Germany - Upper Middle Rhine Valley

Here's another wonderful card received in the UNESCO tag, which can be very addictive :))) And when this one is inactive for a while, I try another tags, because I tell myself that they require sending less cards than the Round Robins, but in fact it's not true, because I can't help the temptation to tag more than once :))

These views of Upper Middle Rhine Valley look really breathtaking, with all these castles and forests. According to the sender, the Maus Castle is now a home for falcons and eagles. And of course Rhine is a very beautiful river with many meanders. I think I've already told you that I swam in Rhine once, but that was in Switzerland, where this river is still quite clean :)


The 65km-stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley, with its castles, historic towns and vineyards, graphically illustrates the long history of human involvement with a dramatic and varied natural landscape. It is intimately associated with history and legend and for centuries has exercised a powerful influence on writers, artists and composers.

The Middle Rhine Valley is an outstanding example of an evolving traditional way of life and means of communication in a narrow river valley. The terracing of its steep slopes in particular has shaped the landscape in many ways for more than two millennia. However, this form of land-use is under threat from the socio-economic pressures of the present day.

Germany - East Holstein map (DE-318993)

I think I've already told you that I love these German map cards :) They're very informative and immediatelly give you some idea about the region they show. Of course, not everyone likes maps, but I've always been into geography, so I find them really interesting :) Have you known that German name of Baltic Sea was Ostsee, meaning East Sea? I wonder, what's the reason for using absolutely different name than in other languages :)

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The sender of this card wrote only that it showed a part of Schleswig Holstein federal state in Germany. There's also no specific information about it on the back side of this card, but after some googleing (or, more precisely, wikipediaing) ;), I found out that it's a map of East Holstein distcrict, including Wagrien peninsula and Fehmarn island.

Germany - Bus 100 in Berlin (DE-307971)

This interesting card gives you a good idea on how to sightsee Berlin, if you don't want or don't have enough time to walk around the city :) You can take the Bus 100 to see all the places depicted on this postcard. I've taken a sightseeing bus just once in my life in Brussels, but I still prefer the "traditional" way of sightseeing, even if I can't visit all the interesting sights this way :)

I read that the Bus 100 enters the Museum Island, which is a UNESCO site. I wonder, if any of the pictures on this card show buildings located on that island? I'm just curious if I can label this card as UNESCO :) I'll be very thankful, if you can help me :)


Berlin, nine times the size of Paris, is best explored on foot with the aid of the city’s excellent public transportation system. Of particular use to first-time visitors is bus line 100, a double-decker bus that passes by the major sights while connecting the two centers of this formerly divided city. Bus stops are numerous but for a good overview of the Mitte central district of Berlin take the bus all the way to the end terminus and alight at interesting sights on the way back.

You can read more about the route of this bus here, if you're interested in visiting Berlin :)

Germany - Church of Our Lady in Nuremberg (DE-316163)

This wonderful card shows the catholic Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche in German) on the main square of Nuremberg. I used to travel quite often in different West European countries with my dad several years ago and at some moment we started joking that each time we visit a new city, we also visit another gothic cathedral or church :) In fact, some of them are really similar to each other, but this church catched my attention immediatelly, when I received this card. Maybe it's because there are many pinnacles (I still remember some names of architectural details) ;) or because of the nice solar clock? I haven't been to Nuremberg, but it's already my 2nd card from there and I'm convinced it's a very beautiful city.

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Emperor Charles IV had the Church of Our Lady's (Frauenkirche) built here between 1355 and 1358 on the site of the destroyed synagogue of the former Jewish quarter (pogrom in 1349). It was the first Gothic hall church in Franconia, constructed as an Imperial court chapel with three aisles. Its builder was presumably Peter Parler, the master builder of the Prague St Vitus' Cathedral. The "Männleinlaufen" ("Running Men" clockwork at noon), created in 1509 by Sebastian Lindenast and Georg Heuß, is reminiscent of the proclamation of the Golden Bull of 1356: seven electors pay homage to Emperor Charles IV sitting on the throne. The main altar is the "Tucher Altar" which was the high altar in the Augustine Church up until 1487. In 1816, the Church of Our Lady's was given to Nuremberg's Catholic congregation.

Germany - Bamberg (DE-310457)

I have a lot of reasons to love this card :) First of all, it shows the town of Bamberg, which is a new UNESCO site in my collection (as I promised, I'm going to tell you, when I have 100 of them, but I still don't think it's going to be soon). It is also a map card and my first one with a city map. Morover, there's a beautiful train on the stamp. Last but not least, it's very orange :)))

I think I've already written it for hundreds of times, but it's always very pleasant to receive a card fitting my wishes so well not only because it enriches my collection, but also because it's nice to feel that people, who don't know me at all and get my address randomly care to make me happy :)

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Bamberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from getting near to Bamberg.

