city's center during the Portuguese colonial period and was named for the whipping post in its central plaza where enslaved people from Africa were publicly beaten as punishment for alleged infractions. The Historic Centre is extremely rich in historical monuments dating from the 17th through the 19th centuries. Salvador was the first colonial capital of Brazil and the city is one of the oldest in the New World (founded in 1549 by Portuguese settlers). It was also one of the first slave markets on the continent, with slaves arriving to work on the sugar plantations. The area is in the older part of the upper city (Cidade Alta) of Salvador. It encompasses several blocks around the triangular Largo, and it is the location for music, dining and nightlife. It has a place on the national historic register and was named a world cultural center by UNESCO in 1985.

PALAU

This amazing cover came from Palau, and it is the first cover from this small country in my collection. Palau, officially the Republic of Palau and historically Belau, Palaos or Pelew, is an island country in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caroline Islands with parts of the Federated States of Micronesia. It has a total area of 466 square kilometers. The most populous island is Koror, home to the country's most populous city of the same name. The capital Ngerulmud is located on the nearby island of Babeldaob, in Melekeok State. Palau shares maritime boundaries with international waters to the north, Micronesia to the east, Indonesia to the south, and the Philippines to the northwest.

AUSTRIA

This cover came from Austria and features a single stamp issued in 2022, celebrating the town of Baden bei Wien. The Town of Baden bei Wien is one of the Spa Towns in Europe, listed as a World Heritage Site since 2021. The Great Spa Towns of Europe is a transnational World Heritage Site consisting of a selection of 11 spa towns across seven European countries. They were developed around natural mineral water springs. From the early 18th century to the 1930s, Western Europe experienced an increase in spa and bathing culture, leading to the construction of elaborate bath houses. These would often include gardens, casinos, theatres, and villas surrounding the springs and the bath house. The city of Bath was originally inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1987. The efforts to get the Great Spas of Europe onto the World Heritage List began in 2012, and the nomination was submitted in 2019. On 24 July 2021, the Great Spas of Europe were officially inscribed on the World Heritage List.

UN NEW YORK

This cover from United Nations (Office of New York) depicts 4 stamps (2 of each type) with pictures of two remarquable UNESCO sites in Australia: the Great Barrier Reef and the Willandra Lakes Region. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef. It is near the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is made up of nearly 2900 coral reefs and over 600 islands. It is 327,800 km2 big and 2600 km long. It has been listed an important World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. The Willandra Lakes Region is a World Heritage Site that covers 2,400 square kilometres in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It includes important natural and cultural features. The lakes were formed about two million years ago, but are now dry. The Australian Aborigines camped around the lakes, especially in the sand dunes on the lake shores for at least 50,000 years. The Willandra Lakes Region was added to the Australian National Heritage List in May 2007.

BRAZIL

This cover came from Brazil and on one the stamps celebrates the Historic Centre of São Luís. São Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. São Luís, created originally as Saint-Louis-de-Maragnan, is the only Brazilian state capital founded by France and it is one of the three Brazilian state capitals located on islands (the others are Vitória and Florianópolis). The historic centre of the city (dating from the 17th century) has its original street plan preserved and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

INDIA

A beautiful UNESCO cover from India, with a complete set released in 2020 depicting the following five cultural sites: Group of Monuments in Pattadakal, The Historic City of Ahmedabad, Churches and Convents of Goa, Qutb Minar and its Monuments and Khajuraho Group of Monuments. 1) The Group of monuments in Pattadakal designated under UNESCO World Heritage List, in 1987, cover a remarkable series of nine Hindu temples, as well as a Jain sanctuary in northern Karnataka. In this group of temples, the Virupaksha Temple, built c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi to commemorate her husband's (King Vikramaditya II) victory over the Pallava kings from the south, is considered the most outstanding architectural edifice (This is different from the Virupaksha Temple at Hampi.) These are a remarkable combination of temples built by the Chalukya Dynasty in the 6th to the 8th century at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal, the latter city was known as the "Crown Rubies". The temples represent a remarkable fusion of the architectural features of northern (Nagara) and southern (Dravida) India. Pattadakal is considered a Hindu holy city and within the heritage complex are eight temples dedicated to Shiva, a ninth shaivite sanctuary called the Papanatha Temple, and a Jain Narayana temple. 2) Historic City of Ahmedabad - The walled city of Ahmedabad, founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah I in the 15th century, on the eastern bank of the Sabarmati River, presents a rich architectural heritage from the sultanate period, notably the Bhadra citadel, the walls and gates of the Fort city and numerous mosques and tombs as well as important Hindu and Jain temples of later periods. The urban fabric is made up of densely-packed traditional houses (pols) in gated traditional streets (puras) with characteristic features such as bird feeders, public wells, and religious institutions. The city continued to flourish as the capital of the State of Gujarat for six centuries, up to the present. Ahmedabad is inscribed on World Heritage List since 2017. 3) Churches and Convents of Goa - The Churches and Convents of Goa are monuments inscribed by UNESCO under the World Heritage List in 1986 as cultural property, which were built by the Portuguese colonial rulers of Goa between the 16th and 18th centuries. 4) Qutb Minar - The Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi, located to the south of Delhi, is a complex with the Qutb Minar as the centre piece, which is a red sandstone tower of 72.5 metres (238 ft) height with a base of 14.32 metres (47.0 ft) reducing to 2.75 metres (9.0 ft) diameter at the top. It was inscribed under the UNESCO World Heritage List under category iv for its unique representation of the Islamic architectural and artistic excellence. 5) Khajuraho Group of Monuments - The Khajuraho Group of Monuments attributed to the Chandela dynasty which, under sovereignty of Gurjar Pratihars reached its glory. The ensemble of monuments that have survived belong to the Hindu and Jain Religious practices with striking fusion of sculpture and architecture; the best example of this outstanding feature is seen in the Kandariya Temple. Of the 85 temples built, only 22 temples have survived in an area of 6 km2, which represents the Chandela period of the 10th century. Located in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, it was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, a cultural property on October 15, 1982, for its unique original artistic creation and proof of the Chandela Culture that existed prior to the Muslim invasion of India in the early 12th century.

LATVIA

SPAIN

This UNESCO cover from Spain depicts a stamp issued in 2021 celebrating the "Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Coa Valley and Siega Verde", an open-air Paleolithic archaeological UNESCO site shared between Portugal and Spain. In the early 1990s rock engravings were discovered in Vila Nova de Foz Côa (Portugal) during the construction of a dam in the Côa River valley. They include thousands of engraved rock drawings of horses, bovines and other animals, human and abstract figures, dated from 22,000 to 10,000 years B.C. The Prehistoric Rock-Art Sites in the Côa Valley were designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998. The archaelogical site of Siega Verde, province of Salamanca, Spain, was also added to the Côa Valley Paleolithic Art site in the World Heritage List in 2010.