#1704 Turkey

Hagia Sophia ("Holy Wisdom"; Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia; Turkish: Ayasofya) is the former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque and now a museum (Ayasofya Müzesi) in Istanbul, Turkey. Built in 537 AD at the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was famous in particular for its massive dome. It was the world's largest building and an engineering marvel of its time. It is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture".

Wikipedia.org

Property No #356

It's in the list of UNESCO as a part of Historic Areas of Istanbul.
Date of Inscription on the List of UNESCO: 1985

Thank you, Pinar !

Received on: February 25, 2019

#1301 Algeria

Thank you !

Received on: May 29, 2017

#1157 Iran

The Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque (Persian: مسجد نصیر الملک‎‎ Masjed-e Nasir-ol-Molk), also known as the Pink Mosque, is a traditional mosque in Shiraz, Iran. It is located at the district of Gowad-e-Arabān, near Shāh Chérāgh Mosque.

The mosque includes extensive colored glass in its facade, and displays other traditional elements such as the Panj Kāse ("five concaved") design. It is named in popular culture as the Pink Mosque, due to the usage of considerable pink color tiles for its interior design.

The mosque was built during the Qajar era, and is still in use under protection by Endowment Foundation of Nasir ol Molk. It was built from 1876 to 1888, by the order of Mirzā Hasan Ali (Nasir ol Molk), a Qajar ruler. The designers were Mohammad Hasan-e-Memār, an Iranian architect, and Mohammad Rezā Kāshi-Sāz-e-Širāzi.

Wikipedia.org

Thank you, Latif!

Received on: September 23, 2016

#972 Kazan, Russia

The Kazan Kremlin (Russian: Казанский Кремль; Tatar: Cyrillic Казан кирмәне, Latin Qazan kirmäne) is the chief historic citadel of Tatarstan, situated in the city of Kazan. It was built at the behest of Ivan the Terrible on the ruins of the former castle of Kazan khans. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2000.

Wikipedia.org

The Qolşärif Mosque (pronounced [kɔlʃæˈriːf], also spelled Qol Sharif, Qol Sherif and Kol Sharif via the Tatar Qol Şärif mäçete, Qolşärif mäçete, and Kul Sharif via the Russian мечеть Кул-Шариф, mechet Kul-Sharif) located in Kazan Kremlin, was reputed to be – at the time of its construction – one of the largest mosques in Russia, and in Europe outside of Istanbul.

Wikipedia.org

Property No #980

Date of Inscription on the List of UNESCO WHS: 2000

Thank you, Regina !

Received on: September 14, 2015

#652 Johor Bahru, Malaysia

The Petronas Towers, also known as the Petronas Twin Towers (Malay: Menara Petronas, or Menara Berkembar Petronas) are twin skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH)'s official definition and ranking, they were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004. The buildings are a landmark of Kuala Lumpur, along with nearby Kuala Lumpur Tower.

Wikipedia.org

The other building on the postcard is Al-Asyikin Mosque, but Wikipedia has no information about it.

Thank you, Sophia !

Sent on: May 29, 2014

Received on: June 10, 2014

#556 Yenişehir, Turkey

The Kocatepe Mosque is the largest mosque in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. It was built between 1967 and 1987 in the Kocatepe quarter in Kızılay, and its size and prominent situation have made it a landmark that can be seen from almost anywhere in central Ankara.

The idea of building the Kocatepe Mosque dates back to the 1940s. On December 8, 1944, Ahmet Hamdi Akseki, the Vice-President of Turkish Religious Affairs, along with seventy-two founding members, established a society known as the "Society to Build a Mosque in Yenişehir, Ankara." In 1947 this society called for projects to be drawn up by architects, but none of the submitted projects were accepted.

In 1956, through the efforts of the late Adnan Menderes, Prime Minister of the time, land was allocated for the project to build a mosque in Ankara, and a request for projects was made once again in 1957. This time thirty-six projects were evaluated, with the joint project of Vedat Dalokay and Nejat Tekelioğlu being chosen as the one to be implemented.

The accepted project was an innovative and modern design. The construction started, but due to heavy critique from conservatives for its modernist look, the construction was stopped at the foundation level. Vedat Dalokay later built a modified version of the Kocatepe Mosque after winning an international competition for the Shah Faisal Masjid in Islamabad, Pakistan in 1969. This mosque, which can accommodate 24,000 worshippers, is one of the largest mosques of the world, and accepted by many as the frontiers of modern Islamic architecture.

After a third architectural competition in 1967, a more conservative or nostalgic design by Hüsrev Tayla and M. Fatin Uluengin was chosen to be built. Completed in 1987, this project is built in a neo-classical Ottoman architecture style, and is an eclectic building inspired by the Selimiye mosque in Edirne, and the Sehzade and Sultan Ahmet mosques in Istanbul.

Wikipedia.org

Thank you, Muammer !

