If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 716

 

 

 

 

 

La Cattedrale di San Giusto, anteriore al 1840 [Saint Justus, Trieste Cathedral, exterior ca 1840]

 

This is another postcard of three cards from a booklet set that was sent by my friend who lives in Italy.  There is no blurb on the reverse, only the title at the upper left corner.  On the reverse center line: “… Tipografia Villaggio del Fancliullo – Trieste” [printing or publishing house, Villaggio del Fancliullo, Trieste].  The featured illustration on the card looks as if it may be a watercolor painting.  Once again the picture includes people dressed in the clothing of yesteryear that provides us a glimpse of what it might been like in the mid 1800s.

 

This cathedral is one of the historical monuments in Trieste.  My friend says that even though the city has completely changed since the 13^th century, some buildings from that era are still standing including this one. 

 

The first religious building was constructed on this site in the 6^th century using part of an existing Roman structure.  Remains of the original mosaic flooring has been integrated into a modern floor.  Also, markings from the original Christian building can still be seen on the outer walls.  Between the 9^th and 11^th centuries two basilicas were erected on the ruins of the old church.  One was dedicated to Our Lady of Assumption and the second was dedicated to Saint Justus (San Giusto).  Then in the 14^th century more changes were made when one nave was demolished and the two basilicas were then joined.  This resulted in the construction of a asymmetrical façade, a Gothic rose window, and a new bell tower.  Romanesque debris stones were used in some of the remodeling.  In the 1930s archaeological excavations exposed more of the remains of the Roman forum and civic building.  Two lower-floor columns have been reconstructed.  

 

 

I found it fascinating and interesting that items from previous buildings were incorporated, saved, or reconstructed to enhance and preserve the history of the site and the building.  As always, thank you to my friend for sharing the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedial.org/wiki/Trieste_Cathedral

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 538

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piazza Unità d’Italia, Trieste, Italia

 

This beautiful used postcard sent by a friend features a photograph of the Piazza Unità d’Italia, Unity of Italy Square in English, found in the main square in Trieste, Italy.  The card was printed by www.tipografia.com and has the identifier Art.002.PI TS on the reverse center line.

 

Trieste is a port city on the Adriatic Sea.  Unity of Italy Square is thought to be Europe’s largest square located next to the sea.  Prior to 1919 the square was called Piazza Grande or the Great Square.  Occasionally concerts are held in the square with crowds between 12,000 and 15,000 people in attendance.  The square has also been used for visits from foreign heads of state, such as in 2017 with Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron, and Paolo Gentiloni.  Vladimir Putin met with the Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta for bilateral talks in 2013.  The 4^th Western Balkans Summit was held here.

 

The way the light is shining on the building gives it a gilt appearance.  Sometimes we get that illusion here when the setting sun hits the windows on the houses across the lake and they look bright gold.  An interesting and beautiful effect. 

 

As always my thanks to the friend who shared the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_Unit%C3%A0_d%27Italia

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 537

 

 

 

 

 

Trieste, Italy – Barcolana

 

This beautiful used postcard was printed by www.tipografia.com  and has a photograph of the Trieste harbor during the Barcolana regatta.  This international sailing regatta is held on the second Saturday in October in the Gulf of Trieste.  The regatta is organized by the Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano.  In 2019 a record number of boats, 2,689, participated in this “greatest sailing race,” and was listed as a Guinness World Record holder.  Boats of all sizes are divided into divisions according to their overall length. 

 

The Barcolana was founded in 1969 and its full name is Barcolana Autumn Cup Regatta.  Each year the event has become more popular and today attracts international crews and world-famous sailors.  There is a 15 mile or 24 km four-sided, fixed mark course that starts between the Miramare Castle and the yacht club and since 2014 has finished just off Piazza Unità d’Italia.  There have been several changes in the course over the years and for a while one buoy floated in Slovenian waters.  Prizes are awarded in a ceremony at the end of November. 

The event attracts not only the participants but also as many as 250,000 spectators.  This year the friend who sent the card was fortunate enough to be among those watching.

 

 Thank you M for sharing the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcolana_regatta

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 533

 

 

 

 

Miramare, Castle, Trieste, Italy

 

A photograph of Castello di Miramare is featured on this used postcard printed by www.tipografia.com.  On the reverse center line is:  Art.006. 