The Old Town of Bamberg is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage, primarily because of its authentic medieval appearance. The city established a documentation centre in 2005 to support World Heritage activities.

Germany - Beautiful doors in North Germany (DE-307663)

I like this card, because it's a multiview with a lot of pictures (more precisely - there are 20) and because it's so unusual. Many people just don't pay attention to such details, as the doors of houses that they're passing by. I don't know, who is the author of this postcard, but this person really had a great idea :) Honestly, I rarely notice such things, although seeing them on a postcard I must say they're really beautiful.

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I doubt if I would ever care to have such garden and door, because it really takes a lot of time to make it look beautiful and I'm just too lazy ;) But it's nice to see that some people care and tha they achieve really good results :)

Germany - Zollverein Coal Mine (DE-303990)

This card is something very special in my collection, not only because it has enriched my UNESCO collection (Don't even ask me, how many UNESCO sites do I have in my collection now... I'll tell you when I reach 100, but I'm afraid it's not going to be soon). It's special for some other reason - it's my first card showing a coal mine and the first showing the beauty of industrial objects. My opinion about the heavy industry has always been that we obviously need it for our civilisation, but it's not pretty at all - just spoiling the landscape and polluting the enviroment. And, of course, in most cases it is like that. But, as you can see, even a coal mine may be beautiful and may be a World Heritage Site. If all the constructors cared to make the industrial objects not only useful, but also look at least normal - the industrial regions wouldn't be the scariest parts of many countries :)

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The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex is a large former industrial site in the city of Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It has been inscribed into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since December 14, 2001 and is one of the anchor points of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. The first coal mine on the premises was founded in 1847, mining activities took place from 1851 until December 23, 1986. For decades starting in the late 1950s, the two parts of the site, Zollverein Coal Mine and Zollverein Coking Plant (erected 1957−1961, closed on June 30, 1993), ranked among the largest of their kinds in Europe. Shaft 12, built in Bauhaus style, was opened in 1932 and is considered an architectural and technical masterpiece, earning it a reputation as the “most beautiful coal mine in the world”.

Germany - a forest near Rechtenbach (DE-294060)

I received this card as an official from Germany some time ago. Even though it doesn't show anything very unusual and I actually couldn't tell, which country it is just looking at the card, I like it because of it's colors and contrast (I'm not sure if you can see it here, especially because my scanner isn't a very good one). According to the information on the back side of the postcard, it's a forst near Rechtenbach in Bavaria.

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I used to spend a lot of time in forests during the summer holidays before. My grandparents live in a region with many forests, lakes and hills, but which is a very famous tourist destination, which makes it a very nice and peaceful place to spend holidays. I especially enjoyed going on bike trips and picking the mushrooms :) Now I don't spend my holidays there anymore, but if I have an opportunity to go there for a few days, I always go for a walk to the forest. It really calms me down.

Germany - Frankfurt am Main (DE-296805)

It's already my 4th postcard from Frankfurt am Main and they're still all different :) Perhaps I'm just lucky with this city, because I received 3 of these cards randomly, as officials :) I can't even say, which is my favorite one. I like German city views in general, because they're mostly multiviews and often there's written on each picture, what it shows (Well, usually it's written in German, but you'll probably agree, that even if you don't understand this language, typing German text into the online translator isn't as difficult, as trying to guess the meaning of text in unknown script) :)

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Germany - Müritz lake (DE-293862)

I really like this kind of German map cards :) Well, I mean it's nice, when for example instead of just railway on the map, you can see train on it :) This card gives a lot of information about the activities, which you can try at the Müritz lake and you can even see that there are some ducks ;)

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The Müritz (from slavic "little sea") is a lake in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, northern Germany. Its area is 117 km², which makes it the second largest lake of Germany (after Lake Constance). Its maximum depth is 31 metres. It is fed and drained by the river Elde. Part of the Müritz and adjacent forests and wetlands are protected by the Müritz National Park. The Müritz district was named after the lake.

Germany - Duisburg (DE-270203)

Writing about German cities, I often mention that "I haven't been to this city, but I've been very close to it on the highway". The highways in Western Europe (especially in Germany) have many advantages, such as safety and possibility of driving faster, but they don't let you see anything. In Eastern Europe (in these places, where no highways have been built yet), driving through the country gives you some idea about cities, towns and villages. Why am I writing about it now? Yes, I've been very close to Duisburg, passing it on the highway, but I haven't seen anything there :) It seems to be a modern, but beautiful city.

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Duisburg is a German city in the western part of the Ruhr Area (Ruhrgebiet) in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is an independent metropolitan borough within Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf. With the biggest inland harbour in Europe and its proximity to Düsseldorf International Airport, Duisburg has become an important venue for commerce and steel production.

