Spain - Catalonia - Girona

Girona, Catalonia, SPAIN.

Sent by Sandra from Girona, Spain.

Girona (Catalan pronunciation: [ʒiˈɾonə]; Spanish: Gerona [xeˈɾona]) is the capital city of the Province of Girona in the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 106,476 in 2024, but the population of the Girona–Salt urban area is estimated to be about 156,400 (2020). Girona is also capital of the comarca of the Gironès and the vegueria of Girona. Since much of the old quarter of this ancient city has been preserved, Girona is a popular tourist destination. The city is located 99 km (62 mi) northeast of Barcelona.

The first historical inhabitants in the region were Iberians; Girona is the ancient Gerunda, a city of the Ausetani. Later, the Romans built a citadel there, which was given the name of Gerunda. The Visigoths ruled in Girona until it was conquered by the Moors in 715. Charlemagne reconquered it in 785 and made it one of the fourteen original counties of Catalonia. It was sacked by the Moors in 827, 842, 845, 935, and 982. Wilfred the Hairy incorporated Girona into the County of Barcelona in 878 (read more).

Indonesia - Batik Indonesia

Batik Indonesia.

Sent by Dinda from Jawa Barat, Indonesia.

The techniques, symbolism and culture surrounding hand-dyed cotton and silk garments known as Indonesian Batik permeate the lives of Indonesians from beginning to end: infants are carried in batik slings decorated with symbols designed to bring the child luck, and the dead are shrouded in funerary batik. Clothes with everyday designs are worn regularly in business and academic settings, while special varieties are incorporated into celebrations of marriage and pregnancy and into puppet theatre and other art forms. The garments even play the central role in certain rituals, such as the ceremonial casting of royal batik into a volcano. Batik is dyed by proud craftspeople who draw designs on fabric using dots and lines of hot wax, which resists vegetable and other dyes and therefore allows the artisan to colour selectively by soaking the cloth in one colour, removing the wax with boiling water and repeating if multiple colours are desired. The wide diversity of patterns reflects a variety of influences, ranging from Arabic calligraphy, European bouquets and Chinese phoenixes to Japanese cherry blossoms and Indian or Persian peacocks. Often handed down within families for generations, the craft of batik is intertwined with the cultural identity of the Indonesian people and, through the symbolic meanings of its colours and designs, expresses their creativity and spirituality (read more).

Malaysia - Malacca - Dutch Square

Tourists gathered around the Dutch Square where the major Malacca landmarks are located; the Christ Church, the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Fountain, the Malacca Art Gallery and the biggest of them all, the Stadthuys.

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca City.

The focal point of the Unesco Heritage zone, this attractive and elegant square is surrounded by Dutch-era buildings that have been painted crimson, shady trees and a mass of kitschly decorated trishaws waiting for customers. Take a moment to admire the pretty fountain erected in 1904 in memory of Queen Victoria and decorated with four bas-relief images of the monarch (read more).

Malaysia - Malacca - Proclamation of Independence Memorial

Proclamation of Independence Memorial, Malacca City.

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca City.

The Proclamation of Independence Memorial (Malay: Memorial Pengisytiharan Kemerdekaan) is a museum in Malacca City, Melaka, Malaysia.

The memorial building was established in 1912. The building used to house the Malacca Club which was used as the social centre of the British people in British Malaya. The memorial was set up and officiated by former Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman on 31 August 1985, 28 years after the independence of the country (read more).

Malaysia - Malacca - Masjid Kampung Kling

Masjid Kampung Kling which features Sumatran architecture with strong Hindu flavour and minarets, structured like a Pagoda wa completed in 1748, making it one of the oldest mosques in the country.

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca City.

Kampong Kling Mosque (sometimes also spelt Kampong Keling Mosque; Malay: Masjid Kampung Kling; Jawi: مسجد كامڤوڠ كليڠ) is an old mosque in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia. It is situated at Jalan Tukang Emas (Goldsmith Street), also known as "Harmony Street" because of its proximity to the Sri Poyatha Moorthi Temple and Cheng Hoon Teng Temple.

