Brooklyn Bridge

Well, yes, I have a thing for bridges. A very big thing. And this card, sent by linda718, from USA, is just beautiful. It shows the New York’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge, built between 1870 and 1883. It was the first land connection to Manhattan and was designed by John Augustus Roebling in Gothic architectural style. It has six driving lanes and an elevated walkway for pedestrians.

As a symbol of New York City, it has featured in films, TV series and books, having it’s own part in American Culture.

Source: Wikipedia.

Bled

Before joining Postcrossing I knew nothing about Slovenia, now this country is in my “to visit list”. Every Slovenian postcard I receive makes me breathless. Such stunning landscapes, beautiful villages and city views and lush forests...

This one, sent by tinkara, shows Bled Island, in the glacial Lake Bled. It is Slovenia’s only island and it’s quite small. In it there are only a few buildings and a church built in the 15th Century, The Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary, a popular site for weddings.

This card’s image is breathtaking, with the Julian Alps in the background and the swans in the lake. It makes me dream of being there...

Source: Wikipedia.

Kõpu Lighthouse

Lighthouse cards from Estonia are always so beautiful and I was very excited when I received this one.

Kõpu lighthouse is the oldest Estonian lighthouse and it’s also the third oldest operating light in the world. It is located in the Kõpu Peninsula, in Hiiumaa Island. It is 600 years old, being lit for the first time in 1531. This great card was sent by soom, from Estonia.

Source: Wikipedia.

Mount Ruapehu

This is an incredible photograph. We can really see the power of Nature, often beautiful and scary at the same time. This eruption of Mount Ruapehu, above Chateau Tongariro, occurred in 1995 and the photo was taken by Tim Whittaker of the Hawke’s Bay Herald Tribune.

Mount Ruapehu is the largest active volcano in New Zealand, located in North Island, in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. It is considered one of the most active volcanoes in the world, with an average of a major eruption every fifty years and smaller ones every couple of years.
The card was sent by adriennegarry, from New Zealand.

Source: Wikipedia.

Holy City of Mashad

When I received this wonderful card in the mail, sent by ipuenktchen, from Iran, I was thrilled. Never, in my wildest dreams (especially before I joined Postcrossing), had I though I would get a postcard from Iran. But there it was, this amazing postcard of the Holy City of Mashad, the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in Shia Islam.

Here is located the Imam Reza Shrine, as shown in the postcard. This shrine contains the mausoleum of Imam Ridha, the eighth Imam of Twelvers. During its existence, since the 9th century, it has been destroyed and reconstructed several times. It is a place of pilgrimage in the Muslim World.

Source: Wikipedia.

Lighthouse of Capelinhos

Every Azorean, at one time or another, has heard of the Lighthouse of Capelinhos. It is located in the village of Capelo, in Faial Island, which was the site of an off-shore violent volcanic eruption in the 50s: the volcano of Capelinhos. It caused the destruction of many houses and two parishes were evacuated. It was such a scary event, that it led to a mass departure from the Azores to North America, especially the USA, where the Senate approved the Azorean Refugee Act.

The lighthouse was inaugurated in 1903 and ceased its activity in the 29th of September of 1957, due to the eruption. It was the closest building to the eruption and was damaged and covered in ashes. Nowadays it’s being turned into a belvedere and close to it is a Museum.

I’ve visited this site a couple of years ago. It is quite stunning.

Source: Wikipedia.

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and one of the most important cities in Europe. Through out time it has had a significant impact in History, being in fact one of the founding cities of the Western Civilization.

Rome has also had an impact in culture and the arts, housing many relevant buildings and monuments built in various architectonical styles, such as renaissance, baroque and neoclassicism.

In the card, sent by effemmedia, from Italy, we can see three important churches (from left to right): Saint Ivo alla Sapienza, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and Saint Agnese in Agone.

Source: Wikipedia.