MALAYSIA

UN VIENNA

This cover from UN Vienna depcits 4 stamps of the same type, celebrating Ephesus. Ephesus was a city in ancient Greece on the coast of Ionia, 3 kilometres southwest of present-day Selçuk in İzmir Province, Turkey. It was built in the 10th century BC on the site of Apasa, the former Arzawan capital, by Attic and Ionian Greek colonists. During the Classical Greek era, it was one of twelve cities that were members of the Ionian League. The city came under the control of the Roman Republic in 129 BC. The city was famous in its day for the nearby Temple of Artemis (completed around 550 BC), which has been designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its many monumental buildings included the Library of Celsus and a theatre capable of holding 24,000 spectators. Today, the ruins of Ephesus are a favourite international and local tourist attraction. In 2015, the ruins were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

CROATIA

A UNESCO cover from Croatia, depicting 2 stamps celebrating the Lokrum Island, Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik (historically Ragusa) is a city on the Adriatic Sea in southern Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Its total population is 42,615 (census 2011). In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. The history of the city probably dates back to the 7th century, when the town known as Ragusa was founded by refugees from Epidaurum (Ragusa Vecchia). It was under the protection of the Byzantine Empire and later under the sovereignty of the Republic of Venice. Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Dubrovnik ruled itself as a free state. The prosperity of the city was historically based on maritime trade; as the capital of the maritime Republic of Ragusa, it achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries, as it became notable for its wealth and skilled diplomacy. At the same time, Dubrovnik became a cradle of Croatian literature. The entire city was almost destroyed when a devastating earthquake hit in 1667. During the Napoleonic Wars, Dubrovnik was occupied by the French Empire forces, and then the Republic of Ragusa was abolished and incorporated into the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy and later into the Illyrian Provinces. Later on in the early 19th to mid 20th century, Dubrovnik was a part of the Kingdom of Dalmatia within the Austrian Empire, and later part of the Banovina of Zeta which later became part of Banovina Croatia in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and SR Croatia in SFR Yugoslavia. In 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence, Dubrovnik was besieged by the Yugoslav People's Army for seven months and suffered significant damage from shelling. After undergoing repair and restoration works in the 1990s and early 2000s, it re-emerged as one of the Mediterranean's top tourist destinations, as well as a popular filming location.

P. R. CHINA

UN VIENNA

This cover from UNO Vienna depicts 4 stamps of the same type celebrating the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is an American national park located in the U.S. state of Hawaii on the island of Hawaii. The park encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's largest shield volcano. The park provides scientists with insight into the development of the Hawaiian Islands and access for studies of volcanism. For visitors, the park offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, glimpses of rare flora and fauna, and a view into the traditional Hawaiian culture connected to these landscapes. The park was originally established on August 1, 1916, as Hawaii National Park, which was then split into this park and Haleakalā National Park. In recognition of its outstanding natural values, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 and a World Heritage Site in 1987.

SPAIN

A cover from Spain depicting a single stamp that celebrates International Classical Theater Festival, in Mérida. The stamp shows a picture of the roman amphitheater im Mérida (the Roman colony of Augusta Emerita), one of the largest and most extensive archaeological sites in Spain, registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

CROATIA

THAILAND

UN VIENNA

This cover from UN Vienna depicts 4 stamps (of the same type) celebrating the World Heritage Site Nemrut Dag. Mount Nemrut or Nemrud is a 2,134-metre-high mountain in southeastern Turkey, notable for the summit where a number of large statues are erected around what is assumed to be a royal tomb from the 1st century BC. It is one of the highest peaks in the east of the Taurus Mountains. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

UN VIENNA

This cover from UN Vienna depicts 5 beautiful stamps of the same type with a picture of the Historic Areas of Istanbul. The Historic Areas of Istanbul are inscribed as a UNESCO site since 1985. Due to its strategic location on the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Istanbul has been associated with major political, religious and artistic events for more than 2.000 years. Its masterpieces include the ancient Hippodrome of Constantine, the 6th. century Hagia Sophia and the 16th. century Süleymaniye Mosque.

