ISRAEL

This cover from Israel features 2 different stamps, both celebrating the White City of Tel Aviv. The White City is a collection of over 4,000 buildings in Tel Aviv from the 1930s built in a unique form of the International Style, commonly known as Bauhaus, by Jewish architects who fled to the British Mandate of Palestine from Germany (and other Central and East European countries with German cultural influences) after the rise to power of the Nazis. Tel Aviv has the largest number of buildings in the Bauhaus/International Style of any city in the world. Preservation, documentation, and exhibitions have brought attention to Tel Aviv's collection of 1930s architecture. In 2003, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed Tel Aviv's White City a World Cultural Heritage site, as "an outstanding example of new town planning and architecture in the early 20th century.

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.

ISRAEL

Another nice UNESCO cover from Israel, depicting a complete set issued in 2007 with three sites inscribed as Unesco's universal heritage: White city of Tel Aviv, Akko (Acre) and Masada:

White city of Tel Aviv - The Modern Mouvement

Tel Aviv was founded in 1909 and developed as a metropolitan city under the British Mandate in Palestine. The White City was constructed from the early 1930s until the 1950s, based on the urban plan by Sir Patrick Geddes, reflecting modern organic planning principles. The buildings were designed by architects who were trained in Europe where they practised their profession before immigrating. They created an outstanding architectural ensemble of the Modern Movement in a new cultural context. The site is inscribed as Unesco's world heritage since 2003.



Old city of Acre

Acre is a historic walled port-city with continuous settlement from the Phoenician period. The presente city is charactristic of a fortified town dating from the Ottoman 18th and 19th centuries, with typical urban componentes such as the citadel, mosques, khans and baths. The remains of the Crusader town, dating from 1104 to 1291, lie almost intact, both above and below today's street level, providing an exceptional picture of the layout and structures of the capital of the medieval Crusader kingdom of Jerusalém. The site is inscribed as Unesco's world heritage since 2001.



Masada

Masa is a rugged natural fortress, of majestic beauty, in the Judaean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea. It is a symbol of the ancient kingdom of Israel, its violent destruction and the last stand of Jewish patriots in the face of the Roman army, in 73 A.D. It was built as a palece complex, in the classic style of the early Roman Empire, by Herod the Great, King of Judaea (reigned 37 - 4 B.C.). The camps, fortifications and attack ramp that encircle the monumento constitute de most complete Roman siege works surviving to the present day. Inscribed as Unesco's world heritage since 2001.