PORTUGAL ~The Bica Funicular - Lisbon ~

... Nice view of the most picturesque and historical funicular in Lisbon... the only stepped street funicular in the city... it climbs the Rua da Bica for 245 metres... the ride takes people up and down the much-photographed Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo... the Ascensor da Bica is so special because it runs straight through a street with houses on both sides... at night the funicular doesn’t run... that’s when the street’s restaurants and bars open their doors and the atmosphere becomes truly magical... Thanks a lot Josep&Assumpta for thinking of me while visiting Lisbon!! ❀◕ ‿ ◕❀

The Bica funicular was constructed by Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard and opened to the public in 1892.

The funicular was initially moved by the water counterbalancing system, whereby movement was achieved by loading the car at the top of the hill with water until it was heavy enough to descend the hill and pull up the other car at the bottom of the hill.
In 1896 the Ascensor da Bica became steam powered, and in 1924 it was electrified.

Elevador da Bica forms the connection between the Calçada do Combro/Rua do Loreto and the Rua de S. Paulo. It is operated by Carris.




Photo: © António Pedro Ferreira

Stamp:

Figures in World History and Culture
(Issued 12-07-2019)

PORTUGAL ~ Olhos D'Agua - Algarve ~

... Lovely view of a decorated traditional fishing boat...Olhos de Agua is situated in the heart of the beautiful Algarve... this peaceful town is centred around a sandy cove, where fishing boats are moored on the golden sands... with outstanding beaches, and a wide variety of restaurants and bars it is the ideal place for a relaxed holiday... Thanks a lot Johan for thinking of me while on vacation! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Algarve is the southernmost region of Portugal and the capital is the city of Faro.

The name Algarve comes from "Gharb Al-Andalus" or just "Al-Gharbt" the name given by the Muslims of Iberia to the region to the west of Andalusia.

It has has an area of 744.57 km2 . It borders with the Alentejo region  to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south, and the Guadiana river, and Andalusia (Spain), to the east.





© Michael Howard

Stamp:

Traditional Desserts of Portugal
 (Issued 12-05-2017)

AZORES ~ Morro De Castelo Branco - Faial Natural Park ~

... Great nature view of a 10.000 year old volcanic rock formation along the rugged coastal area overlooking the sea on Faial Island... as part of the Natural Park system of Faial, this huge outcropping of rock is an important nesting area for protected migratory birds...  Faial Island is a popular transit point for sailors crossing the Atlantic... and the perfect holiday destination for nature lovers... the landscape is stunning and diverse... a wonderful place for things like hiking, whale watching, climbing volcanoes, fishing, visiting stunning viewpoints and with fascinating history... the Azores is still one of the most unspoilt tourist destinations in the world... for myself one of the places I most wanted to visit in Europe💚... Thanks so much dear Andrene!!乂❤‿❤乂

The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The islands form the Autonomous Region of the Azores, one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, the other one being Madeira.

Faial is one the of nine volcanic islands in this archipelago. It belongs to the central group of islands of the Azores and together with the islands of São Jorge and Pico form the “ilhas do triângulo” (the Azores triangle).

The island of Faial is said to owe its name to the many beeches (faias) that occur here.

Stamp:

The 100th Anniversary of Cafe Sport
(Issued 18-06-2018)

PORTUGAL ~ Madeira - Santana ~

...  Great postcard coming from the island Madeira also known as the “pearl of the Atlantic”... a floating garden in the ocean... Santana is a beautiful village and one of this Portuguese island’s most important tourist destinations, mainly because of the traditional palheiros that are found there... these typical small triangular, thatched-roof houses represents the way that houses used to be built in Santana, a few decades ago... now restored they are used as shops and tourism office... Thanks a lot Sabine!!❀◕ ‿ ◕❀

Photo: Angel Hernández
Santana is a municipality located  the north coast of the island of Madeira, in the Portuguese archipelago.

