GREECE

A cover from Greece depicting a stamp (on the right) issued in 2009 (from a set of 6) celebrating the Meteora. The Meteora is a rock formation in central Greece hosting one of the largest and most precipitously built complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries, second in importance only to Mount Athos. The six (of an original twenty four) monasteries are built on immense natural pillars and hill-like rounded boulders that dominate the local area. It is located near the town of Kalabaka at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains. Meteora is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988.

SPAIN

This cover from Spain depicts a single stamp issued in 2021, celebrating the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano (National Museum of Roman Art), in Mérida, Spain. The National Museum of Roman Art is an archaeology museum located in Mérida, Spain. Devoted to Roman art, it exhibits extensive material from the archaeological ensemble of 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.

RUSSIA

A beautiful cover from Russia with a lot of stamps. The minisheet on the left celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Arts in St Petersburg.The Russian Academy of Arts, informally known as the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts, was founded in 1757 by the founder of the Imperial Moscow University Ivan Shuvalov under the name Academy of the Three Noblest Arts. This building is located at the Historical Centre of Saint Petersburg. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments is the name used by UNESCO when it collectively designated the historic core of the Russian city of St. Petersburg, as well as buildings and ensembles located in the immediate vicinity as a World Heritage Site in 1991.

BELARUS

A nice UNESCO cover from Belarus, depicting a minisheet and also some small definitive stamps celebrating the Nesvizh Complex. Nesvizh Castle was the home of the Radziwiłł family, who built and maintained the castle from the 16th century to 1939. The Radziwiłłs were patrons of sciences and arts and invited artists, craftsmen, and architects to the town of Nesvizh. These interactions helped transmit the trends from Southern and Western Europe to Central and Eastern Europe. The complex comprises the residential castle and the Corpus Christi mausoleum-church, along with their landscaped setting. In 2005, the castle, church, and surrounding environment were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

DENMARK

This UNESCO cover from Denmark depicts a stamp issued in 2020 (from a set of 5) celebrating the Kronborg Castle. Kronborg is a castle and stronghold in the town of Helsingør, Denmark. Immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Kronborg is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Northern Europe and was inscribed on the UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000.The castle is situated on the extreme northeastern tip of the island of Zealand at the narrowest point of the Øresund, the sound between present Denmark and the provinces of present Sweden that were also Danish at the time the castle was built. In this part, the sound is only 4 kilometres wide, hence the strategic importance of maintaining a coastal fortification at this location commanding one of the few outlets of the Baltic Sea.

HUNGARY

This cover from Hungary depicts a stamps issued in 2006 (the stamp on the right) celebrating the Necropolis of Pécs. In the 4th century, a remarkable series of decorated tombs were constructed in the cemetery of the Roman provincial town of Sopianae (modern Pécs). These are important both structurally and architecturally, since they were built as underground burial chambers with memorial chapels above the ground. The tombs are important also in artistic terms, since they are richly decorated with murals of outstanding quality depicting Christian themes. Sopianae, predecessor of Pécs in the Roman times had its late Roman Paleochristian cemetery was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in the year 2000. In their architecture and wall-paintings the excavated finds present the Early Christian burial architecture and art of the Northern and Western provinces of the Roman Empire. From among the Hungarian world heritage sites the Early Christian cemetery is the only one that has won itself a place on the UNESCO world heritage list in the category of culture-historical architecture.

RUSSIA

A beautiful UNESCO cover from Russia, depicting 1 stamp with a view from the Moscow Kremlin and 4 stamps of each time showing the Kremlin Tower. The ensemble of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square is a masterpiece of human creative genius and the main symbol of the country. It took more than 500 years to form, reflecting the history of Russian architecture as well as relationship with the European cultural traditions. Architectural monuments of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square are the finest examples of national architectural school. Moscow Kremlin was the residence of Great Princes and later the Tzar’s residence. Currently it is the seat of the President of the Russian Federation. The Moscow Kremlin is situated high on the left bank of the Moscow River on the Borovitsky hill. Kremlin walls have the shape of an irregular triangle and surround an area of 27 hectares. The southern wall facing the Moscow River, north-western - the Alexander Garden, the eastern - the Red Square. In 1990 the architectural complex of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square were included to the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

