Karnak Temple Complex | Egypt

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The temple complexes at Karnak are located near the Egyptian city of Luxor. Construction at Karnak started 4,000 years ago and continued until the time the Romans took control of Egypt, about 2,000 years ago. Around 30 successive pharoahs added their own touches to the complex: a new temple, shrine, or pylon and carved detailed hieroglyphic inscriptions.

 

Karnak is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed under the name “Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis”. Thebes was an ancient Egyptian city. Its ruins lie within today’s city of Luxor.

Stamp

Part of a set of 2 definitive stamps picturing Pharaohs, issued 2012. Amenhotep IV ruled Egypt for 17 years. He died somewhere around 1335 BC.

Polish bordercrossing near Brest | Belarus

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Brest is a city in Belarus right at the Polish border. As you can see on the postcard, it looks well protected! 

Vorontsov Palace | Ukraine

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Vorontsov Palace is situated in outskirts of Yalta in the town of Alupka. Mikhail Vorontsov (1782-1856) was governor of the southern Russia, which included the Crimean peninsula, in the early 19th century. Today the palace is a museum.

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I received this card some years ago, so still Ukrainian stamps.

Balaklava Bay | Russia

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Balaklava is part of the city of Sevastopol, located in the Russian annexed Crimea region. David sent me this card from his recent travels. Thank you so much!

Stamps

The order "For Military Merit" and the order "For Naval Merit". Both stamps are part of a souvenir sheet with 18(!) stamps depicting "State awards of the Russian Federation".  

University of Coimbra | Portugal

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Situated on a hill overlooking the city, the University of Coimbra with its colleges grew and evolved over more than seven centuries within the old town.

This university is one of Europe’s oldest universities. Established in 1290 in Lisbon, it went through a number of relocations until it was moved permanently to its current city in 1537.

UNESCO World Heritage site since 2013.  

view on Coimbra

Monastery of Alcobaça | Portugal

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The Alcobaça Monastery is a Mediaeval Roman Catholic monastery located in the town of Alcobaça, Portugal. 

The monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1989. 

Humor | Romania

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Humor is a monastery for nuns. It was built in 1530 over the foundation of a previous monastery that dated from around 1415. The Humor monastery was closed in 1786 and was not reopened until 1990.

Together with seven other churches, Humor is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Churches of Moldavia'.

Churches of Moldavia | Romania

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Located in northern Romania, close to the Ukrainian border and once the capital of Moldova, Suceava has some great historical attractions. One is the Church of Saint George, built between 1514 and 1522.

Together with seven other churches, Suceava is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Churches of Moldavia'.

Saint Elie Armenian Cathedral | Lebanon

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There has been an Armenian presence in Lebanon for centuries. Approximately 4% of the Lebanese population is of Armenian descent. Saint Elie Cathedral was the first Armenian Catholic church built in Beirut. The church was destroyed and re-built several times throughout its history.

The medieval Armenian kingdom of Ani | Turkey

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Situated on the eastern border of Turkey, across the Akhurian River from Armenia, lies the empty, crumbling site of the once-great metropolis of Ani, known as "the city of a thousand and one churches". The postcard shows the ruins of the Church of Saint Gregory of Tigran Honents. 

Founded more than 1,600 years ago, Ani was situated on several trade routes, and grew to become a walled city of more than 100,000 residents by the 11th century. But in following centuries conquered hundreds of times. And by the 1300s, Ani was in steep decline. It was completely abandoned by the 1700s. Since the Armenian Genocide early 1900s the region is an empty, militarized no-man's land.

Armenian Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary | Ukraine

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The Armenian Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary in Lviv, Ukraine is located in the city's Old Town. The origins of this church dates back to the 14th century. 

Hanseatic League member Kampen | Netherlands

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Kampen is a Dutch city, located at the lower reaches of the river IJssel. In the Middle Ages Kampen became an important member of the Hanseatic League.

The Hanseatic League (also known as the Hansa) was an alliance of trading guilds that established and maintained a trade monopoly along the coast of Northern Europe.

Attendorn | Germany

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Attendorn is a German hanse city. The town flourished in the 13th and 14th centuries mainly thanks to the nine guilds, first and foremost the wool and linen weavers. As a member of the German Hanseatic League, the town was especially renowned in the field of cloth trade.

Attendorn was a mediate member of the German Hanseatic League and was represented by the town of Soest at the major Hanseatic Conventions. 

Hanseatic town of Anklam | Germany

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Anklam is a small German town located on the banks of the river Peene. The city joined the Hanseatic League in 1244. The town remained small and non-influential, but achieved a measure of wealth and prosperity with its membership.

The Hanseatic League was founded by north German towns and German merchant communities abroad to protect their mutual trading interests. The league dominated commercial activity in northern Europe from the 13th to the 15th century.