My UNESCO World Heritage Postcards

India - Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty

"Set in the foothills of the Patkai Ranges in eastern Assam, the property contains the royal necropolis of the Tai-Ahom. For 600 years, the Tai-Ahom created moidams (burial mounds) accentuating the natural topography of hills, forests and water, thus forming a sacred geography. Banyan trees and the trees used for coffins and bark manuscripts were planted and water bodies created. Ninety moidams – hollow vaults built of brick, stone or earth – of different sizes are found within the site. They contain the remains of kings and other royals together with grave goods such as food, horses and elephants, and sometimes queens and servants. The Tai-Ahom rituals of “Me-Dam-Me-Phi” and “Tarpan” are practiced at the Charaideo necropolis. While moidams are found in other areas within the Brahmaputra Valley, those found at the property are regarded as exceptional."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Moidams - the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty in Assam, India spanning from 1228 to 1826. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2024. Postcard was missent to South Korea. Thanks to Amar of India.

Bulgaria - Rila Monastery

"Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St John of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex which played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria. Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. A characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard 1
Rila Monastery St. Ivan Rilski. Postmarked August 30, 2011 in Bulgaria and arrived in Penang on September 22, 2011. Thanks to Jean-Pierre of France who visiting Bulgaria.

Postcard 2

A beautiful autumn view of Rila Monastery. Nice bird stamps used. Thanks to Christina of Sofia, Bulgaria.

Postcard 3
Rila Monastery in central Bulgaria is a UNESOC World Heritage site. Thanks to Jean-Pierre of France.

Bulgaria - Ancient City of Nessebar

"Situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea, the more than 3,000-year-old site of Nessebar was originally a Thracian settlement (Menebria). At the beginning of the 6th century BC, the city became a Greek colony. The city’s remains, which date mostly from the Hellenistic period, include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifications. Among other monuments, the Stara Mitropolia Basilica and the fortress date from the Middle Ages, when this was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the west coast of the Black Sea. Wooden houses built in the 19th century are typical of the Black Sea architecture of the period."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard 1
Nice postcard of Neesbar, Bulgaria. Nice stamp of the inauguaral Youth Olympics Games Singapore 2010. Thanks to Jean-Pierre of France who was visiting.

Postcard 2
A multi-view of Nessebar with a Bulgaria country map outline. Beautiful Bulgarian stamps used. Thanks to Christina of Sofia who visit Nessebar often.

Postcard 3
A beautiful coastal view of Nesebar, Bulgaria - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thanks to Jean-Pierre of France.

Germany - Cologne Cathedral

"Begun in 1248, the construction of this Gothic masterpiece took place in several stages and was not completed until 1880. Over seven centuries, successive builders were inspired by the same faith and a spirit of absolute fidelity to the original plans. Apart from its exceptional intrinsic value and the artistic masterpieces it contains, Cologne Cathedral testifies to the enduring strength of European Christianity."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

Postcard 1
I visited Koln Cathedral and sent this postcard to myself in May 2015.

Postcard 2- Multi-View

I have visited Koln Cathedral in May 2015. Great postcard showing interior and exterior views of cathedral. Thanks to Deike of Germany in Aug 2016.

Postcard 3 - Koln City View

Cologne (Koln) on Rhine River. Koln am Rhein Stadtpanorama. Thanks to Vanda of Germany in 2008.

Postcard 4 - Koln

Nice aerial view of Koln. Thanks to YL for mailing from Koln in October, 2017

Postcard 5 - Koln

A different view of Koln Cathedral.

Postcard 6 - Koln

Nice aerial view of Koln Cathedral. Reminds of my train ride along the bridge across the river towards Koln station and seeing this majestic Koln Cathedral which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Thanks to Jean-Pierre of France.

Brazil - Amazonia Theaters

"The property consists of two component parts: The Theatro da Paz and the Praça da República in Belém, and the Teatro Amazonas and the Largo de São Sebastião in Manaus. These were built in the States of Pará and Amazonas in Brazil during the Amazonian ‘Golden Age’ as a result of the economic peak of the Rubber Cycle between 1879 and 1912. Inspired by French and European architecture and decorated with motifs evoking the Amazon, these ensembles were designed as symbols of political and urban ambition. Inaugurated in 1878 and 1889, the Theatro da Paz and the Praça da República asserted the strategic role of the city of Belém as a port and State capital and celebrated the Brazilian Republic, while the Teatro Amazonas, inaugurated in 1896, was part of the large-scale urban development of Manaus during the rubber boom and, along with the Largo de São Sebastião, expressed the wealth and prestige of the future capital of the Amazon."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Dome of the Amazonas Opera House is visible behind the Cathedral of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Postmarked in Manaus February 13, 2012 and arrived in Penang on March 17, 2012. Thanks to Junior of Manaus, Brazil - obrigado.

China - Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites (2026)

"The serial property portrays the evolution of the production of handicraft porcelain from the 10th to 19th centuries that had profound industrial, artistic and trading influences in China and beyond globally. The five component parts reflect the processes of the production of porcelain, including the extraction and transportation of raw materials, innovations in kiln design and the spatial and social organisation of production on an immense scale. The town area featured the Imperial Kiln alongside civilian kilns, guilds and merchant associations. Jingdezhen was a centre of technological innovation in porcelain production, including the “binary formula” of mixing kaolin and porcelain stone. Porcelain of the highest quality was produced at Jingdezhen, and its blue-and-white porcelain and designs became a prized global commodity and a symbol of Chinese culture and artistry."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Jingdezhen Blue and White Phoenix Head Pot with Flat Sides, AD 1276-1368. Collection at Capital Museum, Beijing, China. This is a postcard from the Capital Museum collection postcard set that I bought during my visit to this amazing museum.

France - Beaches of the D-Day Landings, Normandy, 1944

"The serial property comprises six component parts along approximately 80 km of the Normandy coastline, encompassing Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches, as well as Pointe du Hoc. These sites are directly associated with the Allied landings of 6 June 1944, the opening phase of Operation Overlord, which marked the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi occupation during the Second World War. The property preserves significant remains of the German Atlantic Wall, including casemates, artillery batteries, fire‑control posts, and resistance nests, alongside battlefield traces, original wartime equipment, and major commemorative landscapes such as the American Cemetery at Colleville‑sur‑Mer. Together, these elements form an exceptional cultural landscape shaped both by the events of 1944 and by their enduring remembrance." "Utah Beach in Manche; Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, Batterie de Longues, Port artificiel Winston Churchill, Gold Beach, Juno Beach, Sword Beach all in Calvados; and underwater remains"

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Postcard 1
Utah Beach at Manche, Normandy. 60th Anniversary of WW2 Normandy Landing.

Postcard 2

Normandy landing. Thanks to Jean-Pierre of France. Received in September 2019.

France - Royal Capetian Fortresses of Languedoc

"The serial property comprises eight fortified sites – Castle and ramparts of Carcassonne and the fortresses of Aguilar, Lastours, Montségur, Peyrepertuse, Puilaurens, Quéribus, and Termes – representing a core part of the Capetian defensive system established in the 13th–14th centuries following the Albigensian Crusade. Built on rugged rocky ridges in strategically significant locations, these fortifications formed the backbone of the newly created seneschalty of Carcassonne, asserting the authority of the seneschal over the former territories of independent feudal lineages. Together, they illustrate the political, military and territorial consolidation of the Capetian Crown in Languedoc through ostentatious architecture adapted to dramatic topography."

Château d’Aguilar Tuchan / Aude
Châteaux de Lastours Lastours / Aude
Château de Montségur Montségur / Ariège
Château de Peyrepertuse Duilhac-sous-Peyrepertuse / Aude
Château de Puilaurens Puilaurens / Aude (collected)
Château de Quéribus Cucugan / Aude
Château de Termes Termes / Aude
Cité de Carcassonne Carcassonne / Aude "

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Chateau de Puilaurens in Aude - a Cathare castle which attacked and burnt tragically. Postcard thanks to Nathalie of France.

Finland - Aalto Works

"The property consists of thirteen modern buildings and ensembles across Finland (1928–1988) that exemplify the 20th‑century Modern Movement and its response to broad social needs. These civic, community, and residential structures—found in both urban and rural settings—are internationally associated with Alvar Aalto, yet they reflect the collaborative creativity of Aalto, Aino Marsio‑Aalto, Elissa Aalto, the Aalto studio, and their design partners. Rooted in Finnish building traditions while drawing on global modernist ideas, the works express a human‑centred, site‑specific, and empathetic vision that distinguishes Finland’s contribution to modern architecture."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Paimio Sanatorium - Aalto House - Sunila Pulp Mill Housing Area

