MALTA

This wonderful cover comes from Malta and was made on the occasion of the 100. Birthday of Pope John Paul II. The block contains a postage stamp for 3.00 euros, which is transferred to the edge of the block. The stamp shows a portrait of Saint John Paul II and a view of a church in Valetta. Valetta is the European Union's smallest capital city. Valletta's 16th-century buildings were constructed by the Knights Hospitaller. The city was named after Jean Parisot de Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion during the Great Siege of Malta. The city is Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture, though the Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House. The city was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city is noted for its fortifications, consisting of bastions, curtains and cavaliers, along with the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches.

MALTA

This cover from Malta depicts 2 stamps with pictures from the City of Valetta, capital of Malta. Valetta is the European Union's smallest capital city. Valletta's 16th-century buildings were constructed by the Knights Hospitaller. The city was named after Jean Parisot de Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion during the Great Siege of Malta. The city is Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture, though the Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House. The city was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city is noted for its fortifications, consisting of bastions, curtains and cavaliers, along with the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches.

MALTA

This cover from Malta depict a miniature sheet issued in 2017 celebrating the 75th anniversary of the "Operation Pedestal". Operation Pedestal was a British operation to carry supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942, during the Second World War. The minisheet features a picture of the Fort St. Angelo, in Valetta, capital of Malta. It is the European Union's smallest capital city. Valletta's 16th-century buildings were constructed by the Knights Hospitaller. The city was named after Jean Parisot de Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion during the Great Siege of Malta. The city is Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture, though the Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House. The city was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city is noted for its fortifications, consisting of bastions, curtains and cavaliers, along with the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches.

MALTA

This cover from Malta depict the EUROPA 2012 set, with a picture of Valetta. Valletta is the capital city of Malta. Located in the South Eastern Region of the main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, Valletta is second only to Nicosia as the southernmost capital of Europe. It is the European Union's smallest capital city. Valletta's 16th-century buildings were constructed by the Knights Hospitaller. The city was named after Jean Parisot de Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion during the Great Siege of Malta. The city is Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture, though the Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House. The city was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city is noted for its fortifications, consisting of bastions, curtains and cavaliers, along with the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches.

MALTA

This cover from Malta depict a complete set of 3 stamps, celebrating Valetta as the European Capital of Culture 2018. Valletta is the capital city of Malta. Located in the South Eastern Region of the main island, between Marsamxett Harbour to the west and the Grand Harbour to the east, Valletta is second only to Nicosia as the southernmost capital of Europe. It is the European Union's smallest capital city. Valletta's 16th-century buildings were constructed by the Knights Hospitaller. The city was named after Jean Parisot de Valette, who succeeded in defending the island from an Ottoman invasion during the Great Siege of Malta. The city is Baroque in character, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture, though the Second World War left major scars on the city, particularly the destruction of the Royal Opera House. The city was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. The city is noted for its fortifications, consisting of bastions, curtains and cavaliers, along with the beauty of its Baroque palaces, gardens and churches.

MALTA

A nice UNESCO cover from Malta with 1 stamp celebrating La Valleta, the capital and most populated town of Malta. Inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage site since 1980, the city of Valletta was founded in 1566. The Knights of St John conceived and planned the city as a single, holistic creation of the late Renaissance, with a uniform grid plan within fortified city walls. Although experiencing renovations and an extensive damage during World War II, a high proportion of the urban fabric has been preserved or restored. Some of the Valletta's 320 monuments include Saint John's Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster's Palace, the Auberge de Castille, the Auberge de Provence, the Auberge d'Italie, the Auberge d'Aragon, and the churches of Our Lady of Victory, St. Catherine and il Gesù, as well as the 18th century constructions such as the Auberge de Bavière, the Church of the Shipwreck of St Paul, and the Manoel Theatre.

KYRGYZSTAN

An amazing UNESCO cover from Kyrgyzstan, depicting a joint issue with Malta issued in 2018. In this beautiful joint issue miniature sheet, we can see Burana Tower in Kyrgyzstan and La Valletta in Malta, both inscribed at UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The Burana Tower is a large minaret in the Chuy Valley. The tower, along with grave markers, some earthworks and the remnants of a castle and three mausoleums, is all that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun. The Burana Tower is included on the silk road of Chang'an-Tanshan Corridor, inscribed as an UNESCo site since 2009. This property is a 5,000 km section of the extensive Silk Roads network, stretching from Chang’an/Luoyang, the central capital of China in the Han and Tang dynasties, to the Zhetysu region of Central Asia. It took shape between the 2nd century BC and 1st century AD and remained in use until the 16th century, linking multiple civilizations and facilitating far-reaching exchanges of activities in trade, religious beliefs, scientific knowledge, technological innovation, cultural practices and the arts. The thirty-three components included in the routes network include capital cities and palace complexes of various empires and Khan kingdoms, trading settlements, Buddhist cave temples, ancient paths, posthouses, passes, beacon towers, sections of The Great Wall, fortifications, tombs and religious buildings. La Valletta, the capital of Malta was ruled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St. John's. Valletta's 320 monuments, all within an area of 55 há, make it one of the most concentrated historic áreas in the world.

 

POLAND

A nice cover from Poland, depicting 3 nice stamps on topic "Capital cities of the European Union". The three capitals are Rome (Italy), Valletta (Malta) and Berlin (Germany).
The historic centre (Old Town) of Rome and Valletta are also inscribed as Unesco World Heritage place since 1997.
Founded, according to legend, by Romulus and Remus in 753 b.C., Rome was first the centre of the Roman Republic, then of the Roman Empire, and it became the capital of the Christian World in the 4th century.
The capital of Malta was ruled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the Knights of St. John's. Valletta's 320 monuments, all within an area of 55 há, make it one of the most concentrated historic áreas in the world.