A postcard from each corner of the World
The Holy Mount Athos is an autonomous and self-governed territory of Greece, it has this status since Byzantine times. It occupies the whole of the third peninsula of Chalkidiki in northern Greece. In the center of the peninsula rise a long range of hills and mountains, culminating in Mount Athos itself, 2,033m high. It is a unique male monastic society, an Orthodox spiritual center since the 10th century — accessed only from the sea and allowed to men only.
Morocco is located in the northwest corner of Africa on the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain, and two small Spanish-controlled areas, Ceuta and Melilla still remain today on it’s territory. Morocco’s four historical capital cities of Morocco — Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes and the current capital Rabat — are called The Imperial Cities. Their maze-like medinas (old centers) are UNESCO WHS. Morocco is the most visited country in Africa.
The Djinguereber Mosque is a famous learning center of Mali. It was built in 1327, and it is UNESCO World Heritage Site. Timbuktu, where the mosque is located, is an ancient city in the Republic of Mali. It not the capital city, but is one of the regional centers in the country. The city is located on the southern edge of the Sahara desert. Once a major trade center and a known academic spot of the medieval world, today Timbuktu is in uneasy situation because of regional crisis.
Check out the Postcards From Timbuktu project if you’d like a postcard from this special city.
Malawi is rather small country in southeastern Africa, and is known as the “Warm Heart of Africa” for its friendly people. Its defining feature is Lake Malawi — the world’s first freshwater national park, Lake Malawi National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The lake takes up 1/5 of country’s area. The country’s landscape showcases the breathtaking Great Rift Valley and majestic Mount Mulanje. Malawi achieved it’s independence from British rule in 1964.
Luxembourg (or The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) is a small European country, surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany. Here are some cool facts I learned about it: Luxembourg has the lowest population of all the EU countries, but it’s not the smallest one (it is larger that 6 other European countries); the minimum wage is €2,571 per month (2023) (wow), and there are there are over 70 castles there.
Some of the attractions pictured on this postcard are:
Qusayr ‘Amra was built between 730 – 740 AD. This desert establishment was both a fortress with a garrison and a residence/pleasure palace that comprises a reception hall and hammam, all richly decorated with figurative murals, which depict hunting and dancing scenes as well as craftsmen at work, and represent the transition between Byzantine culture and the new Islamic era. It is located in present-day eastern Jordan.
Qusayr ‘Amra was placed on the World Heritage List in 1985.
Petra is a historic and archaeological city in Jordan, and is famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. It was inhabited by the Nabataeans, nomadic Arabs, and became their capital by second century BC. UNESCO has described Petra as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage”. The Monastery, or Ad Deir, pictured on this postcard, is a monumental building carved out of rock.
Mount Fuji has become famous throughout the world and is considered to be the symbol of Japan. It is 3,776 meters tall active volcano located 100 km southwest of Tokyo and is visible from there on clear days. Mount Fuji’s exceptionally symmetrical cone is frequently depicted in art and photography. It is a UNESCO World Heritage List site since 2013.
The ancient city of Persepolis (“the city of the Persians”) was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (late 6th century to early 5th century BC). It is located in Fars Province, Iran. Pictured on the card is part of the Ruins of the Gate of All Nations. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Borobudur is a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist temple in Central Java, Indonesia. The temple consists of nine stacked platforms, six square and three circular, topped by a central dome. It is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. The central dome is surrounded by 72 Buddha statues, each seated inside a perforated stupa. It is the world’s largest Buddhist temple, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