The original structure built by Indian Muslim traders in 1748 was a wooden building and in 1872, it was rebuilt with bricks. The mosque is one of the traditional mosques in Malacca, which still retains its original design. The architectural design of the mosque is a cross between Sumatran, Chinese, Hindu, and the local Malays. The minaret (resembles a pagoda), ablution pool and entrance arch were built at the same time with the main building. The Kampung Kling Mosque is named based on a village which Indian traders dwell called Kampung Kling.

The mosque also has a blend of English and Portuguese glazed tiles, Ionic columns with symmetrical arches in the main prayer hall, a Victorian chandelier, a wooden pulpit with Hindu and Chinese-style carvings, and Moorish cast iron lamp-posts in the place of ablution for pre-prayer cleansing. The Department of Museums and Antiquities completed conservation works on the mosque in the 1990s (read more).

Malaysia - Malacca - Malacca Zoo

Malacca Zoo.

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca City.

Malacca Zoo (Malay: Zoo Melaka), officially known as the Melaka Zoo and Night Safari, is a 54-acre (22 ha) zoological park located beside Ayer Keroh Highway (Federal Route 143, also known as Tun Abdul Razak Road) in Ayer Keroh, Malacca, Malaysia, which hosts more than 1200 animals including 215 species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals. It is the second-largest zoo in Malaysia behind the National Zoo of Malaysia, both were established in 1963. The zoo acts as both a rescue base and an animal sanctuary and was initially owned by the Malacca State Government, but its management was taken over by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks of Malaysia in 1979 and later opened to the public by the then Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad on 13 August 1987 (read more).

Malaysia - Malacca - Melaka Islamic Museum

Melaka Islamic Museum.

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca City.

The establishment of the Malacca Islamic Museum aims to make it a centre for the collection, research, conservation and exhibition of Islamic-oriented collections of materials in line with Melaka's role as one of the centres for the spread of Islam in the archipelago in the past and the development of Islam in Malaysia today.

The Malacca Islamic Museum is located in the old building of the Malacca Islamic Religious Council (MAIM) Office, Jalan Kota, Melaka . The interior design of this museum is conceptualized as a reflection of the glorious atmosphere of Islam in Melaka and the archipelago by displaying a combination of the identity of Islamic art globally and Islamic art in the archipelago, especially Melaka .
The exhibition and information presentation method is developed through eight main exhibition spaces with a clear sequence with specific themes. This is to make it easier for visitors to understand the message, historical journey and experience that is being conveyed.

Among the collections on display are replicas of the earliest Al-Quran , the history of the mosque and replicas of the sword of Prophet Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).

Malaysia - Malacca - Flor de la Mar Maritime Museum

Flor de la Mar Maritime Museum (Muzium Samudera).

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca City.

Maritime Museum (Malay: Muzium Samudera) is a museum about maritime activities in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia. It was officially opened to the public by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on 13 June 1994, began with phase one. The phase two of the museum is housed in the old Guthrie building and was opened by State Committee for Tourism, Culture and Environment Chairman Poh Ah Tiam on 23 May 1998.

The museum main exhibits the replica of Flor de la Mar with 34 metres high, 36 metres long and 8 metres wide; houses exhibits, artifacts and documents from the golden era of Malacca and shows how political control of Malacca was essential to the establishment of maritime dominance in the region and also displays the trading link of Malacca from the early time through the colonial era until independence (read more).

Malaysia - Malacca - Taming Sari Tower

Menara Taming Sari (Taming Sari Tower).

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca City.

Taming Sari Tower is a 24-story, 110-meter-tall gyro tower in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia. It is the first and tallest gyro tower in Malaysia. The tower was opened to the public on 18 April 2008 and officiated by then Chief Minister of Malacca, Mohd Ali Rustam on 17 May 2008. Its design was taken from the eponymous legendary keris which belonged to Hang Tuah. The tower offers a 360-degree panoramic view of Malacca City and beyond, and is able to accommodate 80 people per viewing session, which lasts about 7 minutes (read more).

