ARGENTINA / BELGIUM / FRANCE / GERMANY / INDIA / JAPAN / SWITZERLAND - The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement

"Chosen from the work of Le Corbusier, the 17 sites comprising this transnational serial property are spread over seven countries and are a testimonial to the invention of a new architectural language that made a break with the past. They were built over a period of a half-century, in the course of what Le Corbusier described as “patient research”. The Complexe du Capitole in Chandigarh (India), the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo (Japan), the House of Dr Curutchet in La Plata (Argentina) and the Unité d’habitation in Marseille (France) reflect the solutions that the Modern Movement sought to apply during the 20th century to the challenges of inventing new architectural techniques to respond to the needs of society. These masterpieces of creative genius also attest to the internationalization of architectural practice across the planet." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1: Chapel of Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France

"I visited the site and there are still nuns living there", shares Marie.
Thank you so much Marie for sharing with me this postcard!


Postcard 2: Maisons de la Weissenhof-Siedlung, Germany


I am very happy because this postcard completes
my UNESCO postcards collection from Germany!
On the bottom left shows the Maisons de la Weissenhof-Siedlung.
Thank you so much Svenja for sharing this with me!


Postcard 3: Chandigarh Capitol Complex, India

Thank you so much for this wonderful postcard (with great stamps as well), Pulkit!

Hats off to Le Corbusier!

Postcard 4: National Museum of Western Art, Japan

 
Thank you so much Bei Hao for sharing this wonderful postcard with me! ^-^

INDIA - Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka

"The Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka are in the foothills of the Vindhyan Mountains on the southern edge of the central Indian plateau. Within massive sandstone outcrops, above comparatively dense forest, are five clusters of natural rock shelters, displaying paintings that appear to date from the Mesolithic Period right through to the historical period. The cultural traditions of the inhabitants of the twenty-one villages adjacent to the site bear a strong resemblance to those represented in the rock paintings." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcards 1 - 3

All 3 cards above are sent by Bhaskar.

Thank you so much for always helping me out with my collection!

Postcard 4

Finally! A written and stamped postcard of Bhimbetka!
And my UNESCO Sites Postcard Collection, written and stamped from India is complete!

Thank you so much Prashant for sharing this one!
The stamps are so nice too! ^-^

INDIA - Khangchendzonga National Park

"Located at the heart of the Himalayan range in northern India (State of Sikkim), the Khangchendzonga National Park includes a unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and spectacular, snow-capped mountains covered with ancient forests, including the world’s third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga. Mythological stories are associated with this mountain and with a great number of natural elements (caves, rivers, lakes, etc.) that are the object of worship by the indigenous people of Sikkim. The sacred meanings of these stories and practices have been integrated with Buddhist beliefs and constitute the basis for Sikkimese identity." -http://whc.unesco.org

And this postcard completes my Indian UNESCO Sites postcards collection!

Thank you so much Sita for sharing this with me!

INDIA - Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda, Bihar

"The Nalanda Mahavihara site is in the State of Bihar, in north-eastern India. It comprises the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE. It includes stupas, shrines, viharas (residential and educational buildings) and important art works in stucco, stone and metal. Nalanda stands out as the most ancient university of the Indian Subcontinent. It engaged in the organized transmission of knowledge over an uninterrupted period of 800 years. The historical development of the site testifies to the development of Buddhism into a religion and the flourishing of monastic and educational traditions." -http://whc.unesco.org

Another great postcard from Pulkit.

Received bent though...

Thank you so much, Pulkit!

INDIA - Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

"On a gentle slope in the foothills of the Himalayas, where wooded hills give way to alluvial grasslands and tropical forests, the Manas sanctuary is home to a great variety of wildlife, including many endangered species, such as the tiger, pygmy hog, Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephant." -http://whc.unesco.org

Thank you so much KRBhat for completing my UNESCO postcards collection from INDIA!

Thank you so much too for the great stamps you used!