These small houses, built of natural stone and thatched with straw, were built using the resources at hand: stone or wood for the walls and straw from the once-abundant wheat fields for the roof. (the straw needed to replace the roofs every four or five year).  Inside there is an attic for storing agricultural products and a ground floor divided into two rooms, one of which was the bedroom. Cooking was done outdoors.

Stamp:

Houses of the Mediterranean
(Issued 09-07-2018)

PORTUGAL ~ Jeronimos Monastery - Lisbon - UNESCO ~

...  Great postcard nr2... stunning unique architecture and very impressing building... the most prestigious and grandest place of worship in Lisbon... one of the most popular tourist sights... a structure deeply entwined with the country’s history... sailors could go to the monastery to pray before setting off on their next voyage and to receive spiritual guidance from the monks... Thanks so much once more dear Andrene!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

The Jeronimos Monastery was built by King Manuel I and it was he who dedicated it to the Hieronymites order. The building is predominantly in Manueline style (Portuguese late Gothic). The monastery is also situated in the Belem district of western Lisbon.

It was built during most of the 16thC to commemorate the naval achievements of Vasco de Gama to the Far East, which secured Portugal early prominence as a colonial power. Legend says that he and his crew spent their last day here before disembarking. It was also the gold that Vasco brought back from his explorations that financed the church’s construction.

The monastery is, together with the Belem Tower, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.

Stamp:

Traditional Desserts of Portugal
(Issued 12-05-2017)

PORTUGAL ~ Belem Tower - Lisbon - UNESCO ~

... First of two wonderful surprises... the Tower of Belem with the Jerónimos Monastery (next postcardツ) make of the beautiful Belem district in Lisbon one of the most visited and a must see area... the most renowned symbol situated along the Tagus riverbank... one Portugal's most famous landmarks... the Tower of Belem was the first sign of home and became a symbolic icon for the intrepid explorers and their enlisted crews.... Big Thanks Andrene!!¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Tower of Belem was commissioned by King John II and constructed in the early 16th century with the same bricks used for the nearby monastery.  It was designed as as part of a line of defences to protect Lisbon’s early harbour and was positioned in the middle of the River Tagus on a small outcrop of rocks which was also a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Enemy boats which tried to make their way up the river would be met by a canon barrage from Belem Tower.

Belem is a district in western Lisbon at the mouth of the Tagus River. It’s history dates back to prehistoric times but it was in the Middle Ages that its most famous landmarks were constructed.

It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (along with the nearby Jerónimos Monastery) because of the significant role it played in the Portuguese maritime discoveries of the era of the Age of Discoveries.

Stamp:

The 50th Anniversary of the Madeira Botanical Garden
(Issued 30-04-2010)

PORTUGAL ~ Pena National Palace - Sintra - UNESCO ~

... Amazing and magical view of a colorful fairytale looking castle built on the highest hills of Sintra (it inspired Walt Disney to create his own fairytale castle) ... with spectacular views all round... it's considered to be one of the most romantic castles in the world... one of the official Seven Wonders of Portugal... the Palace is set within a 200 acres forested park with exotic trees and plants, a fern valley and a lake with swans... Thanks so much dear Josep&Assumpta (and thank your son tooヅ)... I'm glad it arrived safely after its long journey!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

Pena National Place was built by built by  King Ferdinand II around an old monastery dating from the 16C. Construction of the new palace started in 1840 and the king would spend his whole life realizing his dream castle. It was finally completed in 1885, the year he died at the age of 69.

The palace exhibits a blend of Neo-Gothic, Neo-Islamic, Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Manueline architectural styles and was designed by architect Ludwig von Eschwege.

It was purchased by Portuguese State in 1889, and after the Republican Revolution in 1910, the complex was declared as a national monument and was turned into a museum. Towards end of twentieth century the palace was renovated and repainted to restore its original structure and colors.

In 1995, the palace and the rest of the Cultural Landscape of Sintra were classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Stamp:

Traditional Desserts of Portugal
(Issued 12-05-2017)

PORTUGAL ~ Peneda Gerês National Park - UNESCO ~

... Great postcard of Portugal’s only national park...  a hidden gem and not visited too often by tourists... one the best outdoor and nature destinations in the country... home to important and protected forests... with historic and cultural treasures that you can visit... filled with hiking paths... Thanks Inês!!【ツ】

This  park is located in Northern Portugal, not far from the Spanish border. This 702.90 km2  park was Portugal’s first protected area and was declared a National Park in 1971.