Malaysia - Malacca - Malacca River Walk

The Malacca River Walk is a path that runs on both sides of the Malacca River in the historic centre of Malacca City, Malaysia.

Sent by myself during my recent trip to Malacca.

Malaysia - Selangor - Klang Royal Town Mosque

Klang Royal Town Mosque
Completed in 2009 and was officially opened by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on 11 December 2009. The mosque is located on the banks of the Klang River, Selangor, giving the image of a floating mosque.

Sent by Afiza from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

The mosque was built on the site of a smaller mosque known as "Masjid Klang Utara" (Northern Klang Mosque). In 2003, the new mosque was started to be constructed due to bigger crowd faced by nearby mosques, Masjid India and Sultan Sulaiman Mosque. The current mosque was completed in 2009 and was officially opened by Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on 11 December 2009 in conjunction with his birthday celebration.

The mosque is equipped with facilities such as the main prayer hall, offices, lecture rooms, outdoor prayer halls, funeral management rooms and catering rooms (read more).

Malaysia - Federal Territory - Putrajaya - Palace of Justice

Palace of Justice i one of the most beautiful buildings in Putrajaya, federal administrative capital. It consists of a 5-storey main building. It is located midway between the Putrajaya Convention Centre and the Perdana Putra Building.

Sent by myself. This is the city where I live, where over 90% of the populations are government servants.

The Palace of Justice (Malay: Istana Kehakiman, Jawi: ايستان کحاکيمن‎) houses the Malaysian Court of Appeal and Federal Court, which moved to Putrajaya from the Sultan Abdul Samad Building in Kuala Lumpur in 2003.

Due to the need for a proper office of the head of the judicial system in Malaysia, a location within the Precinct 3 of Putrajaya was identified for this purpose. aQidea Architect was commissioned to design the building after finishing the nearby Prime Minister's Office. The building houses two Federal Courts, six Courts of Appeal, the Chief Registrar's Office, two registries for the Federal Court, the Court of Appeal (as required under Articles 121(1B) and 121(2)), a conference hall, a library, and a museum. The complex has an intricate network of passages which segregate the judges, witnesses, public, and the accused leading to the courts from the car park or area of arrival (read more).

Panama - Panama Canal

Panama Canal.

Sent by Isabelle of Belgium who got this postcard stamped and pre-cancelled in Panama City. As there i no outgoing international mail from Panama, Isabelle had the postcard sent in an envelope from Germany. Thanks Isabelle.

The Panama Canal (Spanish: Canal de Panamá) is an artificial 82-kilometer (51-mile) waterway in Panama that connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It cuts across the narrowest point of the Isthmus of Panama, and is a conduit for maritime trade between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Locks at each end lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial fresh water lake 26 meters (85 ft) above sea level, created by damming the Chagres River and Lake Alajuela to reduce the amount of excavation work required for the canal. Locks then lower the ships at the other end. An average of 200 ML (52,000,000 US gal) of fresh water is used in a single passing of a ship. The canal is threatened by low water levels during droughts.

The Panama Canal shortcut greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, enabling them to avoid the lengthy, hazardous route around the southernmost tip of South America via the Drake Passage, the Strait of Magellan or the Beagle Channel. Its construction was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. Since its inauguration on 15 August 1914, the canal has succeeded in shortening maritime communication in time and distance, invigorating maritime and economic transportation by providing a short and relatively inexpensive transit route between the two oceans, decisively influencing global trade patterns, boosting economic growth in developed and developing countries, as well as providing the basic impetus for economic expansion in many remote regions of the world (read more).

Iraq - Basra

Basra

Shanashil: A Sustainable Element to Balance Light.

Sent by Essam from Basra, Iraq.

Basra (Arabic: ٱلْبَصْرَة, romanized: al-Baṣrah) or Basrah is a port city in southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq border at the north-easternmost extent of the Arabian Peninsula, the city is situated along the banks of the Shatt al-Arab that empties into the Persian Gulf. It is consistently one of the hottest cities in Iraq, with summer temperatures regularly exceeding 50 °C (122 °F).

