European cities - that's the focus of my update today. All cards will show some aspect of a city in Europe. A building, a square, a tower or some statue , etc - so pay attention, there might be a quiz at the end.
Prague , Czech Republic- The Old Town Square
The square is located between Wenceslas Square and the Charles Bridge. The card shows the Old Town Square and the Church of Our Lady before Tyn. On the right is the Jan Hus Memorial and on the left is the Old Town Hall.On the southern side of the Town Hall Tower , not visible on the card , is Prague Orloj, a medieval astronomical clock. The clock was installed in 1410, making it the third oldest astronomical clock in the world and the oldest one still in operation.
Meelis used 2 wonderful stamps on his card, two fine additions to my Aviation Stamp Collection. They are the 2 in an Airplanes stamp set issued in September of this year. The set is called " The World in Clouds " . Both stamps show an Electra 10A. This aircraft type operated Trans Canada Air Lines ( now Air Canada ) first commercial passenger flight from Vancouver to Seattle on September 1, 1937.
Lviv, Ukraine - St. George Cathedral
The city of 124,700 is located in western Ukraine . Ana's card is a great view of St. George Cathedral, built between 1744 and 1760 and overlooking the city. The historic city centre has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Ana used 2 great stamps , too. The left stamp from 2014 is another addition to my Aviation Collection. It commemorates the 100th Anniversary of the first Ilya Muromets Airplane. They were the first multi-engine aircraft ever produced. The right stamp was issued in 2019 and is one of two in a EUROPA set of National Birds.
Sadly the Great Stamp Defacer struck again with his or her pen cancel.
Nancy, France - Neptune's Fountain, Stanislas Square
This city of 105,100 is a riverfront city located in the northeastern part of the country. The grand square dates from the 18th century. In the northwest corner is located Neptune's Fountain. The square has been a UNESCO WHS since 1983.
Dominique used a stamp from 2015 celebrating the life of Jacques II de Chabannes ( 1470-1525 ) .
Kaunas, Lithuania -
This city in south central Lithuania sits at the confluence of the Neris and Nemunas Rivers. The city is quite old , having been granted city status in 1408. Jean Pierre's card shows views of a number of buildings, streets and monuments in the city. I'll just mention the three larger ones. At top left is Kaunas Castle, at bottom left is Church of Saint Michael the Archangel and at bottom middle is the House of Perkunas.
Jean Pierre used a couple of great stamps on his card. On the left is a stamp issued in January of 2016. It commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the January 13th Events. These events were the January 13, 1991 Bloodbath in which more than a dozen people lost their lives for their country's independence. Some were crushed by Soviet tanks and others were shot to death. The stamp on the right , also from 2016, is a Contemporary Lithuanian Art issue.
Nice pristine circular cancel. Much nicer than a pen scratch-out.
Cesena, Italy - La Rocca of Cesena
This city is located in the north east of the country. The Malatesta Fortress was built to defend the city. Indrit's card shows the fortress an seen from above. The two buildings in the walled area are known as the Male and Female Towers of the Rocca Matatestiana of Cesena.
Indrit used an Italian Post self adhesive stamp from 2015, along with a 2018 commemorative celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Death of Salvatore Quasimodo.
Leuven, Belgium - Saint Michael's Church
Leuven is located about 25 km east of Brussels. It's known for its breweries and is headquarters for Anheuser-Busch. Leuven is an old city, its central square dates to the 15th century. Johan's card provides a great view of Saint Michael's Church. The church was built between 1650 and 1666. It was almost completely destroyed by fire during bombardment of the city in 1944. Saint Michaels was reconstructed and completed in 1950.
Johan used 1 of 5 stamps in a 2019 mini-sheet featuring Leuven Squares.
Zagreb, Croatia - Ban Jelacic Square
This central square in the city is named after Ban Josip Jelacic and has existed since the 17th century. The man and horse statue of Josip Jelacic was installed in 1866 facing north. In 1947 the statue was removed by the new Communist government of Yugoslavia. It was later replaced in 1990 but now faces south.
There is an old postcard, but not in my collection , from 1880 showing the statue facing north, with the Zagreb Cathedral before the 1880 earthquake and here it is.
Jean Pierre used a 2019 stamp, 1 of 4 in a Castles of Croatia set.
Vilnius, Lithuania
Vilnius, Lithuania's capital , was granted city status way back in 1387. With a population of just over 570,000, the city is known for its medieval Old Town, which was given UNESCO WHS designation in 1994.
Another card from Jean Pierre. This time , 2 stamps. On the left, from 2019, 1 of 3 stamps showing Lithuanian State Symbols. On the right, from 2015, 1 of 2, showing Lithuania Mammals.
Rimini, Italy - Tourist destination
Rimini, on the Adriatic coast in northern Italy. It has a population of about 150,000.
Indrit used a stamp from 2016, 1 of 8 in a set featuring Squares of Italy.
Riga, Latvia - View of bridges over the Daugava River
Riga is the capital of Latvia and is located on the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the River Daugava. The city was founded in 1201 and its historical centre was declared a UNESCO WHS in 1997.
One more from Jean Pierre. This time he used
a Bird stamp from 2019.
Well that's all for today. Ten cards this time, I'm impressed, I usually never exceed six. My thanks for all these cards go out to Jean Pierre, Johan, Indrit, Dominique, Meelis and Ana.
Now for all those that stuck around, you may remember I said there might be a quiz. Well, it's not really a quiz, but a nice postcard with great stamps will go to the first correct answer to this question.
What happens when Prague Orloj, the astronomical clock strikes the hour, from 9 AM to 11 PM ? Leave your answer in a comment. First correct answer wins.
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