Sent on: March 24, 2014

Received on: April 3, 2014

#519 Malaysia

The Putra Mosque, or Masjid Putra in Malay language, is the principal mosque of Putrajaya, Malaysia. Construction of the mosque began in 1997 and was completed two years later. It is located next to Perdana Putra which houses the Malaysian Prime Minister's office and man-made Putrajaya Lake. In front of the mosque is a large square with flagpoles flying Malaysian states' flags.

Wikipedia.org

Thank you, Raymond !

Sent on: February 10, 2014

Received on: March 5, 2014

#469 Brunei

Received card #195 for more info about Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque and link to Wikipedia.

Thank you !

Sent on: January 7, 2014

Received on: January 20, 2014

#461 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque (Malay: Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz) is the state mosque of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located in Shah Alam. It is the country's largest mosque and also the second largest mosque in Southeast Asia after Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta in Indonesia. Its most distinguishing feature is its large blue and silver dome. The mosque has four minarets, one erected at each of the corners.

The mosque was commissioned by the late Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz, when he declared Shah Alam as the new capital of Selangor on 14 February 1974. Construction began in 1982 and finished on 11 March 1988. The Mosque is also known as the Blue Mosque owing to its blue dome. The building has the distinction of having the largest religious dome in the world, it measures 51.2 m (167 ft) in diameter and reaches 106.7 m (350 ft) above ground level. The four minarets, each reaching 142.3 m (460 ft) above ground level are the 2nd tallest in the world, the distinction of the world's highest being held by the Hassan II Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الحسن الثاني) in Casablanca, Morocco. In its early years, the mosque was listed in the Guinness World Records as having the tallest minaret in the world before being supplanted by the 210 m (689 ft) at the Hassan II Mosque when that structure was inaugurated in August 1993. The Blue Mosque (Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz) does however still maintain the distinction of having the world's tallest group of minarets as the set of four each stand at 142.3 m (460 ft) above ground level.

Wikipedia.org

Thank you, Yen Shin !

Sent on: December 3, 2013

Received on: December 31, 2013

#421 Egypt

The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Ţūlūn (Arabic: مسجد أحمد بن طولون‎) is located in Cairo, Egypt. It is arguably the oldest mosque in the city surviving in its original form, and is the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area.

The mosque was commissioned by Ahmad ibn Ţūlūn, the Abbassid governor of Egypt from 868–884 whose rule was characterized by de facto independence. The historian al-Maqrizi lists the mosque's construction start date as 876 AD, and the mosque's original inscription slab identifies the date of completion as 265 AH, or 879 AD.

The mosque was constructed on a small hill called Gebel Yashkur, "The Hill of Thanksgiving." One local legend says that it is here that Noah's Ark came to rest after the Deluge, instead of at Mount Ararat. 

Wikipedia.org 

The Red Pyramid, also called the North Pyramid, is the largest of the three major pyramids located at the Dahshur necropolis. Named for the rusty reddish hue of its stones, it is also the third largest Egyptian pyramid, after those of Khufu and Khafra at Giza. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world. It is also believed to be the world's first successful attempt at constructing a "true" smooth-sided pyramid. Local residents refer to the Red Pyramid as el-haram el-watwat, meaning the Bat Pyramid.

The Red Pyramid was not always red. It used to be cased with white Tura limestone, but only a few of these stones now remain at the pyramid's base, at the corner. During the Middle Ages much of the white Tura limestone was taken for buildings in Cairo, revealing the reddish sandstone beneath.

Wikipedia.org

These aren't real postcards, more like cardboard with picture.

Thank you, Asmaa !

Sent on: November 3, 2013

Received on: November 25, 2013

#317 Qurum, Oman

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is the main Mosque in the Sultanate of Oman.

In 1992 Sultan Qaboos directed that his country of Oman should have a Grand Mosque. A competition for its design took place in 1993 and after a site was chosen at Bausher construction commenced in 1995. Building work, which was undertaken by Carillion Alawi LLC took six years and four months.

The Mosque is built from 300,000 tonnes of Indian sandstone. The main musalla (prayer hall) is square (external dimensions 74.4 x 74.4 metres) with a central dome rising to a height of fifty metres above the floor. The dome and the main minaret (90 metres) and four flanking minarets (45.5 metres) are the mosque’s chief visual features. The main musalla can hold over 6,500 worshippers, while the women’s musalla can accommodate 750 worshipers. The outer paved ground can hold 8,000 worshipers and there is additional space available in the interior courtyard and the passageways, making a total capacity of up to 20,000 worshipers.

Wikipedia.org

Thank you, Cresalde !

Sent on: August 5, 2013
Received on: September 5, 2013

#251 Istanbul, Turkey

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii) is an historic mosque in Istanbul. The mosque is popularly known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior.

It was built from 1609 to 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Its Külliye contains a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. While still used as a mosque, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque has also become a popular tourist attraction.

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has one main dome, six minarets, and eight secondary domes. The design is the culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque and Byzantine church development. It incorporates some Byzantine elements of the neighboring Hagia Sophia with traditional Islamic architecture and is considered to be the last great mosque of the classical period. The architect, Sedefkâr Mehmed Ağa, synthesized the ideas of his master Sinan, aiming for overwhelming size, majesty and splendour.
 Wikipedia.org

Property No #356

It's also in the list of UNESCO as a part of Historic Areas of Istanbul.