Built in 636 as a military camp, Basra played an important role as a regional hub of knowledge, trade and commerce during the Islamic Golden Age and is home to the first mosque built outside the Arabian Peninsula. It was a center of the slave trade in Mesopotamia, until the Zanj rebellion in 871. Historically, Basra is one of the ports from which the fictional Sinbad the Sailor embarked on his journeys. It has experienced numerous ruling shifts. In 1258, the city was sacked by the Mongols. Basra came under Portuguese control in 1526 and was later occupied by the Safavids in 1697. It subsequently fell under the control of the Ottoman Empire as part of the Basra Vilayet. During World War I, British forces captured Basra in 1917. It was incorporated into Mandatory Iraq, under the framework Mandate for Mesopotamia after 1921, which later became the independent Kingdom of Iraq in 1932 (read more).

China - Gansu Province - Mogao Caves

Motifs of the craftsmanship of Sui Dynasty (581-618) in Cave No. 107.

Sent by Han Tong from P.R. China.

Carved into the cliffs above the Dachuan River, the Mogao Caves south-east of the Dunhuang oasis, Gansu Province, comprise the largest, most richly endowed, and longest used treasure house of Buddhist art in the world. It was first constructed in 366AD and represents the great achievement of Buddhist art from the 4th to the 14th century. 492 caves are presently preserved, housing about 45,000 square meters of murals and more than 2,000 painted sculptures. Cave 302 of the Sui dynasty contains one of the oldest and most vivid scenes of cultural exchanges along the Silk Road, depicting a camel pulling a cart typical of trade missions of that period. Caves 23 and 156 of the Tang dynasty show workers in the fields and a line of warriors respectively and in the Song dynasty Cave 61, the celebrated landscape of Mount Wutai is an early example of artistic Chinese cartography, where nothing has been left out – mountains, rivers, cities, temples, roads and caravans are all depicted (read more).

China - Chongqing Province - Dazu Rock Carvings

Partial view of a group of stones sculptures Mount Baoding.

Sent by Han Tong from P.R. China.

The steep hillsides in the Dazu area near Chongqing, contain an exceptional series of five clusters of rock carvings dating from the 9th to 13th centuries. The largest cluster at Beishan contains two groups along a cliff face 7-10m high stretching for around 300m. There are more than 10,000 carvings dating from the late 9th to the mid-12th century which depict themes of Tantric Buddhism and Taoism. Inscriptions give insight to the history, religious beliefs, dating and the identification of historical figures. The late 11thcentury Song dynasty carvings at Shizhuanshan extend over 130m and depict Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian images in a rare tripartite arrangement. The Song dynasty carvings at Shimenshan dating from the first half of the 12th century extend along 72m and integrate Buddhist and Taoist subjects. At Nanshan the Song dynasty carvings of the 12th century extend over a length of 86m and depict mostly Taoist subjects. The culmination in terms of expression of Tantric Buddhism is found in the U shaped gorge at Baodingshan which contains two groups of carvings dating from the late 12th to the mid-13th century near the Holy Longevity Monastery. The very large group to the west stretches for about 500 metres and comprises 31 groups of carved figures depicting themes from Tantric Buddhism as well scenes of herdsmen and ordinary life (read more).

Austria - Vienna - United Nations

UNO City / Vienna

Planning : Architects Johann Stadler.

Sent by Ilona from Vienna, Austria.

This is my second postcard of United Nations Office of Vienna. The first one is here.

Austria - Vienna (3)

VIENNA

Schönbrunn Palace, 

Belvedere Palace, 

Michaelerplatz, 

Hofburg.

Sent by Ilona from Vienna, Austria.

My other postcards of Vienna are here and here.

Germany - Bavaria - Nymphenburg

MUNICH

Nymphenburg Palace and Park

Palace Park. Stone Hall. Cascades.