INDIA - Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area

"This National Park in the western part of the Himalayan Mountains in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh is characterized by high alpine peaks, alpine meadows and riverine forests. The 90,540 ha property includes the upper mountain glacial and snow meltwater sources of several rivers, and the catchments of water supplies that are vital to millions of downstream users. The GHNPCA protects the monsoon-affected forests and alpine meadows of the Himalayan front ranges. It is part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and includes twenty-five forest types along with a rich assemblage of fauna species, several of which are threatened. This gives the site outstanding significance for biodiversity conservation." -http://whc.unesco.org

Thank you so much again KR Bhat for sending me another UNESCO postcard

from your country. I am close on completing them!

I like the stamps too!

INDIA - Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi

"On a hill overlooking the plain and about 40 km from Bhopal, the site of Sanchi comprises a group of Buddhist monuments (monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries) all in different states of conservation most of which date back to the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. It is the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence and was a major Buddhist centre in India until the 12th century A.D." -http://whc.unesco.org

Yehey! My 30th UNESCO WHS postcard from India!

Thank you so much KR Bhat for this great card with beautiful stamps!

I so like the "Women Empowerment" stamp!

INDIA - Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

"This tomb, built in 1570, is of particular cultural significance as it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major architectural innovations, culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1

Hi Bhaskar! You surprised me! Thanks so much for this card!

Postcard 2

A surprise postcard from Prashanth!
So happy to have another postcard of this site after almost 5 years!
Thank you so much for your generosity, Prashanth!

INDIA - Sundarbans National Park

"The Sundarbans covers 10,000 km² of land and water (more than half of it in India, the rest in Bangladesh) in the Ganges delta. It contains the world's largest area of mangrove forests. A number of rare or endangered species live in the park, including tigers, aquatic mammals, birds and reptiles." -http://whc.unesco.org

A Bengal Tiger at the Sundarbans!

Thank you so much Nagi for this great postcard and for using beautiful stamps!

INDIA - Ajanta Caves

"The first Buddhist cave monuments at Ajanta date from the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C. During the Gupta period (5th and 6th centuries A.D.), many more richly decorated caves were added to the original group. The paintings and sculptures of Ajanta, considered masterpieces of Buddhist religious art, have had a considerable artistic influence." -http://whc.unesco.org

Another great postcard!

Thank you so much Nagi for always helping me out with my collection!

INDIA - Keoladeo National Park

"This former duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas is one of the major wintering areas for large numbers of aquatic birds from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China and Siberia. Some 364 species of birds, including the rare Siberian crane, have been recorded in the park." -http://whc.unesco.org

"The Keoladeo National Park is Bharatpur is a major host to migratory birds.

It is a man-made wetland. It was previously a hunting and shooting ground

for the King of Bharatpur. Today, it is accorded due protection.

Darter is one of the birds found there", shares KB Dessai.

Thank you so much KB Dessai for this beautiful UNESCO postcard

as well as the beautiful stamps you used!

INDIA - Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya

"The Mahabodhi Temple Complex is one of the four holy sites related to the life of the Lord Buddha, and particularly to the attainment of Enlightenment. The first temple was built by Emperor Asoka in the 3rd century B.C., and the present temple dates from the 5th or 6th centuries. It is one of the earliest Buddhist temples built entirely in brick, still standing in India, from the late Gupta period." -http://whc.unesco.org

A great card with a great view!

Thank you so much KB Dessai for sharing this wonderful card with me...

"This card depicts the Mahabodhi Temple Complex.

It is the place where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.

The card shows the main temple, 2 monks meditating & the

Bodhi Tree (on the left side of the card) --- the tree under which

Buddha attained his enlightenment.", KB Dessai shares...

INDIA - The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

"The Jantar Mantar, in Jaipur, is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. It includes a set of some 20 main fixed instruments. They are monumental examples in masonry of known instruments but which in many cases have specific characteristics of their own. Designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye, they embody several architectural and instrumental innovations. This is the most significant, most comprehensive, and the best preserved of India's historic observatories. It is an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period." -http://whc.unesco.org

Postcard 1

"Jantar Mantar lies in the City of Jaipur, Rajasthan.

It is an astronomical observatory and has instruments that can

tell time without using watch and only sunlight.

I visited this place in October last year and it was amazing!", shares Nagi.
Thank you so much my postcrossing pal Nagi

for always sending me great UNESCO postcards! ^-^

Postcard 2

A surprise postcard with a really really nice stamp!
Thank you so much KR Bhat of Bangalore for this great postcard!
Will send your wish postcard soon!

