9th P&L Postcard Exchange

I love to being a member of P&L group :) I met there plenty o wonderful people :) From time to time members of that group make an exchange of postcards :) This time I've got a card from Beatriz from Spain :)

On a postcard we can see a view of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia (northern Spain). It's and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and the destination of the St. James Way (Pilgrimage Route) . The view shows the main façade called: „OBRADOIRO” (what mean in Galician: "workshop”). 

Kazan

This card I've got from Elena.

Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,535, it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia.

 The Qolşärif mosque located in Kazan Kremlin, was reputed to be -at the time of its construction- the largest mosque in Russia, and in Europe outside of Istanbul. Originally, the mosque was built in the Kazan Kremlin in the 16th century. It was named after Qolşärif who served there. Qolsharif died with his numerous students while defending Kazan from Russian forces in 1552. It is believed that the building featured minarets, both in the form of cupolas and tents. Its design was traditional for Volga Bulgaria, although elements of early Renaissance and Ottoman architecture could have been used as well. In 1552, during the storming of Kazan it was destroyed by Ivan The Terrible.

Tatar scholars speculate as to whether some elements of Qolşärif mosque can be seen in Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow (8 minarets, a central cupola, not typical for Russian architecture). Since 1996 the mosque has been rebuilt in Kazan Kremlin, although its look is decisively modern. Its inauguration on July 24, 2005 marked the beginning of celebrations dedicated to the Millennium of Kazan. It can accommodate 6,000 worshipers.

Several countries contributed to the fund that was set up to build Qolsharif mosque, namely Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Qolsharif is considered to be one of the most important symbols of Tatar aspirations. Nowadays the mosque predominantly serves as a Museum of Islam. At the same time during the major Muslim celebrations thousands of people gather there to pray.

The Qolsharif complex was envisioned to be an important cornerstone of Kazan’s architectural landscape. Besides the main mosque building it includes a library, publishing house and Imam's office.

The Kazan is the chief historic citadel of Tatarstan, situated in the city of Kazan. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2000. (from wikipedia)

Anjun

This card I've got from my friend from The Netherlands. Thank you a lot (one more time:)) my dear Fiona.

Anjun it's a small country-side town with some about 1000 inhabitants. The church named "St. Michaëls" build in 1100. 

The little farm doesn't exist because it was destroyed some months ago. On farm place people want to build a Swedish house. 

The mill is a museum now. 

They have a lot of pastures, sheeps and cow. 

Seems it's a great place for me! Quiet and calm - full of relax :D 

Un lettre du Canada

I received these 2 postcards from my dearest pen pal from Canada. She is my first penfriend from that country. I hope we will stay friends for many many years J

Canada is on my list of country which I would like to visit before I'll die J

Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America. Originally called Ville-Marie, or “City of Mary”, the city takes its present name from Mont-Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city, whose name was also initially given to the island on which the city is located, or Mont Réal as it was spelled in Middle French, (Mont Royal in present French).

The city is consistently rated as one of the world's most livable cities, was called “Canada's Cultural Capital” by Monocle Magazine and recently was named a UNESCO City of Design. Though historically the commercial capital of Canada, it was surpassed in population, as well as economic strength, by Toronto after 1976. Today it continues as an important centre of commerce, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, culture, tourism, film and world affairs.

Montreal is located in the southwest of the province of Quebec. The city proper covers most of the Island of Montreal at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. The port of Montreal lies at one end of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which is the river gateway that stretches from the Great Lakes into the Atlantic Ocean. Montreal is defined by its location in between the St. Lawrence river on its south, and by the Rivière des Prairies on its north. The city is named after the most prominent geographical feature on the island, a three-head hill called Mount Royal, topped at 232 m above sea level.

Montreal is at the centre of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, and is bordered by the city of Laval to the north, Longueuil, Saint-Lambert, Brossard, and other municipalities to the south, Repentigny to the east and the West Island municipalities to the west. The anglophone enclaves of Westmount, Montreal West, Hampstead, Côte Saint-Luc, the Town of Mount Royal and the francophone enclave Montreal East are all entirely surrounded by the city of Montreal (from wikipedia)

Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, (French: Oratoire Saint-Joseph du Mont-Royal), is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine on the west slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

St. Joseph's Oratory is a great basilica with a giant copper dome built in honor of St. Joseph, patron saint of Canada. The massive edifice, high on the slopes of Mount Royale in Quebec, belies its simple origins as the dream of a humble lay brother named Brother André. Pilgrims still come from all over North America to pray for healing at the shrine of Fr. André, who was canonized a saint in 2010.