Villa Mairea - Säynätsalo Town Hall - Experimental House, Muuratsalo

Studio Aalto - Church of Three Crosses, Vuoksenniska - House of Culture

University of Jyväskylä, Aalto Campus - Social Insurance Institution Main Office

Seinäjoki Civic Centre - Finlandia Hall

The components of the series settle in the industrialised and mechanised society of the modern era and in the ideas of the global Modern Movement responding to its challenges. Architect Alvar Aalto’s (1898 - 1976) works are considered masterpieces of the architectural heritage of this movement. The architectural features and special expression of the works have been created in close interaction and dialogue with the international Modern Movement, and their impact continues in modern contemporary architecture. The works include iconic modernistic buildings, sites and areas that have influenced the formation and development of Modern Movement and modernism in Finland, in the Nordic countries and globally. The works are masterful in taking people’s feelings and senses into account and in expressing these by means of architecture, and the works have become an integral part of international modernism.

Source: UNESCO WHS Tentative List

A postcard of Paimio Hospital. Thanks to Nina of Finland.

Japan - Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara

"Located in the southern part of the Nara Basin, Asuka and Fujiwara were the two ancient capitals of the Japanese archipelago that marked the establishment of a centralised state system modelled after the Chinese codified law known as ritsuryō. Nineteen component parts, comprising palaces/government offices, Buddhist temples and mounded tombs, contain archaeological evidence of the Asuka Capital (588-694 CE) and the Fujiwara Capital (694-710 CE). The Asuka capital was established at the site of the Asuka-dera Temple, the first Buddhist temple in Japan. Together, the sites illustrate the introduction and consolidation of key elements of early centralized governance and influenced the later Japanese capitals of Nara and Kyoto."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Ishibutai Ancient Tomb of Nara Asukaji, Japan. Special IMF 2012 cancellation. Thanks to Ai of Kyoto, Japan.

USA - Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge

"The property, located in southeastern Georgia and northeastern Florida, protects the Okefenokee Swamp, the largest lowland freshwater peatland in the subtropical zone worldwide and one of the largest and most intact ecosystems within the North American Coastal Plain global biodiversity hotspot. The property comprises a diverse mosaic of wetlands, savannas, and forests shaped by the ongoing interaction of water, fire, vegetation, and wildlife, with alternating fire and rainfall processes driving peat formation, vegetation structure, and biodiversity. The site also contains significant areas of endangered Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) savanna, of which less than 3% remains, supporting high concentrations of plant species endemic to the region. Its extensive peat deposits provide an important archive of palaeo-environmental history and critical carbon storage. The property supports exceptional biodiversity, including at least 856 plant species, 48 mammal species, 238 bird species, 39 fish species, and 90 reptile and amphibian species, and provides important habitat for migratory birds, threatened species, and a significant population of American alligators." Source: UNESCO World Heritage Site

Postcard 1
A cool multi-view of Okefenokee Swamp of Georgia, USA. Thanks to Jim of Arizona who was visiting.

Postcard 2
Okefenokee Swamp is located in the south eastern Georgia and north eastern Florida. Nice Zion stamp. Thanks to Jessica of California, USA.

Postcard 3
"Oscar" the famous alligator of Okefenokee Swamp. Thanks to Jim of Arizona, USA.

Thailand - Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat

"Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan (or Phra Mahathat monastery), located in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province in Peninsular Thailand on a narrow ridge between the Pacific and Indian oceans, has served as a major regional Buddhist centre since its founding in the 8th century. Benefiting from the transoceanic trade networks, the monastery was influenced by various religious and architectural traditions including Brahmanism, Hinduism, Mahayana Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism from northeastern India, central Java, Sri Lanka and the Mon region of southern Myanmar. These influences have been integrated into its religious buildings, rituals and cultural traditions. Its distinctive artistic and architectural expressions have exerted a wide-ranging and enduring influence throughout Thailand and across Southeast Asia. The religious and local traditions have continued at the monastery for more than 1,500 years, including the Nakhon Si Thammarat chronicle tradition, the annual cloth-wrapping ceremony for the Great Reliquary and the Nora dance drama."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage

NOTE: This is a new 2026 UNESCO WHS inscription. I have extra posttcards to be mailed from Thailand as swap for my missing UNESCO World Heritage. If interested, please email me at smspenang@yahoo.com or message if you have my Facebook/Messenger contact.

Postcard 1
Phra That Temple at Nakornsritammarat, Southern Thailand. Thanks to T.R. for mailing from Nakhon Si Thammarat, Southern Thailand.