 

Built during the years 1856 to 1860 for Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Charlotte of Belgium it is situated on the Gulf of Trieste in northern Italy.  The archduke and his wife later became Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota of Mexico.  The castle grounds were designed by the archduke and include a cliff and seashore park.  There are numerous tropical trees and plants on the grounds.

 

The Austrian architect, Carl Junker, designed the castle to reflect the artistic interests of the archduke who was acquainted with the architectural styles seen in Austria, Germany, and England.  Maximilian and his wife were planning to live on the ground floor.  Areas for guest receptions and a Throne Room were on the first floor.  The castle annex or small castle called Gartenhaus or Castelletto has panoramic views, trees, greenhouses, and a fountain. 

 

When construction began, Miramare Park had no vegetation.  Work on the park began in 1856. Today there are trees and shrubs imported from all over the world, formal gardens with flowers and greenhouses.  There are twisting paths, watercourses, pools and some grassy areas similar to English gardens.  Although it was not originally intended for public use, in the 1955 the complex was opened to the public free of charge under the name Miramare Park.  That same year the castle was named the Historical Museum of Miramare Castle.  Visitors can see Maximilian’s chambers and those of his wife; the guest rooms; information about the history of the castle and the park construction.  The Throne Room was recently restored and is also open to the public.

Many thanks to my friend for sending the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miramare_Castle

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 532

 

 

 

 

 

Trieste, Italy  -- Grand Canal

 

Antonella Rimbaldo is credited with the photo on this textured used postcard produced by Diecisettanta.com and shared by a friend.  The picture with reflections is beautiful and the textured cardstock makes it look almost like a watercolor painting instead of a photograph.

 

The canal is located in the center of Trieste about halfway between the railway station and the Piazza Unità d’Italia.  Built between 1754 and 1756 it is a navigable canal.  Today there are two bridges and a pedestrian walkway crossing the canal.  The Red Bridge was of wood in 1756 and painted red.  It was later rebuilt in iron but retained its name.  The Green Bridge was built in iron in 1858.  In 1904 a second bridge, called the White Bridge, was added next to the Green Bridge for the railway.  When the bridges were built they could revolve or open to let sailing ships pass through.  These movable bridges were later replaced by masonry bridges that only allow the passage of small boats at low tide.  The Red Bridge was replaced in 1925 and the Green and White bridges were replaced and combined to make a single structure in 1950.  The approximately 80 ft or 25 m long pedestrian stone and steel bridge opened in 2013.  It has 4 ft or 120 cm high unbreakable glass parapets and handrails on both sides and is illuminated with LED lights.

 

The salt pans were buried to allow more urban development and also so that boats could come directly into the city to unload their goods.  Originally the canal was longer than it is now.  Rubble from demolition in the old city was used to bury the terminal part of the canal in 1934. 

 

 As always, thank you, to a friend for sending the card.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_Grande_(Trieste)

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 531

 

 

 

 

Castello di San Giusto, Trieste, Italy

 

This week’s postcard has a photograph of Castello di San Giusto, or Saint Justus Castle in English, located on a hill in Trieste.  Down the center line on the reverse:  Art.004 PI TS, Printed www.tipografia.com. 

 

Originally a fortress built on Capitoline hill on the ruins of a Venetian castle, it was 2 stories with an adjacent square tower.  This was a plain military post and not designed to be an artistic castle but to defend the city.  The high semicircular wall was added in the 16^th century.  There were additional extensions in the 17^th and 18^th centuries.  The foundations of a 4^th bastion of the fortress were found buried beyond the bascilica but it was never completed.  The French bombing of the city 1702 made it clear that a huge fortress on the hill no longer made sense.  Although it was a military fortress it was only used as one twice.  Once in 1813 by the Napoleonic troops who tried for two weeks to resist the siege of the Austrian, English, and Neapolitan fleets, and the second time by the German soldiers who surrendered to the liberation troops in 1945. 

 

The castle was restored in the 2000s and today it houses a civic museum with exhibits that include sculptures, bas reliefs and architecture from Roman times.  There are inscriptions, coats of arms, military banners and plaques on display.  The museum also has a weapons collection and a guardhouse.  Under the castle grounds are tunnels that are not open to the public and are still being explored.  In one of the cellars there is a restaurant.  Parts of the structure and grounds are open to the public where it is possible to enjoy views of the city and the gulf below.  The castle has belonged to the city of Trieste since 1930.  