UN VIENNA

This cover from UNO Vienna depicts 4 stamps of the same type celebrating the Yosemite National Park. Yosemite National Park is a national park in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers 759,620 acres (1,187 sq mi; 3,074 km2) in four counties – centered in Tuolumne and Mariposa, extending north and east to Mono and south to Madera. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada.

BELARUS

BRAZIL

This cover from Brazil depicts 4 stamps, including 2 Fauna stamps issued in 1995 showing pictures of endemic birds from the Atlantis Forest South-East Reserves, in the state of Paraná and São Paulo. The 25 protected areas that make up the site (some 470,000 ha in total) display the biological wealth and evolutionary history of the last remaining Atlantic forests. From mountains covered by dense forests, down to wetlands, coastal islands with isolated mountains and dunes, the area comprises a rich natural environment of great scenic beauty. It was declared a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

AUSTRIA

A very nice cover from Austria, depicting 3 different stamps with some pictures of the ruins of the roman city of Carnuntum, Austria. The ruins are part of the Danube Roman Limes. The Danubian Limes, a network of fortifications along the Danube river, protected the borders of the Roman Empire.The Austrian section is 357.5 km long and includes sites at 46 locations. The site is shared with Germany and Slovakia. In 2021, the western segment of the Danube Limes were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the set of "Frontiers of the Roman Empire" World Heritage Sites.

UN VIENNA

This cover came from United Nations Vienna and depicts 3 stamps of the same type celebrating the Palace of Schönbrunn in Vienna. Schönbrunn Palace park in Vienna, which has been open to the public since 1779, is home to the Desert House, the Orangery, the Privy Garden, and the Palm House built in 1882. It is featured on the commemorative stamp and used to be the world’s largest glass structure. Schönbrunn Palace was the residence of the Habsburg emperors from the 18th century to 1918. It was built in the Rococo style as a single, unified project. It was designed by the architects Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach and Nicolaus Pacassi and is the site of the world's oldest continuously operating Zoo. The Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn are inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.

UN VIENNA

This amazing cover from UNO Wien depicts 4 stamps of the same type, celebrating the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi, Turkey. This monument is a mosque and hospital complex built in 1228–1229 by the local dynasty of the Mengujekids in the small Anatolian town of Divriği, now in Sivas Province, Turkey. The complex is located in the upper town, below the citadel. The exquisite stone carvings and eclectic architecture of the complex places it among the most important works of architecture in Anatolia and led to its inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1985.

AUSTRIA

This cover from Austria depicts a single ATM stamp with a picture of the Palace of Eggenberg (Schloss Eggenberg in german), in Graz- Graz is the capital city of the Austrian province of Styria and the second-largest city in Austria, after Vienna. Graz is known as a college and university city, with four colleges and four universities. Combined, the city is home to more than 60,000 students. Its historic centre (Altstadt) is one of the best-preserved city centres in Central Europe. In 1999, the city's historic centre was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and in 2010 the designation was expanded to include Eggenberg Palace on the western edge of the city.

P. R. CHINA

UNITED NATIONS (VIENNA OFFICE)

An amazing cover from UNO Vienna, depicting 4 stamps of the same type celebrating the Everglades National Park, in USA. Everglades National Park is an American national park that protects the southern twenty percent of the original Everglades in Florida. The park is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States and the largest wilderness of any kind east of the Mississippi River. An average of one million people visit the park each year. Everglades is the third-largest national park in the contiguous United States after Death Valley and Yellowstone. UNESCO declared the Everglades and Dry Tortugas Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and listed the park as a World Heritage Site in 1979.

AUSTRIA

This cover from Austria features a single stamp issued in 2023 celebrating the "Pionierkreuz". Pionierkreuz is a shrine in Obertraun, Gmunden District, Upper Austria and has an elevation of 1,398 metres. Pionierkreuz is situated nearby to Dachstein Mammoth Cave and the scenic viewpoint 5 Fingers. It is also part of the Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape. UNESCO designated Hallstatt–Dachstein/Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape (Kulturlandschaft Hallstatt–Dachstein/Salzkammergut) a World Heritage Site in 1997, with the description: "Human activity in the magnificent natural landscape of the Salzkammergut began in prehistoric times, with the salt deposits being exploited as early as the 2nd millennium B.C. This resource formed the basis of the area's prosperity up to the middle of the 20th century, a prosperity that is reflected in the fine architecture of the town of Hallstatt."