The mountainous landscape of the Park is spread across 4 different mountain ranges: Peneda, Soajo, Amarela, and Gerês, with the highest elevation being around 1500 m. Three of the biggest Portuguese dams are located in the Park. Caniçada, Alto Lindoso and Vilarinho das Furnas.

It is home to many wildlife species, including the rare gray wolf. Other animals such as roe deer, garrano (wild pony), foxes, wild boars and otters can also be found in the Park.

Stamp:

Traditional Desserts of Portugal
(Issued 12-05-2017)

MADEIRA ~ Map ~

...Beautiful map showing a lush green island...known as the "Pearl or the Garden of the Atlantic"... a tropical archipelago with a wonderful subtropical climate and breathtaking scenery...Thanks Anastasia!! ㋡

Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago situated in the north Atlantic Ocean, southwest of Portugal. The archipelago consists of 1 large and several smaller islands; Madeira, Porto Santo, Deserted and Savage islands.The capital and largest city is Funchal.

The landscape remembers its volcanic origin and it is the largest island of this archipelago with an area of 741 km2 (286 sq mi), a length of 57 km (35 mi) while approximately 22 km (14 mi) at its widest point.

Since 1976, the archipelago has been one of the two Autonomous regions of Portugal , the other being the Azores. It is an outermost region of the European Union.


Stamp:

Madeira - Self Adhesive
(Issued 19-01-2015)

PORTUGAL ~Multiview 24h ~

Portugal seems to be a very popular holiday destination among my friends this year^^......lots of really lovely views...Thanks Dieter and Eve!!

Stamp:
The National Team in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
(Issued 16-06-2014)

Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, being bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east.The capital and largest city is Lisbon.

PORTUGAL~Elvas-Amoreira Aqueduct-UNESCO~

...Beautiful postcard showing a fantastic historical construction...and a new UNESCO site with as extra bonus matching UNESCO stamps^^...Thanks Joao!!

Great stamps:
Unesco World Heritage Town of Elvas
(Issued 30-06-2014)

Elvas is the most fortified of any Portuguese town with massive solid walls encircling the main historic centre, while the town was guarded by three battle hardened castles. The town is situated on the far eastern side of Portugal close to the border with Spain.

Lying outside the city walls is the city's most famous sight, the towering Amoreira Aqueduct, 7km (4.5miles) in length that took over 100 years to complete.(from 1498 till 1622) With a total of 843 arches, and at places rising to over 30m (100ft), it still brings water to town.

PORTUGAL ~Fatima pilgrimage ~

A lovely postcard with  sentimental value❤... it brings back lots of good memories of my dear mother-in-law who passed away many years ago...she went a few times on pilgrimage to Fatima...

With great "matching" stamp and story ...Pope John Paul II credited Our Lady of Fatima with saving his life during the assassination attempt in 1981...the bullet is now applied on the crown of the Statue of the Virgin... Thanks so much Joao!!

Diocese if Funchal-500 years
(Issued 12-06-2014)
 

Fatima is a town located 142 km (88 miles) North of Lisbon.

It is one of the most important catholic shrines in the world dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Fatima's Sanctuary welcomes millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.

Fatima's fame is due to the Apparitions of Our Lady of the Rosary that appeared to three shepherd children; Lucia dos Santos and her two younger cousins, Francisco and Jacinta. Between May and October of 1917, the three children witnessed several apparitions. The last one, on October 13th, was confirmed by a miracle witnessed by 60,000 people known in the catholic world as "the day the sun danced".

PORTUGAL ~ Lisbon ~

Received from my niece week trip to Portugal...wonderful "vistas" showing Lisbon...Bedankt Dorien!!