 

San Giusto or Saint Justus is the Roman Catholic patron saint of Trieste.  He was a citizen of Trieste, known for his works and charity.  Sentenced to death by drowning, he died a martyr in 293 for refusing to sacrifice to Roman gods.  

 

With special thanks to my friend who moved to Trieste recently and sent several cards.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://it.wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Castello_di_San_Giusto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justus_of_Trieste

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 345

 Art Nouveau poster by Vojtěch Preissig, ca 1900

Today’s postcard once again was sent from my generous friend who lives in Italy. The card with an illustration by the Czech print maker, designer, illustrator, painter, typographer, and teacher, Vojtěch Preissig (1873-1944) was found at an Art Nouveau exhibition in Trieste.  The original painting is 42.2 X 57.8 cm the closest US standard size would be about 16” X 20.”

Art Nouveau was popular from about 1880 to World War I and often featured stylized graceful lines, fanciful animals, flowers and beautiful women.   The Art Deco movement that spanned the time following World War I up to World War II followed it.  Art Deco uses more angles, stronger colors, and more geometric designs.

Preissig was born in northern Bohemia and moved to Prague when he was 11 years old.  He studied art and architecture while in Prague.  In 1897 he moved to Paris where he worked with a Czech artist, Alphonse Mucha.   Much of Preissig’s early work was influenced by Japanese art and symbolism.  He moved back to Prague in 1903, started a graphics studio and published a book on etchings and engravings.  The graphics studio was not financially successful so he moved to the United States in 1910 where he worked as an art instructor.  He taught at Columbia University, the Art Students League of New York, and then taught graphic arts in Boston in 1916 at the Wentworth Institute.  He also designed recruitment posters for the United States armed forces. 

Preissig and his daughter supported the Czech resistance in both World Wars.  He remained in the United States until 1930 and then returned to Europe where he was arrested in 1940 for his work making posters for the resistance.  He died 11 June 1944 in Dachau concentration camp.

The envelope came with three Italian stamps.

This stamp features Joseph Petrosino a New York policeman who was a pioneer in fighting organized crime.  He had a colorful career and knew several famous people.  He went to Sicily on a secret mission to ferret out a long list of Italian criminals who had moved to the United States.  The story of his assignment was accidently leaked and in 1909 just after arriving in Palermo, Petrosino was lured into a trap where he was shot to death at age 48.

 One stamp honors the women’s championship volley ball team.

The last stamp is very colorful and commemorates the annual Battle of the Oranges a festival held in Ivrea, a city in Northern Italy.  

Traditionally oranges, rotten or otherwise, are tossed between organized groups.  While the origins of the festival are not clear it is thought to be a reenactment of a historical event from the 12th century.  The oranges are in place of the original rocks and weapons that were used in that battle.   Rows of orange crates are stacked up along the streets as ammunition for the mock battle.  It is called the largest food fight in Italy!  The opposing teams dress up for their parts.  The stamp shows one team member with orange top and black pants the opposing team member dressed in orange pants and a black & white checked top. 

Once again, thank you to my friend for sharing the postcard and the stamps.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau
http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/20/whats-the-difference-art-deco-vs-art-nouveau/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Oranges
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Petrosino
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vojtech_Prěissig

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 336

Turin, Italy

Last week’s postcard had a black and white photograph of the Royal Gardens of Turin.  This week’s card shows the Turin cityscape with the Mole Antonelliana prominent on the right side.  My friend who lives in Italy sent the cards when he was visiting Torino last November.

The photograph on this card, like the one last week, is also attributed to Piero Ottaviano and is a POPCARD publication.  It has a small number on the reverse at the lower right corner:  ob15.

The Mole Antonelliana takes its name from the architect, Alessandro Antonelli, and is a major landmark in Turin.  A “mole” means it is a building of monumental proportions.  The building took approximately 26 years to complete, between 1863 and 1889.  Antonelli died before completion and did not get to see the finished building.  It was originally conceived as a synagogue but now houses the National Museum of Cinema.  It was renovated in 1953.  Including the dome and spire the structure stands 550 feet or 167.5 meters tall and was once was believed to be the tallest building in the world.  It appears on the obverse of the Italian 2 cent euro coin.