AUSTRIA

This cover from Austria depicts a single stamp issued in 2023, celebrating the Belvedere Palace, in Vienna. The Historic Centre of Vienna is rich in architectural ensembles in various styles, including Baroque castles and gardens, as well as the late-19th-century Ringstraße. In 2001, the site was inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites.

SWITZERLAND

This cover from Switzerland depicts a minisheet issued in 2023 celebrating the Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona, inscribed as a natural UNESCO site since 2008. The Glarus Alps feature a major thrust fault, a geological phenomenon where older rocks are carried onto younger layers in the process of mountain building. As this area is well accessible, it has played an important role in the studies of tectonic processes and geological sciences since the 18th century.

SRI LANKA

A beautiful FAUNA cover from Sri Lanka, depicting a complete set celebrating the Wasgamuwa National Park. Wasgamuwa National Park is a natural park in Sri Lanka situated in the Matale and Polonnaruwa Districts. It was declared to protect and to make a refuge for the displaced wild animals during the Mahaweli Development Project in 1984 and is one of the four National Parks designated under the Project. Wasgamuwa is one of the protected areas where Sri Lankan Elephants can be seen in large herds. It is also one of the Important Bird Areas in Sri Lanka.

P. R. CHINA

BRAZIL

This cover from Brazil depicts a complete set issued in 1997 with some Fauna and Flora from the Amazon region. The Central Amazon Conservation Area is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. As the largest protected area in the Amazon basin, the site is notable for its high biodiversity, range of habitats such as várzea and igapó forests and number of endangered species. It has been recognized by various conservation agencies as a high priority region.

BRAZIL

This cover from Brazil depicts a complete set issued in 1994 with some Fauna from the Amazon region. The Central Amazon Conservation Area is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. As the largest protected area in the Amazon basin, the site is notable for its high biodiversity, range of habitats such as várzea and igapó forests and number of endangered species. It has been recognized by various conservation agencies as a high priority region.

P. R. CHINA

BELARUS

TAIWAN

P. R. CHINA

SAN MARINO

A nice cover from San Marino, one of the smallest countries in the world. The cover depicts 2 stamps issued in 1985 with 2 pictures of the Colosseum of Rome, Italy. The stamp on the top shows a picture with the whole monument in 85 d.C. and the stamp on he bottom the monument in the modern era. The city of Rome was the centre of the Roman Empire, and later, of the Christian world. It is home to a large number of major monuments of antiquity, including the Colosseum (pictured), the Pantheon, and the Roman Forum, as well as buildings from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Originally listed by UNESCO as the "Historic Centre of Rome" in 1980, the site was expanded in 1990 and renamed to the current name Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura

SRI LANKA

SRI LANKA

SPAIN

This beautiful cover from Spain depicts a miniature sheet issued in 2023 with a picture of the Santa Maria de Mediavilla Cathedral, in the town of Teruel. This monument is part of the World Heritage Site Mudejar Architecture in Aragon. Mudéjar architecture of Aragon is an aesthetic trend in Mudéjar style in Aragon (Spain) and has been recognized in some representative buildings as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The chronology of the Aragonese Mudéjar occupies 12th to the 17th century and includes more than a hundred architectural monuments located predominantly in the valleys of the Ebro, Jalón and Jiloca. In 1986, Unesco declared the whole Mudéjar complex of Teruel a World Heritage Site, which was extended in 2001 to include other Aragonese Mudejar monuments.

CROATIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

This cover from USA depicts 2 stamps, including the 84 cts stamp on the right celebrating the Yosemite National Park. Yosemite National Park is a national park in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers 759,620 acres (1,187 sq mi; 3,074 km2) in four counties – centered in Tuolumne and Mariposa, extending north and east to Mono and south to Madera. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada.

