#606 Rostov-on-Don, Russia

Vitebsk or Vitsebsk (Belarusian: Ві́цебск, Łacinka: Viciebsk; Russian: Ви́тебск; Polish: Witebsk, Yiddis: וויטעבסק), is a city in Belarus. The capital of the Vitebsk Region, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city. It is served by Vitebsk Vostochny Airport and Vitebsk air base.

During the First Partition of Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth in 1772, Vitsebsk was annexed by the Russian Empire.

Under Imperial Russia the historic centre of Vitebsk was rebuilt with Neoclassical architecture.

In 1919, Vitebsk was proclaimed to be part of the Socialist Soviet Republic of Byelorussia, but was soon transferred to the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and later to the short-lived Litbel. In 1924, it was returned to Belarus.

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: April 26, 2013 | Europa CEPT 2013 'The Postman Van'

Thank you, Anna !

Sent on: May 15, 2014

Received on: May 26, 2014

#216 Saint Petersburg, Russia | RU-1583608

Date of Issue: September 1, 2011 - Cavaliers of the Order of Saint Andrew

Date of Issue: November 28, 2008 - The Architectural Structures. The Bridges.

Thank you, Marina (Mattamy) !

Received on: March 30, 2013

Tavel time: 27 days

Distance: 318 km (198 miles)

#193 Saint Petersburg, Russia | RU-1524963

The Chesme Church (Russian: Чесменская церковь; full name Church of Saint John the Baptist at Chesme Palace, Russian: це́рковь Рождества́ Иоа́нна Предте́чи при Че́сменском Дворце́), also called the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, is a small Russian Orthodox church at 12 Lensoveta Street, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was built by the Russian court architect Yury Felten in 1780, at the direction of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. A memorial church, it was erected adjacent to the Chesme Palace between Saint Petersburg and Tsarskoye Selo to commemorate the anniversary of Russia's 1770 victory over Turkish forces in Chesme Bay (Turkish: Çeşme) in the Aegean Sea during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774.

The church and Chesme Palace were the earliest Neo-Gothic constructions in the St Petersburg area. Considered by some to be St Petersburg's single most impressive church, it is a rare example of very early Gothic Revival influence in Russian church architecture.

Wikipedia.org

Date of Issue: November 25, 2011 - The 100th Anniversary of the Russian Olympic Committee.

Date of Issue: August 12, 2009 - Architectural Constructons. Bridges.

Thank you, Alena (Alena37) !

Received on: February 21, 2013

Travel time: 12 days

Distance: 299 km (186 miles)