#300 Dublin, Ireland

 Newgrange (Irish: Sí an Bhrú) is a prehistoric monument in County Meath, Ireland, about one kilometre north of the River Boyne. It was built about 3200 BC, during the Neolithic period, which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. Newgrange is a large circular mound with a stone passageway and chambers inside. The mound has a retaining wall at the front and is ringed by 'kerbstones' engraved with artwork. There is no agreement about what the site was used for, but it has been speculated that it had religious significance – it is aligned with the rising sun and its light floods the chamber on the winter solstice. It is the most famous monument within the Neolithic Brú na Bóinne complex, alongside the similar passage tomb mounds of Knowth and Dowth, and as such is a part of the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site. Newgrange also shares many similarities with other Neolithic constructions in Western Europe, such as Maeshowe in Orkney, Scotland and the Bryn Celli Ddu in Wales.

After its initial use, Newgrange was sealed and it remained so for several millennia, later appearing in Irish mythology and folklore. It first began to be studied by antiquarians in the 17th century AD and archeological excavations took place at the site over the following centuries. In the 1970s, the front of the monument was reconstructed, although some have questioned it. Today, Newgrange is a popular tourist site and, according to the archeologist Colin Renfrew, is "unhesitatingly regarded by the prehistorian as the great national monument of Ireland" and as one of the most important megalithic structures in Europe.

 Wikipedia.org

Property No #659

It's in the list of UNESCO as a part of Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne.

Date of Inscription on the List of UNESCO WHS: 1993

Ireland (Irish: Éire [ˈeːɾʲə]; Ulster-Scots: Airlann or Airlan) is an island to the north-west of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth. To its east is the larger island of Great Britain, from which it is separated by the Irish Sea.

Politically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland, which covers just under five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom, which covers the remaining area and is located in the north-east of the island. The population of Ireland is approximately 6.4 million. Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland and just over 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland.

The island's geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain, with several navigable rivers extending inland. The island has lush vegetation, a product of its mild but changeable oceanic climate, which avoids extremes in temperature. Thick woodlands covered the island until medieval times. Today, the amount of land that is forested in Ireland is just one third of the European average of 35%. There are twenty-six extant mammal species native to Ireland.

Wikipedia.org 

The Roman Catholic Church of St. Patrick is located in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. It is often mistaken for a cathedral, although it is only a church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh. It is built in the Gothic style, and was designed by the architect Thomas Duff.

Wikipedia.org 

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This card is a Surprise card.

Andalusia (Spanish: Andalucía) is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities in Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognized as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Seville. Its capital is the city of Seville (Spanish: Sevilla).

Wikipedia.org

Thank you, Anna !

Sent on: August 20, 2013
Received on: August 26, 2013