Italy, Monaco and the Salon Philatélique d'Automne

On Tuesday I got another nice selection of philatelic surprises from William's journeys.

Italy:

The first card is a cheat sheet with various facts about Italy.

With a great stamp:
70 years Italian Republic (issued 02-06-2016)
Cantuccini (issued 29-09-2016)

The second card shows various views of Genoa. The Lighthouse of Genoa (upper left picture) is the fifth largest and third oldest lighthouse in the World, while Genoa's  Aquarium (upper right picture) is the second largest in Europe.

Stamps:
EUROPA (whole set) (issued 09-05-2016)

The last card shows various views of Bordighera. Bordighera is a town in Liguria. It is a popular seaside resort and was prominently featured in the novel Il Dottor Antonio.

Stamp:
Jubilee of Mercy (from set of four) (issued 07-12-2015)

Monaco:
The card shows an aerial view of Monte-Carlo.

Stamp:
sepac (issued 24-06-2016)

Salon Philatélique d'Automne:
France:
The card shows various views of Paris.

With nice stamps:
70 years Salon Philatélique d'Automne (whole set) (issued 07-11-2016)
with an exhibition postmark from the 3rd November (4 days before issue date!)

French card with Andorran stamp (French Post):

Stamp:
Isabelle Sandy (issued 08-10-2016)
with a special postmark from the exhibition

Luxembourg:
A cover with these stamps:
Commemorative Series (whole set) (issued 03-03-2016)

Thank You very much William!

France: Marseille

On Monday I got three postcards from France.

One of them shows Marseille. Marseille is a city on the Mediterranean coast. It is France's most important port and also second largest city. In 2013 it was the European Capital of Culture. 

Stamp:
950 years Luso-French Contacts (from set of two) (issued 24-10-2016)
It is a joint issue with Portugal.

Thank You very much William!

France: Nice

On Monday I got three postcards from France.

One of them shows various views of Nice. Nice is a city on the Côte d'Azur. In the 18th century it became a popular winter residence for the British upper class and the picturesque surrounding also attracted many famous painters. Today is Nice the fifth-largest city in France. In July 2016 the World was shocked by a terrorist attack on Nice's Promenade des Anglais.

EDIT: Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2021.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
100 years Hélice Eclair (issued 14-10-2016)
The Hélice Eclair was a type of propeller used by French aircrafts during World War I. It was designed by Marcel Dassault in 1915 and had its first flight in February 1916.

Thank You very much William!

France: Massif des Calanques

On Monday I got three postcards from France.

One of them shows the Massif des Calanques. The Massif des Calanques is a wild and rugged terrain between Marseille and Cassis. Since 2012 it is protected by a national park.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
950 years Luso-French Contacts (from set of two) (issued 24-10-2016)
It is a joint issue with Portugal.

Thank You very much William!

70th Salon Philatélique d'Automne in Paris

William recently visited the 70th Salon Philatélique d'Automne and so I got various postcards and covers from this stamp exhibition in the course of this week. ^___^

France:

The first card from France shows the Eiffel Tower.

Stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
François Mitterrand (issued 27-10-2016)
with two different postmarks about the exhibition

The second card shows various views of Dinard. Dinard is a commune in Brittany. It is a popular tourist destination and was already visited by Winston Churchill, Alfred Hitchcock, Lawrence of Arabia and Picasso. During the UEFA Euro 2016 it was the base of the Wales national football team.

Stamps:
Réouverture de la Bièvre (issued 07-11-2016)
with First Day Special Postmark
New Marianne 0,10€
with a postmark about the exhibition

A cover with these stamps:
New Marianne 0,10€
with a postmark about the exhibition
Brive-La-Gaillarde (issued 07-11-2016)
with First Day Special Postmark

Andorra (French Post):
A cover with these stamps:
Coat of Arms - Carta Verde (issued 30-09-2011)
Coat of Arms - Red (issued 01-03-2016)
Coat of Arms (whole set) (issued 02-01-2010)
with a postmark about the exhibition
Lavender (issued 04-11-2016)
with First Day Special Postmark
Sheepdog (issued 04-11-2016)
with First Day Special Postmark

Andorra (Spanish Post):
A cover with these stamps:
EUROPA (issued 24-04-2016)
French Community in Andorra (issued 08-07-2016)
with a postmark about the exhibition

Kyrgyzstan (Kyrgyz Express Post):
Kyrgyz Express Post was founded in 2012. In 2013 the Universal Postal Union officially confirmed the company's status as second designated postal operator of Kyrgyzstan.