Mymphenburg Palace. Marstallmuseum.

Amalienburg. Gallery of Beauties

Sent by Nathalie of United Kingdom from her holiday in Munich.

The Nymphenburg Palace (German: Schloss Nymphenburg, Palace of the Nymphs) is a Baroque palace situated in Munich's western district Neuhausen-Nymphenburg, in Bavaria, southern Germany. The Nymphenburg served as the main summer residence for the former rulers of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach. Combined with the adjacent Nymphenburg Palace Park it constitutes one of the premier royal palaces of Europe. Its frontal width of 632 m (2,073 ft) (north–south axis) even surpasses Versailles.

The palace was commissioned by the electoral couple Ferdinand Maria and Henriette Adelaide of Savoy to the designs of the Italian architect Agostino Barelli in 1664 after the birth of their son Maximilian II Emanuel. During its construction Barelli was again replaced (1674) by Enrico Zuccalli. The concept for the mythological decorative programme was supplied by the scholar Emanuele Tesauro of Turin; the ceiling paintings were by Antonio Triva and Antonio Zanchi. The central pavilion was completed in 1675. As a building material, it utilised limestone from Kelheim. The palace was gradually expanded and transformed over the years. It then quickly replaced the nearby Blutenburg Castle as major hunting lodge of the court and competed to Schleissheim Palace (read more).

Spain - Castile and León - Zamora

Multiview of Zamora.

Sent by Puri from Spain.

Zamora (Spanish: [θaˈmoɾa]) is a city and municipality of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital of the province of Zamora. The city straddles the Duero river. With its 24 characteristic Romanesque style churches of the 12th and 13th centuries it has been called a "museum of Romanesque art". Zamora is the city with the most Romanesque churches in all of Europe. The most important celebration in Zamora is Holy Week.

Zamora is part of the natural comarca of Tierra del Pan and it is the head of the judicial district of Zamora (read more).

Hong Kong - Choi Hung Estate

Choi Hung Estate is one of the earliest public housing estates in Hong Kong. Despite its long history, its colours have never faded, andits beauty remains.

Sent by Stacey from Sai Wan Ho, Hong Kong.

Choi Hung Estate (Chinese: 彩虹邨; lit. 'rainbow estate') is a public housing estate in Ngau Chi Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It was built by the former Hong Kong Housing Authority (屋宇建設委員會) and is now managed by the current Hong Kong Housing Authority. It received a Silver Medal at the 1965 Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Awards.

Choi Hung Estate is located in Ngau Chi Wan and is surrounded by several of eastern Kowloon Peninsula's major roads. To the north is Lung Cheung Road; to the south Prince Edward Road East; to the west Kwun Tong Bypass and to the east Clear Water Bay Road.

The Hong Kong government granted the land to the Hong Kong Housing Authority to build a large housing estate in 1958. The blocks of the estate were completed between 1962 and 1964. An opening ceremony was held in 1963 with the presence of then Hong Kong Governor, Sir Robert Brown Black. A signboard commemorating the ceremony is located in the estate's Lam Chung Avenue (read more).

Japan - Shizuoka Prefecture - Sunpu Castle

Sunpu Castle (Higashi-mikado Gate and Tatsumi Tower).

Sent by Maya from Fuefuki City in Japan.

Sunpu Castle (駿府城, Sunpu-jō) is a Japanese castle in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan. The sobriquet of this feudal fortress was the "Castle of the Floating Isle". It was also referred to as Fuchu Castle (府中城, Fuchū-jō) or Shizuoka Castle (静岡城, Shizuoka-jō).

During the Muromachi period, the Imagawa clan ruled Suruga Province from their base at Sunpu (modern-day Shizuoka City). It is not certain exactly when an Imagawa Sunpu castle was built on this site (read more).

Singin' In The Rain (1952)

Singin' In The Rain (1952)

Sent by Kris from USA.

Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, starring Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds, and featuring Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, Rita Moreno and Cyd Charisse in supporting roles. It offers a lighthearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s, with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to "talkies" (read more).