Cost overruns due to continuing modifications by Antonelli finally caused a break in 1876 with the Jewish community that had started with an estimate of 280,000 lire and had already spent 692,000 lire and the building was not yet finished.  The people of Turin who had watched the building rising to a great height demanded that the city take over the project.  An offer of property by the city resulted in a new synagogue quickly being built and the city completing the building. 

Originally Antonelli had wanted a five-pointed star on the top of the spire but later changed the design to a winged genie, one of the symbols of the House of Savoy.  The genie holds a lance in one hand and a palm branch in the other.  On his head is a small five-pointed star.  The Mole Antonelliana is the tallest building with no steel girder reinforcements in the world.

The winged genie collapsed during the storm in 1904 and was replaced by a 5-pointed copper star.  A smaller three-dimensional, 12-pointed star later replaced the copper star. 

During a tornado in 1953 the upper 47 meters or 154 feet of the pinnacle was destroyed.  In 1961 a metal replacement structure faced with stone replaced the storm-damaged section.


For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_Antonelliana

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 335

 Royal Gardens, Turin, Italy

This week’s postcard has an elegant black and white photo showing part of the Royal Gardens in Turin (Torino), Italy.  This is another of recent postcards sent by my friend who lives in Italy. 

Piero Ottaviano is the photographer, the card is a POPCARD publication with the identification number:  T723.   A search for information about Ottaviano and associated images revealed that while he is interested in light, color and architecture he has mainly photographed weddings since 1991.  Several of his images were in black and white such as this one but others were in color.  In addition to his wedding photos he has also taken a number of pictures of Torino city scenes including buildings.  The major landmark building of Turin in the background on the card is the Mole Antonelliana.

The Royal Gardens are located in the city center.  One aerial view on a travel web page shows the green park surrounded by the bastions that were built in the late 1500s by Emanuel Filibert of Savoy when he moved the capital city of his duchy from Chambéry to Turin.  The bastions were redesigned by André le Nôtre, a famous garden architect in the 1600s.   The gardens were inspired by the gardens of Versailles in France.  Today a number of summer events are held here involving music, cinema and a combination of both.  The park is one of the gems of the city.

As always my thanks to my friend for sharing this postcard.


For additional information, see:

http://www.pierottaviano.it/about/
http://www.italianways.com/turins-royal-gardens-a-miniature-versailles/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turin

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 334

 Pinocchio postcard illustrated by Rocco Forgione

Reverse

This postcard above and the one below arrived recently with a letter and a couple of other cards from my friend who lives in Italy.  I thought these Pinocchio themed cards and stamps were charming.  Rocco Forgione did the artwork on the card above.  Both cards are part of a commemoration set of postcards and stamps featuring Pinocchio.  

For many people, especially those in the United States, it is easy to associate Pinocchio with the Walt Disney 1940 movie and character; however, the story was originally written in 1883 by the Italian author, Carlo Lorenzini, who wrote under the name Carlo Collodi.  Pinocchio is a cultural icon in Italy and remains even today as one of the most popular characters found in children’s literature.

Pinocchio was the impish, rascally boy puppet created by the woodcarver, Geppetto. He wanted to become a real boy.  In the original story Pinocchio’s bad behavior was meant to be a warning and the first ending to the story published in 1881 was to be tragic.  A later version from 1883 changed the ending. 

The most notable feature of Pinocchio is his nose that grows longer when he lies.  Mention of the nose only appears a couple of times in the story but demonstrates the power of the Blue Fairy over Pinochhio when he is disobedient.   In one case Pinocchio weeps over his deformed nose and the fairy has woodpeckers peck it back to a normal size.  Perhaps to show that repentance is sometimes painful. 

Pinocchio postcard ilustrated by Luca Stella

 Reverse

The second postcard was illustrated by Luca Stella and has a more stylized cartoon style of Pinochhio as a postman.  The stamp has a 1940 picture of Pinochhio on a tricycle and was issued in 2015.  Collodi wrote a series of story books for use in elementary schools that may explain, in part, the use of the alphabet blocks around the edge.  On both cards he is shown with his nose disobediently long even though the moral of the story is to be good, work, and study.

Carlo Collodi was born 1826 in Florence, Italy and died 1890 in Florence.  His early writings were political in nature and published in periodicals.  He helped found the satirical newspaper Il Lampione in 1853 and in 1854 he published a second newspaper, Lo scaramuccia, in English, The Controversy.   It wasn’t until 1875 that he entered the field of children’s literature. 