At 263 m (863 ft.), the shrine of St. Joseph is the highest point in Montréal. Its dome is second in size only to St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The basilica is largely Italian Renaissance in style, its dome recalling the shape of the Duomo in Florence, but of much greater size and somewhat less grace. Inside are outstanding sculptures, stained glass (depicting 10 scenes from Canadian religious history) and other artworks.

Liturgical music and concerts are provided by a great organ (with 5,811 pipes), a carillion in 56 bells in their own building, and a choir school.

Also inside is a museum dedicated to Saint André, where a central exhibit is hisembalmed heart. The heart was stolen in 1972 but recovered two years later.

Outside, a Way of the Cross lined with sculptures was the setting of scenes for the film Jesus of Montréal. Brother André's wooden chapel, with his tiny bedroom, is on the grounds and open to the public.

Pilgrims, some ill, come to seek intercession from St. Joseph and St. André and often climb the middle set of 100 steps on their knees (http://www.sacred-destinations.com)

Asti

Asti is a city and comune of c. 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed to be the modern capital of Monferrato (Montferrat in English).

The Collegiata di San Secondo (13th century) in the old medieval centre next to the Palazzo Civico. Its name refers toSecundus of Asti, the city's patron saint. The crypt is from the 6th century. The façade has three notable Gothic portals, while the interior houses a polyptych by Gandolfino d'Asti and other works.

Greetings from Hannover

This postcard came to me from Hannover. I've receive it as "thank you" card from Michael, who collect postcards with town hall. And because I had one on this theme - we swap some cards:)

Hannover is the capital city of Lower Saxony. On card you can see The Market Church. this building is one of the oldest churches in that town, built in the 13th century and is considered the southernmost exemplar of the "North German brick gothic" (Norddeutsche Backsteingotik) architectural style. It was nearly totally destroyed in World War II, but rebuilt from 1946 until 1952.

The church is a “Hallenkirche” (“hall church”) which means that the sidenaves are as high as the middle nave. Above the three naves rises a monumental saddleback roof. The high western tower was a symbol for the power and the wealth of the citizens of the town. Until today it's one of the largest in Lower-Saxony.

Genoa part 2 :)

Here you can see Saint Laurence Cathedral and is the seat of the Archbishop of Genoa.

The cathedral was founded probably in the V or VI century AD, devoted to St. Sirus, bishop of Genoa. Excavations under the pavement and in the area in front of today’s façade have brought to light walls and pavements of Roman age as well as pre-Christian sarcophagi, suggesting the existence of a cemetery in the site. Later a church devoted to the Twelve Apostles was built, which was in turn flanked and replaced by a new cathedral dedicated to St. Lawrence martyr, in Romanesque style. Money came from the successful enterprises of the Genoese fleets in the Crusades.

The transferring of the cathedral favored the urbanization of the zone that, with the construction of it walls, in 1155, and the fusion of the three ancient city nuclei (castrum, civitas and burgus), became the heart of the city. The piazza, in absence of other public squares and centers of lay power, was the only city's public space for the whole Middle Ages. The cathedral was consecrated by Pope Gelasius II in 1118. Starting from 1133 the church had archiepiscopal rank. After the fire of 1296, provoked by fights between Guelphs and Ghibellines, the building was partly restored and partly rebuilt. Between 1307 and 1312 the façade was completed, the inner colonnades rebuilt with capitals and matronei added. The Romanesque structures remained pretty untouched, and frescoes of religious subject were also added.

Various altars and chapels have been erected between the XIV and XV the century. The small loggia on the northeastern tower of the façade was built in 1455; the opposite one, in Mannerist style, is from 1522. In 1550 the Perugian architect Galeazzo Alessi was commissioned by the city magistrates to plan the reconstruction of the entire building; however, he executed only the covering of the nave and aisles, the pavement, the dome and the apse.

The construction of the cathedral end in the XVII century. The dome and the medieval parts were restored in 1894-1900.