Afghanistan: Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam

"The 65m-tall Minaret of Jam is a graceful, soaring structure, dating back to the 12th century. Covered in elaborate brickwork with a blue tile inscription at the top, it is noteworthy for the quality of its architecture and decoration, which represent the culmination of an architectural and artistic tradition in this region. Its impact is heightened by its dramatic setting, a deep river valley between towering mountains in the heart of the Ghur province."
Source: UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites

I have one of these postcards in my collection and will upload the image shortly.
Below is a photo of the Minaret of Jam for curious minds :-)


The minaret was built in the 1190s, entirely of baked bricks. It is famous for its intricate brick, stucco and glazed tile decoration, which consists of alternating bands of kufic and naskhi calligraphy, geometric patterns, and verses from the Qur'an (the surat Maryam, relating to Mary, the mother of Jesus).
It is likely that the Minaret was constructed to commemorate Sultan Ghiyas ud-Din's (1157-1202) victory at Delhi in 1192 over the Ghaznavid Empire, hence the name sometimes given to it, the Victory Tower.
The site of Jam is believed to have been the summer residence of the Ghurid Emperors. There are indications that the mosque to which the minaret was attached was of modest size, and disproportionate to the dimensions of the minaret, contrary to the basic principles of Islamic architecture.
After the death of Ghiyas ud-Din his brother Muiz ud-Din succeeded him. The Ghurid Empire came under intense pressure from its neighbours, the Kharizm, from south of the Aral Sea, and gradually yielded up its territories. Only at the mountainous retreat of Bamiyan did the dynasty survive, until its last ruler was captured and put to death in 1215. The town of Firuzkuh was destroyed by the Mongol Ogodaï in 1222.
You can see a very interesting video of Minaret of Jam here.

Democratic Republic of Congo - Okapi Wildlife Reserve

"The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo river basin, of which the reserve and forest are a part, is one of the largest drainage systems in Africa. The reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds and about 5,000 of the estimated 30,000 okapi surviving in the wild. It also has some dramatic scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters."
Source: UNESCO World Heritage List

This beautiful postcard showing an Okapi in Democratic Republic of Congo was sent to me by Postcard Interactive Company of Sydney. The store specialises in UNESCO World Heritage Site Postcards. You can also find many nice postcards there.
It is inscribed as a Natural Heritage Site in Danger.

Afghanistan: Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley

"The cultural landscape and archaeological remains of the Bamiyan Valley represent the artistic and religious developments which from the 1st to the 13th centuries characterized ancient Bakhtria, integrating various cultural influences into the Gandhara school of Buddhist art. The area contains numerous Buddhist monastic ensembles and sanctuaries, as well as fortified edifices from the Islamic period. The site is also testimony to the tragic destruction by the Taliban of the two standing Buddha statues, which shook the world in March 2001."
Source: UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites

Postcard # 1:
The Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley in Afghanistan  really became World-renowned when the news of their destruction by Taliban Government spread around the globe in 2001. Talibans destructed two large Buddha Statues in Bamiyan Valley. Although they were some of the largest Buddha statues in the World, yet the archaeological site is not just restricted to those two statues. There are numerous other statues, monasteries and sanctuaries in the area.

Interestingly, I found this beautiful postcard in one of the postcard shops in Pakistan. Bamiyan Valley is one of the 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Danger.
Your comments on the postcard are warmly welcomed in Comments Section below!

Pakistan: Fort and Shalimar Gardens in Lahore

"These are two masterpieces from the time of the brilliant Mughal civilization, which reached its height during the reign of the Emperor Shah Jahan. The fort contains marble palaces and mosques decorated with mosaics and gilt. The elegance of these splendid gardens, built near the city of Lahore on three terraces with lodges, waterfalls and large ornamental ponds, is unequalled."
Source: UNESCO World Heritage List

Postcard # 1
It is a magnificent site which is built with a number of fountains, mirror-work, marble pieces, and other architectural beauties. The site was added to the Endangered World Heritage Sites in 2000.

The site consists of two separate entities:

• Lahore Fort or Shahi Fort (King's Fort)
• Shalimar Gardens

Postcard # 2
The second postcard shows a view of Lahore Fort. The photo on the postcard is taken from inside of Lahore Fort and shows us three historic monuments - Naulakha in Lahore Fort (The closest building with curved roof), Maharaja Ranjeet Singh Shrine in yellow and white color and the grand Badshahi Mosque (One of the largest mosques in the World) at the farther distance. We will restrict our view to Naulakha, which is part of Lahore Fort.

Naulakha Pavilion is one of the 21 monuments inside Lahore Fort building which are still preserved. Built in 1631 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, this pavilion is located near Sheesh Mahal (the Mirror Castle). Although the pavilion was decorated with precious and semi-precious stones in the beginning but none of them can be found anywhere now :(

The total cost on construction of the pavilion was 9 lakh Rupees (0.9 Million Rupees) which was an enormous sum at that time. Owing to its expenditure, the building was named as "Nau-lakha".

The stamp used by Vera on the postcard is a common definitive stamp of Rs 2 denomination.

Here are a few other postcards of Lahore Fort and Shalamar Gardens that I may be able to find for you, if you want to swap.
Postcard # 3

Postcard # 4

 Postcard # 5