A cover with this stamp:
Traditional Kyrgyz Hunting with Taigans (from set of three) (issued 28-07-2016)
with a postmark about the exhibition

Spain:
The postcard from Spain shows various views of Barcelona.

Stamps:
Santander ISAF Sailing World Championships 2014 (issued 01-09-2014)
60 years Televisión Española (issued 28-10-2016)
with a postmark about the exhibition

Thank You very much William!

Germany: History of Cologne

Yesterday I got a postcard from Germany.

It is the Chronicle card of Cologne. Cologne was founded by the Romans around 50 BCE. It was the place of birth of Agrippina Minor, who it made a city in 50 AD. The city was also called after her Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. In the 4th century the city was captured by the Franks and later became a bishop's see. In 1475 it was declared a free imperial city. Between 1801 and 1815 it was occupied by France and after the Congress of Vienna it became a part of Prussia. Today is Cologne the fourth largest city of Germany and an important economic and cultural centre. 

Stamp:
25 years 112 as emergency telephone number in Europe (issued 11-02-2016)

Thank You very much Marcel!

Japan: Tokyo Skytree

On Tuesday I got a postcard from Japan.

It shows the Tokyo Skytree. The Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower. It is the tallest tower and second-tallest structure in the World. It was completed in 2012.

Stamps:
Japanese Dishes (from set of two) (issued 01-11-2016)
Year of the Rooster (from set of two) (issued 01-11-2016)
with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Keiko!

Stamps of the Isle of Man and Latvia

Recently I ordered some stamps from the Isle of Man and from Latvia, both on the same day. Latvia's arrived nearly four weeks ago and the order from Isle of Man also finally arrived on Tuesday.

One souvenir sheet I ordered from the Isle of Man celebrates the Centenary of the Battle of Jutland (issued 17-02-2016).

The Battle of Jutland was fought between the 31st May and 1st June 1916 near the coast of Denmark's Jutland Peninsula. It was the largest naval battle and the only major encounter between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during World War I. It formed a part of a larger German strategy to break the British blockade against Germany and to allow German naval vessels to access the Atlantic. Fourteen British and eleven German ships were sunk with a great loss of life. But although more ships and sailors were lost on British side, they were able to prevent the German plans. In German it is known as Skagerrakschlacht (Battle of Skagerrak).

One of the stamps from Latvia celebrates the Centenary of the Latvian Riflemen (issued 25-10-2015)

At the beginning of World War I was the Latvian territory a part of the Russian Empire and had a direct border with the German Empire. Already in August 1914 Liepāja and the Užava Lighthouse were attacked by German troops, but just in May 1915 the war reached the whole of Latvia leading to many Latvians leaving their region. Also much of the region's industry was evacuated to Russia and was lost forever. In September 1917 Riga was captured by German troops. After the Russian Revolution parts of Latvia were given to the Germans according to the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, who quickly established an occupational regime which ruled between March and November 1918. After the end of World War I the Latvian War of Independence was fought, which ended with the recognition of the Latvian Republic by Soviet Russia in 1920. 

The Latvian Riflemen were founded in August 1915 after a public proclamation by State Duma members. The first battles of the 1st Riflemen Battalion took place on 25th October 1915, when they fought in the Russian army against the Germans. After a great offensive the Latvian Riflemen helped to stabilise the front line along the Daugava river, which was held until the Russian army's collapse in 1917. 

A FDC I ordered from Latvia bears this year's EUROPA stamps (issued 09-05-2016).

You can see the other stamps on my stamp blog.

Germany: St Antony Iron Works in Oberhausen

Yesterday I got a postcard from Germany.

It shows the former manager's house of the St Antony Iron Works in Oberhausen. The St Antony Iron Works was founded in 1758, after bog iron had been discovered. It is known as Cradle of the Ruhr Industry, as it was the first iron works which was founded in the Ruhr Area. The furnace was lit for the last time in 1842 and the foundry was closed in 1877. Afterwards the most buildings were destroyed. The former manager's house survived until today and is since 2008 a part of the LVR Industrial Museum.

Stamp:
25 years 112 as emergency telephone number in Europe (issued 11-02-2016)

Thank You very much Marcel!

Italy: Palazzo Ducale in Urbino

Yesterday I got a postcard from Italy.