With lovely stamp:
From the series Flavours of the Air and Fire.
Beiras - Maranhos da Serta
(Issued 28-02- 2013)

©Fotografia: JAMP Lisbon is the westernmost large city located in Europe, as well as its westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast. It lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River.

PORTUGAL ~Porto-Casa da Musica~

An interesting and great building arrived today from Portugal (PT-230762).When I first looked at it I didn't know if I liked it...It made me think of a star ship that seems to take off.:D:D But the more I see it, the more I like it... and it must be wonderful to go there for a concert!!! Thanks a lot Miguel!!

Love the stamp too!
Casa da Musica or House of Music is a very well-known concert hall in the city Porto. The hall is a cultural institution and has three in-house orchestras namely: Orquestra Nacional do Porto, Orquestra Barroca and Remix Ensemble.
Designed by Rem Koolhaas, an architect from the Netherlands, the Casa da Musica in Porto was built in 2005 as a part of the works done to welcome the European Culture Capital initiative and soon enough became an iconic city symbol.
It is the first building in Portugal entirely dedicated to music and built in a complete new concept, Box in the Box construction method, for the best results, of acoustic performance.

PORTUGAL ~Guarda~

Received an impressive cathedral, at first I thought it is was a castle... But this building seems to have a bit of both!

Great stamp of a serie "Theatre in Portugal" starting with some of its greatest representatives from the end of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period: Gil Vicente (Auto da Barca do Inferno), Sá de Miranda (a Renaissance artist), António Ferreira, Luís de Camões, D. Francisco Manuel de Melo and António José da Silva.

The mediaeval Cathedral da Guarda is the main attraction of the city of Guarda, in Northeastern Portugal. Its construction took from 1390 until the mid 16th century, combining Gothic and Manueline styles.

PORTUGAL ~Algarve-Silves~

Today I got this great official card from Portugal (PT-145127) Its so nice to see those white houses that reflect the sun and the amazing blue sky. With temperaturs still around 20°C I know where I would like to be right now...

Nice stamp from the EUROPE set 2010.

View of the historical centre of Silves a town in the south of Portugal, important for the production of cork and citrus fruits, it is also a popular tourist hot spot with plenty of interesting places to visit.The massive castle (Castelo) was the largest Moorish stronghold on the Algarve, and was built on the site of a former Roman fortress dating from the 4th century.Also well worth a look is the Gothic cathedral (Sé) which dates from the 13th century.

PORTUGAL ~The Berlengas archipelago-The Forte de São João Baptista ~

Got two great cards today, an official (GB-163738) from Scotland. For me the coastline of Great Britain is one of the most beautiful...
And a wonderful card from the "Berlengas Islands" a place I never heard of!
Must be really special to spend a night in the fortress...

It is a marine reserve and has been classified by the Council of Europe as a "Biosphere Reserve". The archipelago consists of a large island, Berlenga Grande, and some small granite islands and rocks (Estelas and Farilhões).
Built on a rock adjacent to the Berlenga island and connected to it by a small bridge, there stands the Forte de São João Baptista, a Manueline military fortress built in 1502.You can spend the night at the fortress, there is also a restaurant on the island.

PORTUGAL ~Porto-UNESCO~

Today at the first day of our summer I received a nice card from Portugal and its a Unesco site....


Porto is the second largest (after Lisbon) city of Portuga by the river Douro, The historic centre of Porto was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996.

PORTUGAL

This donkey looked straight at me with his funny eyes when I picked him or her :-) out of my mailbox... and I noticed immediately the ears.... so long....
Then I realized that you don't see many donkeys (I mean the animal...^-^) in Belgium!

The donkey (burro,jumento in portuges) is a very characteristic icon from Portugal.

PORTUGAL ~Algarve~

.... It's been so cold these past couple of weeks here in Belgium. :(
So, to find this beautiful surprise beach card from Portugal in my mailbox today gives me a bit of summer feeling.... And with a lovely flower stamp of Madeira!Thanks Edna!!


The Algarve is Portugal's most popular tourist region, with beautiful beaches and gorgeous coves and is situated on the extreme South of Portugal.