Date of Inscription on the list of UNESCO WHS: 1985

Thank you, Onder !

Sent on: May 21, 2013

Received on: May 31, 2013

#242 Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Samarkand (Uzbek: Samarqand Самарқанд; Persian: سمرقند‎; Russian: Самаркандfrom Sogdian: "Stone Fort" or "Rock Town") is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province. The city is most noted for its central position on the Silk Road between China and the West, and for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study. In the 14th century it became the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane) and is the site of his mausoleum (the Gur-e Amir). The Bibi-Khanym Mosque (a modern replica) remains one of the city's most notable landmarks. The Registan was the ancient center of the city.

Shakhi Zinda Necropolis is an architectural spectacular in the southeastern part of the Afrosiab site of Samarkand, having 11 mausoleums, built from the 14th and 15th centuries.

 Wikipedia.org

Property No #603

It's in the list of UNESCO as a part of Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures.
Date of Inscription on the List of UNESCO: 2001

Tashkent (Uzbek: Toshkent, Тошкент [tɒʃˈkent]; Russian:Ташкент, [tɐʂˈkʲent]; literally "Stone City") is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province.

Construction of a mosque done in the shortest time (four months) in 2007 on the initiative of President Islam Karimov. The mosque itself is a unique symbol of Tashkent architectural style: at the entrance to the mosque there is a terrace with twenty-carved columns of sandalwood. The mosque also has two large blue domes, the interior of which is decorated with gold leaf as in madrassah Tillakari in Samarkand.
Window openings of domes are designed so that the sun’s rays continuously penetrate inside the mosque from sunrise to sunset. At the entrance to the mosque there are erected two minarets of 53 meters in height.

The Madrasah of Mukhammad Amin-khan is one of the main sights, located in the historical district Itchan-Kala. It is the largest madrasah not only in Khiva but in the Central Asia. The two-storied building occupies the area of 72 to 60 meters and has 125 khudjras (cells), intended for 260 students. The unique of this madrasah is that each khudjra consisted of two rooms and khudjras on second floor consisted of room and loggia, looking out the facade.

The Madrasah was built in 1851-1854 by the order of Khiva ruler Muhammad Amin-khan and was named after him. The building of the Madrasah of Mukhammad Amin-khan has five domes and flank towers. The facade is decorated with rich ornament of glazed brick, wooden doors abound in ornamental carving, majolica face impresses with herbal patterns. Above the entrance there is the inscription in Arabic: “This wonderful building will stay here forever to descendants’ joy”.

On the Stamp: Itchan Kala.

Thank you, Igor !

Sent on: March 12, 2013

Received on: May 4, 2013

#230 Istanbul, Turkey

Hagia Sophia (from the Greek: Ἁγία Σοφία, "Holy Wisdom"; Latin: Sancta Sophia or Sancta Sapientia; Turkish: Ayasofya) is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. From the date of its dedication in 360 until 1453, it served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral and seat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, except between 1204 and 1261, when it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 29 May 1453 until 1931, when it was secularized. It was opened as a museum on 1 February 1935.

Material: Ashlar, brick

Length: 82 m (269 ft)

Width: 73 m (240 ft)

Height: 55 m (180 ft)

Beginning date: 532

Completion date: 537 

Wikipedia.org

Property No #356

It's in the list of UNESCO as a part of Historic Areas of Istanbul.
Date of Inscription on the List of UNESCO: 1985

Thank you, Onder !

His blog: http://postcardsonmywall.blogspot.com/

Sent on: April 8, 2013

Received on: April 12, 2013

#195 Brunei

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is a royal Islamic mosque located in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of the Sultanate of Brunei. The mosque considered one of the most beautiful mosques in the Asia Pacific and a major landmark and tourist attraction of Brunei.

Named after Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, the mosque as a symbol of the Islamic faith in Brunei dominates the skyline of Bandar Seri Begawan. The building was completed in 1958 and is an example of modern Islamic architecture.

The mosque is built in an artificial lagoon on the banks of the Brunei River at Kampong Ayer, the "village in the water". It has marble minarets and golden domes with courtyards and lush gardens full of fountains. The mosque is surrounded by a large number of trees and floral gardens which in Islam symbolizes heaven.

The mosque's most recognizable feature, the main dome, is covered in pure gold. The mosque stands 52 m (171 ft) high and can be seen from virtually anywhere in Bandar Seri Begawan. The main minaret is the mosque's tallest feature. In a unique way it mixes Renaissance and Italian architectural style. The minaret has an elevator to the top, where one can enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

The interior of the mosque is for prayer only. It has magnificent stained glass windows, arches, semi-domes and marble columns. Nearly all the material used for the building has been imported from abroad: the marble from Italy, the granite from Shanghai, the crystal chandeliers from England and the carpets from Saudi Arabia.

Wikipedia.org

Thank you so much, Elina !

Sent on: February 18, 2013
Received on: February 26, 2013