It shows the Palazzo Ducale in Urbino. Urbino is a small hill town in the Italian Marche Region. It had its heyday under Duke Federico III da Montefeltro in the Renaissance era, when it was a centre of attraction for famous artists from all over Italy, who created there an exceptional urban complex of remarkable homogeneity. In 1483 the Renaissance' Great Master Raphael was born in the city. The Palazzo Ducale is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in Italy and is now home to one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the World, the Galleria Nazionale delle Marche. The Historic Centre of Urbino is since 1998 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stamp:
Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Venice (issued 20-10-2016)

Thank You very much Alessandro!

Japan: Kotohira Shrine

Finally I got a postcard from the Kagawa prefecture, so my collection of Japanese prefectures is now completed. Thanks to everyone who helped me and especially to Keiko who sent me definitely the most prefectures! ^___^

On Tuesday I got two postcards: one from Japan and one from Germany.

The card from Japan shows the Kotohira Shrine. The Kotohira Shrine is a Shinto Shrine, which is said to have been founded in the 1st century.

Stamp:

Tales from Stars (from set of four) (issued 16-10-2016)

The stamp sparkles.

with First Day Special Postmark

Thank You very much Keiko!

Germany: Sayn Castle and Sayn Palace

On Tuesday I got two postcards: one from Germany and one from Japan.

The card from Germany shows Sayn Castle, Sayn Palace and the fauna and flora of the Palace Garden. The Sayn Castle was built in the 12th century by the Counts of Sayn, but during the Thirty Years' War the castle was badly damaged. The Sayn Palace was built in the 14th century for the ministeriales of the Counts of Sayn. It was later renovated into Baroque style and in 1848 the manor house was bought by Ludwig zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, who got it again renovated, this time in the Gothic Revival style. During World War II it was damaged just like the Sayn Castle. Only in the 1980s Sayn Palace was rebuilt and the ruins of Sayn Castle were secured. 

The card was signed during the Postcrossing Meet-up in Bielefeld.
Stamp:
Saxon Switzerland (issued 02-06-2016)

Thank You very much Kate!

Germany: Castle Church in Wittenberg

Today I got two postcards: one from Germany and one from Italy.

The card from Germany shows the interior of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. The Castle Church was built between 1490 and 1511 at the behest of Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, in the Late Gothic style. It forms a part of the Wittenberg Castle and is the site where Martin Luther posted his Ninety-five Theses in 1517 (today eactly 499 years ago!), which contributed to the church's nickname "Reformation Church". The Church just reopened on 2nd October after a renovation, which was carried out to be prepared for the big jubilee of the Reformation next year. As one of the Luther Memorials in Wittenberg is the Castle Church since 1996 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

I got this card a few weeks ago in a cover.

With related stamps:
UNESCO World Heritage - Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg (issued 07-05-2009)
It is a joint issue with the United Nations.
500th birthday of Lucas Cranach the Younger (issued 01-10-2015)
with a special postmark about the reopening of the Castle Church

Thank You very much Michaela for sending me the card in an envelope!

Italy: Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa

Today I got two postcards: one from Italy and one from Germany.

The card from Italy shows the Palazzo Doria Tursi, the Palazzo Reale, the Palazzo Pantaleo Spinola and the Palazzo Rosso on Genoa's Strade Nuove. The Palazzo Doria-Tursi houses Genoa's city hall and a museum. The Palazzo Reale houses the National Gallery and is known for its historic furniture and decoration. The Palazzo Pantaleo Spinola is today the headquarters of the Banco di Chiavari e della Riviera Ligure. The Palazzo Rosso is one of the most important picture galleries in the city. Since 2006 are the Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli in Genoa on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The card was signed during the Postcrossing Meet-up in Genoa.
Stamps:
EUROPA (from set of two) (issued 09-05-2016)
Women in Art (from set of seven) (issued 02-01-2002)
with a special postmark about World Post Day

Thank You very much Irene!

Italy: Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo

On Saturday I got four postcards: one from Italy, one from the Netherlands, one from Germany and one from Japan.

The card from Italy shows the Palazzo dei Normanni in Palermo. Palermo is the capital of Sicily. The Palazzo dei Normanni is the oldest royal residence in Europe. It was the seat of the Kings of Sicily during the Norman domination, was later used as the main seat of power for the subsequent rulers of Sicily and as imperial seat of Frederick II and Conrad IV and now houses the Sicilian Regional Assembly. As part of the Arab-Norman Palermo it is since 2015 on the UNESCO World Heritge List.

Stamp:
Italian City Squares (from set of eight) (issued 02-07-2016)

Thank You very much Anastasia!