SWITZERLAND ~ Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair - UNESCO ~

.... Beautiful scenic view of a convent tucked away in an amazing mountain landscape in the Swiss Alps just next to the Italian border... the major symbol of this rather remote valley... not only a historic site... but a living convent for the nuns, which means Benedictine nuns are actually still living here... its uniqueness lies in the fascinating combination of cloister life, cultural heritage, museum, research and restoration... this 8th century convent houses the world's largest and best preserved early medieval fresco's... Thanks a lot Rosmarie!! (✿ ♥‿♥)

The convent was probably constructed around the year 780, and the church tower was added in the 10th century. The Bishop of Chur, acting for Charlemagne, founded the building for the Benedictines. The tower home, cloister, and chapels of St. Ulrich and St. Nicholas were added in the 11th century. The establishment became a convent in 1163.

St. John Convent is located in Müstair the easternmost village in Switzerland in the canton of Graubünden.

It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 largely due to its magnificent frescoes and Carolingian architecture.

Stamp:

Pope Francis
(Issued 21-06-2018)

SWITZERLAND ~ Montebello curve - Morteratsch - UNESCO ~

... Great view of one of the most beautiful railways in Europe... a train ride through the Swiss and Italian Alps with breathtaking and spectacular scenery along the way...  the only rail link that leads across the Alps, open without a crest tunnel....  probably no railway line has such an excellently located photo point as the Montebello curve... the track describes a 180-degree curve, crosses the street - and all this in front of the Morteratsch glacier with its wreath of mountains...Thanks a lot Oscar!! ❀◕ ‿ ◕❀

Photo: Max Weiss
The Bernina Express slices southerly through the Graubunden Canton, reaching the lofty altitude of 2,253 metres at its highest point – and all without the gravity boost of a cogwheel track. The train passes through an ingenious system of spiral loops, 55 tunnels and 196 bridges.

Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes was listed as a UNESCO WHS site in 2008 which also includes the surrounding cultural landscape with its pristine villages, ruggedly-romantic landscapes and primordial Alps.

Stamp:

Animals of the Forest
(01-03-2018)

SWITZERLAND ~ United Nations - Geneve ~

... Beautiful night view of the office of the United Nations in Geneva... the European headquarters of the UN... 115.000 visitors take the tour of the Palais des Nations each year... this office specifically deals with humanitarian efforts and human rights issues... with all what's happening in the world lately, not an easy task ☹... Thanks a lot Rosmarie!! ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

Only the United Nations is permitted to issue postage stamps, even though it is an organization and not a country or a territory. The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) is the only postal authority that issues stamps in three different currencies: U.S. dollars, Swiss francs and euros. The stamps may be used for postage when used on mail sent from the United Nations offices in New York, Geneva or Vienna. Stamps in Swiss franc denominations are valid for postage only if mailed at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland.

Photo: World of Stock
The UN headquarter United Nations Office in Geneva,  also known as the Palais des Nations and is located at the Ariana Park.

The United Nations Office at Geneva is the second largest United Nations centre after the Headquarters in New York. It is located in the Palais des Nations building constructed for the League of Nations between 1929 and 1938 at Geneva in Switzerland, and expanded in the early 1950s and late 1960s.

Officially, the Palace of Nations has been the UN’s headquarters since 1946, shortly after WWII.  But Switzerland only joined the UN in 2002.

Stamps:

World Heritage - Czech Republic
(Issued 08-09-2016)

SWITZERLAND ~ Swiss National Park - UNESCO ~

... Spectacular view of Switzerland's only National Park... it was the first national park in the Alps and Central Europe and it is known for its abundance of Alpine animals and Alpine plants in a barely touched pristine landscape... an authentic hiking paradise... Thanks a lot Óscar!!【ツ】

Photo: ©Robert Bösch "Climbing on the Ofenpass in Graubunden"
Ofenpass (el. 2149 m) is a high alpine mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden. The name is based on the ovens that were used in ironworks in the area. The ruins of these ovens can still be seen from nearby trails.

The Swiss National Park (founded in 1914) stretches over 170 km2 and is Switzerland’s largest nature reserve, located in the easternmost region of Switzerland. The area lies in Engadin/Münstertal and encompasses alpine terrain rising from 1400 to 3200 m above sea level.

Many of alpine animals such as chamois, deer and marmots are living in the Park and various Alpine plants color the landscape. Currently there are over 5000 animal species and 650 different plant varieties.

It is part of the worldwide UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

Stamps:

The 200th Anniversary of the Invention of the Bicycle by Karl Drais
(Issued 02-03-2017)

Flora - Mushrooms
(06-03_2014)

SWITZERLAND ~ Lucerne - Mount Pilatus ~

... Breathtaking scenery... view from Mount Pilatus over lake Lucerne...  one of the topmost tourist places in the country... famously known as the Dragon Mountain, as ancient legends often described this as a home for mythical dragons... Thanks a lot Barry!! ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿...  It's always a very nice surprise to meet new people who tell me that they regularly visit my blog... like it and think of me while traveling! ♥

Photo:Ⓒ Robert Bösch

Lucerne is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking part of the country on the shores of Lake Lucerne (German: Vierwaldstättersee).

Pilatus (also often referred to Mount Pilatus) is a mountain massif  overlooking Lucerne. It is composed of several peaks, of which the highest (2,128 m (6,982 ft)) is named Tomlishorn.

Legend has it that this 2132m peak was named after Pontius Pilate, whose corpse was thrown into a lake on its summit and whose restless ghost has haunted its heights ever since. But it’s more likely that the name comes from the Latin word pileatus, meaning cloud covered – as the mountain frequently is.