BRAZIL

This cover from Brazil depicts several stamps, including 2 stamps issued in 2003 with Waterfalls of Brazil: Rio Preto and Itiquira. Both waterfalls are located in the UNESCO natural World Heritage site called "Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Park". The site (inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001) is located in the Brazilian central plateau in the State of Goias. Both parks help protect the Cerrado biome, one of the oldest and most diverse ecosystems in the world. For millennia, these sites have served as refuge for many rare and endemic species of fauna and flora, including during periods of climatic fluctuations. Both sites remain essential for maintaining the biodiversity in the Cerrado, especially in any future climate change scenario. The flora of the Cerrado is rich. It includes between 350 and 400 species of vascular plants per hectare, including many endemic plants. The property also contains populations of large mammals, including the giant anteater, giant armadillo, maned wolf, jaguar and pampas deer, but also the rhea, the largest bird of South America. The site is also extremely important in maintaining the hydrological regime as, due to its geological features and soils, it is proving to be a key area for aquifer recharge and the alimentation of several watercourses that supply power to the Amazon basin and the Pantanal, in the basin of La Plata.

GREECE

A cover from Greece depicting a simgle stamp issued in 2009 (from a set of 6) celebrating the Archaeological Site of Mystras. Mystras or Mistras is a fortified town and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Situated on Mt. Taygetos, near ancient Sparta, it served as the capital of the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea in the 14th and 15th centuries, experiencing a period of prosperity and cultural flowering during the Palaeologan Renaissance, including the teachings of Gemistus Pletho. The city also attracted artists and architects of the highest quality. The site remained inhabited throughout the Ottoman period, when it was mistaken by Western travellers for ancient Sparta. The final straw to Mystras came in 1823 during the Greek war of Independence when Egyptians under the rule of Ibrahim massacred the local population and destroyed the local area. The town was rebuilt 9 km away under the name Sparta in 1831. Most families moved to Sparta, but a few decided to move instead to New Mystras, a small village in the countryside. This process of relocation was completed in 1953 when the remaining properties were confiscated by the municipality. In 1989 the ruins, including the fortress, palace, churches, and monasteries, were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features a museum and the partially restored ruins of the city. The only inhabitants today are a group of nuns who reside in the Pantanassa Monastery. The majority of the most important churches are still standing, including St. Demetrios, the Hagia Sophia, St. George, and the Monastery of Peribleptos. The Palace of the Despots has undergone substantial restorations in the past decade, making it a significant attraction. Visitors can reach the ruins via the modern city of Sparti, which is only a few miles from Mystras.

SPAIN

A nice UNESCO cover from Spain, depicting 2 stamps issued in 2010 celebrating Úbeda and Baeza. The Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza lie in the two Andalusian cities of Úbeda and Baeza which are 9 km away from each other. The respective monumental ensembles attained their most unique constructive expressions during the Renaissance period. Úbeda developed outstanding noble architecture; Baeza turned into an important ecclesiastic and educational centre. The most complete example of their architectural identity is the Plaza Vázquez de Molina in Úbeda, surrounded by civil and religious buildings built from 1530 to 1580, with special mention to the funeral chapel of El Salvador and the Vázquez de Molina Palace (today’s Town Hall). These form the greatest Renaissance architecture ensemble in Spain and one of the most important in Europe. The main elements of the Baeza ensemble are the Cathedral and the Santa María Square, the old Seminary and the University. Known for its religious and educational uses, it became the site of the International University of Andalusia in the 1970s. Úbeda and Baeza are early examples in Spain of the introduction of the Italian Renaissance design criteria. Furthermore, their considerable influence in Latin America has been well documented. The introduction of Renaissance interventions in an urban area originating from an Islamic period is also of interest. The property was inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003.

DENMARK

This cover from Denmark depicts a stamp issued in 2020 (from a set of 5) celebrating the UNESCO World Heritage site "Stevns Klint". Stevns Klint is a white chalk cliff located some 6 km southeast of Store Heddinge on the Danish island of Zealand. Stretching 17 km along the coast, it is of geological importance as one of the best exposed Cretaceous-Tertiary boundaries in the world. Subject to frequent erosion, the cliff rises to a height of up to 40 m. Because of its exceptional fossil record, Stevens Klint was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.

RUSSIA

A nice cover from Russia, depicting a miniature sheet issued in 2008 celebrating the historical UNESCO World Heritage site Kizhing Pogost. In the central uyezds of 15th-16th centuries pogosts were small settlements with a church and a graveyard. Kizhi Pogost is a historical site dating from the 17th century on Kizhi island. The island is located on Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia (Medvezhyegorsky District), Russia. The pogost is the area inside a fence which includes two large wooden churches (the 22-dome Transfiguration Church and the 9-dome Intercession Church) and a bell-tower. The pogost is famous for its beauty and longevity, despite being built exclusively of wood. In 1990, it was included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites and in 1993 listed as a Russian Cultural Heritage site.