Today's city is a result of numerous incorporations of surrounding towns and smaller cities. It is the twelfth-largest city in Germany and the fifth-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia with 495,668 residents as of 31 December 2007. The city is renowned for its steel industry. There is still one coal mine in operation, but Duisburg has never been a coal-mining center to the same extent as other places in the Ruhr. University of Duisburg-Essen, with 33,000 students, ranks among the 10 largest German universities.

Germany - Sanssouci palace (DE-285752)

Here's another card to my UNESCO collection (I've been getting more serious about collecting them, but I know I won't ever have cards showing all the UNESCO sites). It shows the Sanssouci palace in Potsdam. Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1990.

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Sanssouci is the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, at Potsdam, near Berlin. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous temples and follies in Sanssouci Park. The palace was designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfil Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. This is emphasized by the palace's name: a French phrase (sans souci) which translates loosely as "without cares" or "carefree" symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power.

Germany - Laboe Naval Memorial (DE-257190)

It took this card over 2 months to arrive from Germany to Poland, at least that's the official travelling time on postcrossing :) It shows a memorial, which was first dedicated to the German sailors, who died during the World War I, but now is dedicated to sailors of all nationalities. It's located near Kiel in Northern Germany.

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The Laboe Naval Memorial is a memorial located in Laboe, near Kiel, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Started in 1927 and completed in 1936, the monument originally memorialized the World War I war dead of the Imperial German Navy, with the dead of World War II being added after 1945. In 1954, it was rededicated to commemorate the sailors of all nationalities who died during the World Wars.

The monument consists of a 72-metre high tower with an observation deck atop the tower. The deck stands a total 85 m above sea level. A hall of remembrance and the WWII-era German submarine U-995, which houses a technical museum, both sit near the foot of the monument, and the site is a popular tourist venue. U-995 is the world's only remaining Type VII U-boat.

Germany - Berlin Bear (DE-269395)

I'm really glad to receive this kind of cards at least sometimes :)) I used to collect teddy bears, when I was a child, I had almost 100 of them and each had his/her own name and story :) I used to write whole stories about their life, they had their own country (which divided into 2 countries later, when some bears wanted democracy instead of monarchy) :) OK, don't laugh at me, I was about 10 then :)) Anyway, all the bears are still with me, it would be too cruel to throw them away :)

This card shows the "Berlin Bear" drawn by Phil, the local artist.

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Germany - Munich (DE-245058)

This card shows the Chinese tower in English garden in Munich, Germany :)) Yes, it seems to be very international :) It's one of the most popular beer gardens in Munich.

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Germany - Kalkar

I received this card from my penpal about 2 years ago. I've never been to Kalkar, but I know it's quite close to the Dutch border.

Kalkar is a municipality in the district of Kleve, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located near the Rhine, approx. 10 km south-east of Cleves. The most famous building of Kalkar is its church St. Nicolai, which has one of the most significant sacral inventory from the late Middle Ages in Europe.

Germany - Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin (DE-252592)

I still haven't been to Berlin :( And I really regret it, because it's closer than Warsaw. I already have 3 cards from Berlin, they all show different places that are definitely worth visiting.
Here's some information about the Charlottenburg Palace:

Charlottenburg Palace (German: Schloss Charlottenburg) is the largest palace in Berlin and the only building in the city dating back to the time of the Hohenzollern family.It is located in the Charlottenburg district of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf area.

The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during the 18th century. It includes much exotic internal decoration in baroque and rococo styles. A large formal garden surrounded by woodland was constructed behind the palace. In the grounds of the palace various buildings were erected, including a belvedere, a mausoleum, a theatre and a pavilion. During the Second World War the palace was badly damaged but has since been reconstructed. The palace, its gardens and the buildings in the grounds are major visitor attractions.

I'm sorry for the poor quality of scan. Sometimes there are vertical stripes on the picture and even though I scan again in such cases - there are stripes again. Maybe someone could explain it to me or give some advices?

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Germany - Christmas card (DE-253862)

A nice Christmas card from Germany :)

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Germany (DE-253605)

I love cards with nice quotes and I love challenges :) I must tell you that each text written in German is kind of challenge for me ;) Of course, I've checked the meaning of this quote, but I was really glad to find out that I understood it quite well myself :) Maybe my German is getting better?
So, the way I understand it (myself and with help of online translator is):
"I believe that the life of everyone of us is a mystery, in which an angel is hidden and only God has the key to it."
Let me know, if I'm wrong :) My German still needs improvement!

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Germany - Hamburg

I received this postcard in the Slavic countries & Rest of the world RR :) It shows the Speicherstadt, which is a part of huge Hamburg port.

The Speicherstadt, one of Hamburg's architectural icons today, is a large wharf area of 350.000 m² floor area on the northern shore of the river built in the 1880s as part of the free port and to cope with the growing amounts of stored goods in the port.