Stamp:

Definitives - Swiss Railway Stations
(Issued 08-09-2016)

SWITZERLAND ~ United Nations - Geneva ~

... My third postcard sent from the United Nations with their own special stamps... view of the flags of the193 member states on the  "Allée des Drapeaux" ... the office of the United Nations in Geneva is the European headquarters of the UN... this office specifically deals with humanitarian efforts and human rights issues... Thanks Ruedi!!【ツ】

Only the United Nations is permitted to issue postage stamps, even though it is an organization and not a country or a territory.The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) is the only postal authority that issues stamps in three different currencies: U.S. dollars, Swiss francs and euros. The stamps may be used for postage when used on mail sent from the United Nations offices in New York, Geneva or Vienna.

The United Nations Office at Geneva is the second largest United Nations centre after the Headquarters in New York. It is located in the Palais des Nations building constructed for the League of Nations between 1929 and 1938 at Geneva in Switzerland, and expanded in the early 1950s and late 1960s.

Officially, the Palace of Nations has been the UN’s headquarters since 1946, shortly after WWII. Paradoxically, Switzerland only joined the UN in 2002.

Promoting respect for human rights is a core purpose of the United Nations and defines its identity as an organization for people around the world. Member States, however, have the primary responsibility for protecting human rights of their populations.

Stamps:

United Nations Buildings
(Issued 04-02-2011)

2015 Endangered Species - Birds
( Issued 16-04-2015)

SWITZERLAND ~Wil~

Lovely view of the old town Wil from air...its the hometown of Rosmarie who sent this card...always nice to see where other "postcard lovers" live!^__^ Many thanks Rosmarie!!


With great Swiss special stamp:
 100 years Swiss Air Force - «F-5 Tiger»
(Issued 6 -03- 2014)

Photo Haltmeier-Arbon Wil is the capital of the Wahlkreis (constituency) of Wil in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.The whole old town centre is preserved as it was in hundreds of years ago and is  considered as one of the best preserved old towns of Eastern Switzerland.

You see the very special shape of the old town which is on a small hill.

SWITZERLAND ~Wallis mountains~

Fantastic and overwhelming  mountain views...Thanks a lot Dieter, Eve and Jonas for thinking of me^_^
on  your skiing and snowboarding holiday!!

Nice bird stamp:
Fauna, domestic birds (Issued 08-05-2008)

Valais (Wallis)  lies in the South-West of Switzerland, stretching for 150 km along the narrow ribbon of the Rhône Valley between Lake Geneva and the Rhône Glacier, with capital Sion.
The highest mountains are: Dufour 4634m -  Dom 4545m - Weisshorn 4506m- Matterhorn 4478m.
Most of the ski resorts  in Valais are situated at or above 1500m, so snow cover guaranteed.

SWITZERLAND ~Basel~

...A beautiful panoramic view of the historic Old Town with the river Rhine flowing right through the city!(CH-106295) Thanks a lot Alina!!

no stamps...:(

Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany.
The city is among the most important cultural centres of Switzerland and comprises a large number of theatres and many museums, including the Museum of fine arts.

SWITZERLAND ~Aletsch Glacier-UNESCO~

Got a wonderful view of one of Europe's nature wonders (CH-96470)...It is sad to read that this glacier is on the list of places to visit before they disappear through climate changes... Thanks Simone!

"On August 18th, 2007, photographer Spencer Tunick used hundreds of naked people in a "living sculpture" on the Aletsch Glacier in a photo shoot intended to draw attention to global warming and the shrinking of the world's glaciers. The temperature was about 10 °C at the time of the photo shoot."

Here in Belgium the year 2011 is also expected to enter the record books as the warmest year since records began in Belgium in 1833. In 2011 the average temperature stood at 11.6 degrees Celsius. (If you like you can always find the weather "live" on my blog :D)

Nice stamp from the serie "The handicapped artists" special stamps (Christian Oppliger)

The Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Alps. It has a length of about 23 km (14 mi) and covers more than 120 square kilometres (46 sq mi) in the eastern Bernese Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais. The whole area, including other glaciers is part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch Protected Area, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.

SWITZERLAND ~Arosa~

Great view of a famous Swiss skiresort in summer without the snow...


Arosa is located in a huge sunny basin with the peak of the Weisshorn Mountain rising up to 2653 m. The terrain around the three main peaks of Arosa - Hornli, Weisshorn and Bruggerhorn - is littered with chutes and cliffs. By European standards, Arosa is a medium sized resort with about 900 metres of vertical and 15 lifts including two cable cars. Its size is actually an asset.

SWITZERLAND ~Basel ~

And three lovely night views of Basel on the river Rhine,(CH-68375). This is only my third official card from Switzerland!
With cute stamps too...


Located on both sides of the Rhine, in the three-country-corner of Switzerland, Germany and France, Basel is the third largest city in Switzerland. Not only diverse cultures, but also a multifaceted history, modern art and architecture converge here.
The Rhine is the most important waterway in Europe. It flows through four countries -Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands, before ending its journey in the North Sea at Rotterdam, a journey of 820 miles.

SWITZERLAND ~Biel~

Biel is situated by the lakeside at the foot of the Jura mountains and at the heart of Switzerland’s Mittelland region and it is is one of the cities where two languages are spoken equally, namely swiss german and french.Swatch, Rolex, Omega watchmakers are all located here.

SWITZERLAND ~Map~

The views are from famous places and landscapes all over Switzerland.