 As always, thank you to my friend for sharing these charming postcards.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinocchio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Collodi

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 322

Vernazza, Italy, 1967

A friend living in Italy found the above postcard in a flea market.  It is a used card dated 22 August 1967 and sent from Vernazza.  The identifier at the lower left on the reverse is 10889 Ed M. Ginocchio, La Spezia, printed by Rotalcolor.  The logos on the reverse show two sea horses with the initials M.G.S. between the tails, a world globe is featured at the top of the card also.  The panorama view is of the perched village of Vernazza one of the five towns making up the Cinque Terre region in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, in northwestern Italy.

Reverse

The two stamps on the postcard are from the 1960s also and show sculpture profiles.

Vernazza was a fortified town as early as 1080.  The Italian noble family of Obertenghi used it as their maritime base.  Likely a departure point for naval forces in defense of pirates the tower on the point in the center of card is part of  Doria Castle built in the 1400s.   The other tall structure seen at the right in the photograph is the Church of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia, first mentioned in 1318 but because of the materials and mode of construction it is thought the church was built probably some time in the 12th century.  It has been modified, expanded and renovated several times.  In the 16th or 17th century the octagonal bell tower was erected.

Vernazza provided a port, fleet, and soldiers in Genova’s conquest of Liguiria.  In the 1200s almost 90% of the most powerful families in Vernazza had pledged allegiance to the republic of Genova. 

Trivia:  A fortifying wall was erected in the 15th century as protection against repeated pirate raids.  The main product of Vernazza has been wine.  In the 19th century new terraces were added to the hillsides to increase the growing area.  UNESCO recognized the Cinque Terre as a World Heritage Site in 1999. In October 2011 flooding and mudslides as a result of torrential rains buried the town in over 13 ft or 4 m of mud and debris and caused more than 100 million euro damage.  The town remained in a state of emergency for many months.  Tourism is the main source of revenue today although fishing, wine, and olive oil are still being produced.


The postcard came with a letter in an envelope that had three beautiful new Italian stamps and one fun stamp of a Fiat 500 "one of the symbols of Italy, just like pizza and the Colosseum in Rome."  As always, thanks to my friend for sending the card and the stamps.  

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernazza

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 301

The medieval quarter, Bolsena, Italy

This sunny street scene is from the town of Bolsena.  The town has ancient beginnings and was once called Volsinii by the Romans.  It is located in the Italian province of Viterbo, northern Lazio on the eastern shore of Lake Bolsena.  Some scholars believe it may have originally been an Etruscan city.  There are problems with that theory, notably that Etruscan cities were situated on defensible crags and the castle of Bolsena while on a hill is not considered so situated.  There have been Etruscan tombs found near Bolsena.  Objects from these tombs can be found in museums in Italy, the British Museum and elsewhere abroad. 

A Eucharistic miracle is said to have occurred in the Basilica of Santa Cristina in Bolsena in 1263 when a doubting Bohemian priest reported bleeding from the host he had consecrated at Mass.  The blood that fell from the host formed a cross on the tablecloth.  Because of the miracle the priest reconverted.  A year following the miracle, in celebration of the event, Pope Urban IV instituted the Feast of Corpus Christi.  A relic from the event was placed in a reliquary of the Orvieto Cathedral.  A famous fresco by the artist Raphael in 1512, depicting the event and titled “The Mass at Bolsena,” is located in the Apostolic Palace, Vatican City.   Raphael placed himself in the painting as one of the Swiss Guard seen in the lower right of the fresco.  He is the one facing out with bound-up hair.  Also included are Pope Julius II, Felice della Rovere, and four cardinals.

The Mass at Bolsena by Raphael, 1512
[image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mass_at_Bolsena ]

The nearby Lake Bolsena is in a dormant volcanic crater that last erupted around 104 BC.  There are two islands in the southern part of the lake that were formed by underwater eruptions.  The lake water comes from an aquifer, rainfall, and run off.  It is bordered on one side by an old Roman road, Via Cassia that has had some updating in places.  There are campgrounds, historic sites and bed and breakfast inns plus other tourist amenities at the lake.  The noble family Alberici of Orvieto donated one third of the lake to the Catholic church.

Many thanks go to my friend who sent the postcard last October while on a bike tour.  The postcard is an Edizioni Archidee with photo credits given to Claudio Tini.  