POLAND

MOROCCO

This cover from Morocco depicts 2 stamps of same type, issued in 2022, celebrating the Medina of Tetouan. Morocco's most complete medina at Tétouan served as the main point of contact between Morocco and Andalusia during the 8th century. The town was rebuilt by Andalusian refugees following the Reconquista, the influence of which is evident in its art and architecture. The site is inscribed at UNESCO since 1997.

P. R. CHINA

SPAIN

This cover from Spain depicts a stamp celebrating the Lebaniego Jubilee Year. Te Lebaniego Jubilee Year, also known as the Año Santo Lebaniego, is celebrated when 16 April (the feast of Santo Toribio) falls on a Sunday. This exceptionality allows pilgrims visiting the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana to obtain the "Jubilee grace" or forgiveness of all sins. The Catholic Church calls it winning the Jubilee, something that can only be done in four other cities in the world: Santiago de Compostela, Rome, Jerusalem and Caravaca de la Cruz. This year 2023 we celebrate a new Lebaniego Jubilee Year, the 74th in its history. The next one will take place in 2028. The Routes of Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés and Routes of Northern Spain is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Spain. It was designated in 1993, and later expanded and renamed in 2015. The complete site includes a network of five traditional pilgrimage routes of the Way of Saint James as it passes through Northern Spain: the popular French Way, the Primitive Way, the Northern or Coastal Way, the Interior Way and the Liébana Route; as well as 16 of the most "culturally significant" individual structures, including religious and civil buildings. In 1998, UNESCO also designated as World Heritage Site the routes located in France. The old town of Santiago de Compostela and its cathedral, the final destination of these routes, is also a World Heritage site, although separate from this one. It was inscribed in 1985.

SRI LANKA

A beautiful cover from Sri Lanka, depicting a complete set celebrating the Ancient City of Sigiriya. Sigiriya or Sinhagiri is an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. It is a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of granite rock approximately 180 m. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Cūḷavaṃsa, this area was a large forest, then after storms and landslides it became a hill and was selected by King Kashyapa (AD 477–495) for his new capital. He built his palace on top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure; Sīnhāgiri, the Lion Rock (an etymology similar to Sinhapura, the Sanskrit name of Singapore, the Lion City). The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site (since 1992). It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.

P. R. CHINA

MOROCCO

BRAZIL

SPAIN

This cover from Spain depicts 1 stamps with a picture of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum in Salamanca. Salamanca is important as a university city, as the University of Salamanca, founded in 1218, is the oldest in Spain and among the oldest in Europe. The city was first conquered by the Carthaginians in the 3rd century, and later ruled by the Romans and Moors. The city centre represents Romanesque, Gothic, Moorish, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. The Old City of Salamanca was inscribed at UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988.

P. R. CHINA

BELGIUM

An excellent cover from Belgium, with no room for more stamps, depicting 11 different stamps, mostly showing pictures of churches and cathedrals that are part of the UNESCO site called "Belfries of Belgium and France". A total of 56 belfries are listed as World Heritage. They were built between the 11th and 17th centuries in different architectural styles: Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque. They symbolized the wealth and the influence of the towns. In 1999, 32 belfries in Belgium were originally listed, and in 2005, the site was expanded to include the belfries in France and the belfry in Gembloux in Belgium. Some of the belfries include: Cathedral of Our Lady & Antwerp City Hall in Antwerp, St. Rumbold's Cathedral & City Hall in Mechelen, Belfry of Bruges, Belfry of Kortrijk, Cloth Hall in Ypres, Schepenhuis in Aalst, Belfry of Ghent, Oudenaarde Town Hall, St. Peter's Church in Leuven, St. Leonard's Church in Zoutleeuw, Belfry of Mons, Belfry of Thuin, Belfry of Tournai, and Belfry of Namur.

SPAIN

This cover from Spain depict 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.

SPAIN

This cover from Spain depict a 6,45€ stamp celebrating Ibiza, on Balearic Islands. Ibiza is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of Spain. It is 150 kilometres from the city of Valencia. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. The coast of Ibiza is home to posidonia oceanica, a seagrass only found in the Mediterranean that supports a diverse coastal and marine ecosystem. The island also contains numerous Phoenician ruins, and the fortified and walled older portions of the city date to the 16th century. Ibiza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

TUNISIA