INDIA - Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks

"Nestled high in West Himalaya, India’s Valley of Flowers National Park is renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya, praised by mountaineers and botanists for over a century and in Hindu mythology for much longer." -http://whc.unesco.org

What a lovely view! This made me dream of visiting India one day!

Thank you so much Shivangi for sharing this postcard with me

and attaching pretty stamps on it!

INDIA - Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park

"A concentration of largely unexcavated archaeological, historic and living cultural heritage properties cradled in an impressive landscape which includes prehistoric (chalcolithic) sites, a hill fortress of an early Hindu capital, and remains of the 16th-century capital of the state of Gujarat. The site also includes, among other vestiges, fortifications, palaces, religious buildings, residential precincts, agricultural structures and water installations, from the 8th to 14th centuries. The Kalikamata Temple on top of Pavagadh Hill is considered to be an important shrine, attracting large numbers of pilgrims throughout the year. The site is the only complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city." -http://whc.unesco.org/

Thank you so much for this awesome postcard, Shivangi!

I also like the stamps you used! ^-^

I wish your dream of traveling many countries will come true!

INDIA - Hill Forts of Rajasthan

"The serial site, situated in the state of Rajastahan, includes six majestic forts in Chittorgarh; Kumbhalgarh; Sawai Madhopur; Jhalawar; Jaipur, and Jaisalmer. The ecclectic architecture of the forts, some up to 20 kilometres in circumference, bears testimony to the power of the Rajput princely states that flourished in the region from the 8th to the 18th centuries. Enclosed within defensive walls are major urban centres, palaces, trading centres and other buildings including temples that often predate the fortifications within which developed an elaborate courtly culture that supported learning, music and the arts. Some of the urban centres enclosed in the fortifications have survived, as have many of the site's temples and other sacred buildings. The forts use the natural defenses offered by the landscape: hills, deserts, rivers, and dense forests. They also feature extensive water harvesting structures, largely still in use today." -http://whc.unesco.org/

Postcard 1: Chittorgarh Fort

Thank you so much Prashanth for increasing my UNESCO cards from your country!

I truly appreciate this card especially the stamps! ^-^

INDIA - Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat

"Rani-ki-Vav, on the banks of the Saraswati River, was initially built as a memorial to a king in the 11th century AD. Stepwells are a distinctive form of subterranean water resource and storage systems on the Indian subcontinent, and have been constructed since the 3rd millennium BC. They evolved over time from what was basically a pit in sandy soil towards elaborate multi-storey works of art and architecture. Rani-ki-Vav was built at the height of craftsmens’ ability in stepwell construction and the Maru-Gurjara architectural style, reflecting mastery of this complex technique and great beauty of detail and proportions. Designed as an inverted temple highlighting the sanctity of water, it is divided into seven levels of stairs with sculptural panels of high artistic quality; more than 500 principle sculptures and over a thousand minor ones combine religious, mythological and secular imagery, often referencing literary works. The fourth level is the deepest and leads into a rectangular tank 9.5 m by 9.4 m, at a depth of 23 m. The well is located at the westernmost end of the property and consists of a shaft 10 m in diameter and 30 m deep." -http://whc.unesco.org/

Thank you so much Nagi for sharing with me this wonderful postcard

showing the recently proclaimed Indian UNESCO Site Rani-ki-Vav!

INDIA - Elephanta Caves

"The 'City of Caves', on an island in the Sea of Oman close to Bombay, contains a collection of rock art linked to the cult of Shiva. Here, Indian art has found one of its most perfect expressions, particularly the huge high reliefs in the main cave." -http://whc.unesco.org

A surprise postcard from Nagi who confessed a regular visitor of this blog

and wishes to have my Indian UNESCO cards fully collected!

Thanks for your thoughtfulness, postcard pal!

"These caves are located on the Elephanta Island near Mumbai.

Though exact date is unknown, it is believed to have been built in between

5th and 8th century. The caves have rock art sculptures. There are 6 caves..." Nagi shared.

What an interesting cave! Those who built the sculptures were very artistic and

they indeed put much hard work on it! Kudos to them!