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mass_at_Bolsena
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolsena
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Bolsena

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 297

 Isola di Favignana, Italy

One of a few beaches and azure water lagoons found on this island, this postcard was sent by my friend who lives in Italy.  It is of Isola di Favignana one of three islands just off the west coast of Sicily.  The island is famous for tuna fisheries and is a popular tourist area that can be accessed by hydrofoil from the mainland.  The photograph is attributed to Antonio Noto with the publisher given as Favonia Editrice – Mare Favignana.  

The Italian Global Postal Service stamp, below, is for use on postcards only and has to be mailed in a special yellow and black GPS box.  The postcards are sent to a central hub for sorting.  The average time for a postcard using one of these stamps to reach a destination in the United States is supposed to be around 18 days.   This card took 3 months to reach me.  

Anciently this island was called Aegusa or “goat island,” which made me wonder if there were wild goats living there once.   Today the name is derived from an Italian word, Favonio, describing the local winds.  The island was a stopping point on trans-Mediterranean trading routes used by the Phoenicians until the defeat of the Carthaginian army during the First Punic War.  A major naval battle took place just off the shore when two hundred Roman ships defeated a Carthaginian fleet of 400 ships.  The Romans sank 120 ships and took 10,000 prisoners.  One legend says that so many dead washed a shore that the northeastern shoreline was called Red Cove for the bloodshed; however, the name actually comes from the red clay on the beach not from blood. 

Favignana was captured by Arabs during the early Middle Ages and used as a base to mount the Islamic conquest of Sicily.  Later Normans took possession of the island building fortifications there as early as 1081.  During the 1400s Giovanni de Karissima was granted the island and called himself the Baron of Tuna for the plentiful tuna found offshore.  The Spanish also fished off these waters from the 1600s onward.  Besides the fishing there are Calcarenite quarries found here.  During the 19th century stone was exported mostly to Tunisia and Libya. 

Island economy suffered between the two World Wars but in recent times tourism has turned things around.  Because the island is very rocky there are few beaches like the one shown on the postcard.  It is, however, a popular site for scuba diving and snorkeling and the calcarenite rock caves are famous.  The island also has an active working lighthouse at the westernmost point of the island.  The original lighthouse was built in 1860 and shaped like a turret.  In 1904 it was rebuilt as a tapered cylinder with a balcony and lantern with a spiral staircase of 200 steps inside.  In 1935 the tower was renovated and the height was reduced to 125 ft or 38 m.


As always, many thanks to my friend who sent the card.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favignana
https://www.globepostalservice.com/faq/

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 296

 Dolomites, Italy

When one of the guys working on our house remodel and now a friend, said he was going to Europe to meet with his cousin and climb some mountains I asked him to send me a postcard.  This card with a beautiful view from the Dolomites was what arrived in the mailbox from him.  His note says that they climbed the highest peak in the Sella Group, Piz Boè, 10,338 ft or 3,151 m.

The postcard photograph is attributed to Ghedina.it.   An alphanumeric code appears at the lower left on the reverse:  TR 39.025.  There are two stamps on the card.  The top one is an Italian stamp featuring an architectural drawing of Plazza del Plebiscito, Napoli and the bottom one is Polish with the close up of a flower identified Lilium L. 

Stamps

1.  Plazza del Plebiscito, Napoli

2.  Lilium L.

The Sella group is located in the Dolomite Mountains of northern Italy between the four valleys of Badia, Gherdëina, Fascia and Fodom and divided between the provinces of South Tyrol, Trentino and Belluno.  It is possible to drive around by car crossing over Campolongo Pass, Pordoi Pass, Sella Pass, and Gardena Pass.  The Sella Ronda ski lift makes it also possible to ski around the entire plateau-shaped massif.  Each winter there is an alpine ski touring race called Sellaronda Skimarathon that covers 42 km or 26.09 miles.  Mountain bikes use this same route during the summer.   In addition to the cable lift shown in the photo there is also a funicular from Pordoi Pass.  The most famous ski routes or tours descend from summits through Val Mesdì and Pordoischarte.

There are 8 numbered long distance footpaths running across the Dolomites.  Most of these long trails take approximately a week or more to hike.  There are huts along the way for overnight stays.  The most popular and best known of these trails is Alta Via 1. 

