Würzburg Residence | Germany

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The Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square is a Unesco World Heritage site since 1981.

Many large castles and residences evolve over hundreds of years, incorporating all different styles. However the Würzburg Residence was built completely within a single generation (from 1720-1744). But finishing the interior took another 30 years.

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Château d'Azay-le-Rideau | France

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Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is located on an island in the Indre River, built between 1518 and 1527. The château is considered a masterpiece of architecture and sculpture of the earliest French Renaissance.

The Loire Valley between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes is a Unesco World Heritage site. The chateau is located in this area and part of the Unesco Whs site.

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Mir Castle | Belarus

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Mir Castle is a unique monument of Belarusian architecture, it was built by duke Ilinich in early 16th century near the village of Mir. The Mir castle complex is a Unesco World Heritage site.

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The Alcázar of Segovia | Spain

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The Alcázar of Segovia is a fairy-tale-like castle, located in the old city of Segovia, Spain. The Alcázar was originally built as a fortress but has served as a royal palace, a state prison, a Royal Artillery College and a military academy since then. It is currently in use as a museum and a military archives building.

The Alcázar is part of UNESCO World Heritage site Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct.

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Protected Fauna – Crayfish, part of a set of three stamps issued in 2016.

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Kronborg Castle | Denmark

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Kronborg is a castle and stronghold in the town of Helsingør, Denmark. The castle is situated on the extreme northeastern tip of the island of Zealand. The origins of this castle dates back to the year 1420. Kronborg is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000.

Did you know that this is the castle that Shakespeare set Hamlet in? Shakespeare called Kronborg Castle Elsinore.   

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The stamps are part of a set of 4 stamps about (Danish) farm animals (issue 2016). From left to right: the Oldenburg Stallion, Danish Red Holstein and Wyandotte Chicken.

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The ruins of Spiš Castle | Slovakia

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The ruins of Spiš Castle in eastern Slovakia form one of the largest castle sites in Central Europe. This is one of the biggest European castles by area (41 426 m²). On the left you see St. Martin's Cathedral in nearby Spišská Kapitula.

Both are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site inscribed under the name‘ Levoča, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments’.

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Postcard perfect Dürnstein | Austria

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Dürnstein is a small Austrian town on the Danube river. On the top of the hill you see Dürnstein Castle, dating back to the year 1192. Interesting fact: King Richard I of England was imprisoned in this castle by Leopold V, Duke of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade.

The Wachau is a stretch of the Danube Valley between Melk and Krems, a landscape of high visual quality. The town of Dürnstein is located here and part of the site inscribed under the name Wachau Cultural Landscape.

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Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape | Czech Republic

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“Between the 17th and 20th centuries, the ruling dukes of Liechtenstein transformed their domains in southern Moravia into a striking landscape. It married Baroque architecture (mainly the work of Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach) and the classical and neo-Gothic style of the castles of Lednice and Valtice with countryside fashioned according to English romantic principles of landscape architecture. At 200 km2 , it is one of the largest artificial landscapes in Europe.”

 

(source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/763)

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(left) Martina Sáblíková is a Czech speed skater, specializing in long distance races. She won two gold medals at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

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Olsztyn Castle | Poland

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I was looking for Hanse city Olsztyn but this is another place with same name. This version of Olsztyn is a small village with 2,300 inhabitants, in southern Poland.

The ruins of the castle, located on a hill, date back to the 14th century. It is part of the Trail of the Eagles' Nests, a system of fortifications to protect western Lesser Poland from the Czechs. 

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Khotyn Fortress | Ukraine

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The Khotyn Fortress is a fortification complex located on the right bank of the Dniester River in Khotyn, western Ukraine. Construction of the fortress started in 1325. 

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Cesis Castle | Latvia

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Cesis is a medieval town in Latvia. The Cēsis Castle dates back 800 years. German crusaders known as the Livonian Brothers of the Sword (Livonian Knights) started construction of the castle in 1206. During the Great Northern War in 1703 the castle was demolished by Russian army but has never been restored.

 

The city of Cesis was a member of the Hanseatic League.

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Europa stamp 2015, Old Toys.

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Litomyšl Castle | Czech Republic

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The Litomyšl castle in Czech Republic is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The castle (or chateau) dates back to the 16th century.  

 

According to whc.unesco.org “ the castle is an outstanding and immaculately preserved example of the arcade castle, a type of building first developed in Italy and modified in the Czech lands to create an evolved form of special architectural quality.”

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Europa 2013 stamp “The Postman’s Van”. 

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Wartburg Castle | Germany

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Founded in 1067, Wartburg Castle is also one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Germany. It is famous for sheltering Martin Luther while he translated the New Testament into German.Wartburg Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999.

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Drei Gleichen stamp (2012). Gleichen is the name of two groups of castles in Germany, thus named from their resemblance to each other (German: gleich = like, or resembling).

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Lednice Castle | Czech Republic

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The Lednice-Valtice Area is listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco. 

The fairy tale castle of Lednice is located in this 300km2 area. The origins of the castle dates back to the 13th century.

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Szczecin castle | Poland

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Szczecin (Stettin in German) is a major Polish seaport. Once a member of the Hanseatic League.

The castle was the seat of the dukes of Pomerania-Stettin. It  dates back to the 14th century.   

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Herrenchiemsee Island and palace | Germany

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Herreninsel or Herrenchiemsee is an island in Bavaria's largest lake, the Chiemsee. It is the biggest of three main islands of which the other two are Fraueninsel and "Krautinsel". The island is inhabited by about only 30 people.

Herreninsel is famous for the extravagant Herrenchiemsee palace of Ludwig II of Bavaria, the ‘fairytale king’ (he also built Neuschwanstein castle). The castle was only inhabited by the king for ten nights before he died of drowning at just 40. 

Thx Dustin!

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Himeji Castle | Japan

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Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex located in Himeji, Japan. The wooden castle dates back to 1333 and is nicknamed "White Heron" castle because of its white walls which are covered with white plaster. The castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

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International letter writing week 1997.

Thx Steve!

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The Estonian Island of Saaremaa

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Saaremaa, meaning "isle's land", is the largest island in Estonia. On the right you see the medieval Kuressaare Castle. The windmill is part of a group of five windmills, all located on the top of Windmill Mountain.

 

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Two stamps about very poisonous and potentially deadly mushrooms. On the left the deadly Amanita Virosa, commonly known as the European destroying angel. 

On the right the Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the dead cap. 

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French island hideaway: The Fort de Bregancon

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The Fort de Brégançon served as the official retreat of the President of France from 1968 to 2013. It is an old fortress on a tiny island off the French Mediterranean coast, connected to the mainland by a short causeway.

The 17th-century Fort de Brégancon hosted holidaying French leaders for almost 50 years. The current French president Francois Hollande has decided to break with tradition and open it up for the public.

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Three amazing stamps from the 60’s!

(left) 1968 The 200th Anniversary of the Union of Corsica and France

(middle) 1966 National Congress of Philatelic Societies, Niort Cathedrale

(right) 1965 The 300th Anniversary of the Colonisation of Réunion

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Vaduz, capital of Liechtenstein

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This card depicts many interesting sites in Liechtenstein: Castle of Vaduz, Townhall, view on city of Vaduz, Gutenberg Castle in Balzers and Government building.

 

Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The city has about 5,100 inhabitants but it is not the largest: neighboring Schaan has a larger population.

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Part of a set of 9 stamps issued in 2000 picturing villages in Liechtenstein. Schaan is the largest city of Liechtenstein by population (just under 6,000) and area. 

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