The front line between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces during World War I ran through the Dolomites.  Today there are open-air war museums at Cinque-Torri (Five Towers) and Mount Lagazuoi.  Protected paths created at the time of World War I are visited today by many people. 

Many thanks to our friend for sending the card.

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolomites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sella_group

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 290

Taormina, Italy

The Ediz. Cartoleria NIGRT CARMEN postcard above has an aerial photo view of Taormina, Italy.  The card is unused and one that I must have picked up at an Antique Mart or small shop.  There are modern looking road systems and buildings in the picture so it must date to the mid to late 20th century.  Taormina is what we would probably describe today as a suburb of Messina on the island of Sicily, Italy.  The beaches, some seen as lagoons on the card, are famous and became accessible by an aerial tramway built in 1992.  Taormina has been a popular tourist destination since the 1800s.

This location was inhabited even before the Greeks arrived in 734 BC and founded a town called Naxos.  People from Naxos then settled in what became known as Tauromenium under the Romans and today is called Taormina.   The city or town is perched on a cliff overlooking the Ionian sea.  From Cicero’s writings we learn that Tauromenium was one of three allied cities in Sicily that enjoyed special privileges and had some independence.  During the Servile War in Sicily (134-132 BC), the city fell into the hands of insurgent salves who were able to hold out against Publius Rupilius until they were reduced to famine and the citadel was betrayed into the hands of Sarapion who put all the survivors to the sword.  Because Tauromenium was a strong fortress it was used during the wars of Sextus Pompeius in Sicily against Octavian.  It also featured in a sea-fight that almost resulted in total destruction.  Local inhabitants were expelled when Augustus imported colonists to form a new Roman colony there. 

By the middle ages Taormina continued to be one of the more important towns in Sicily under the Byzantine emperors but was captured by the Fatmids after a 30-week siege in 962 AD.  The town was renamed “Al-Mu’izziyya” and came under Muslim rule until 1078 when Roger I of Sicily, a Norman count, captured it.  The language of the town at that time was predominately Greek.  In the centuries that followed the city suffered several other sieges and changes in rulership.

Trivia:  Taormina has the second oldest railroad station in the region.  The spectacular views and beaches made it a tourist destination in the 19th century with famous people such as Oscar Wilde, Nicholas I of Russia, Goethe, Nietzsche and Richard Wagner among those who visited.  It has been of favorite place for artists, photographers, writers, and intellectuals and there was an expatriate colony.  It was also known as a gentlemen’s destination in part due to Wilhelm von Gloeden’s photographs of male nudes.  During the 20th century D.H. Lawrence, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais visited.  It is about 45 minutes away from Mount Etna, a live volcano, by car. 

Main attractions include a Saracen castle on a very steep rock, portions of ancient walls around the summit of the hill, fragments of buildings from earlier centuries, a Greek theater that is used for theatrical performances and musical concerts today.   There is also a fountain dating from 1635, the Palazzo Corvaja from the 10th century, plus several other old churches and gardens. 

For additional information, see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taormina

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 286

 Guinigi Tower, Lucca Italy

Here are two more postcards sent by my friend while he was on a bicycle trip from northern Italy to Rome.  They both have images from the city of Lucca, Italy.  The upper card has a Ghilardi photograph of the Guinigi Tower built in the 14th century.  Note the garden of trees growing on the top of the tower.  This tower is one of only a few remaining in the city.  The garden on the roof was originally used as a kitchen garden.  The trees are Holm Oaks that symbolize rebirth and renewal.  It is interesting to see this roof garden on the top of a Romanesque-Gothic style medieval tower.  Modern cities also often plant trees over freeways and on the tops of buildings today.  

The lower card shows an aerial view of Roman Catholic basilica church, San Michele in Foro (the old Roman forum site).  Dedicated to Archangel Michael it was the seat of the Major Council the most important assembly in the town until 1370.  First mention of this church dates from 795 AD.  Pope Alexander II had it rebuilt after 1070.  The façade dates from the 13th century and has a number of sculptures and inlays some that were remade in the 19th century.   The 4 meter tall statue of St. Michael the Archangel flanked by two other angels at the top left of the church can be seen on the postcard.  Both cards are Santori editions of Lucca. 

San Michele in Foro, Lucca, Italy

Anciently the city was the site of Ligurian, Etruscan and Roman settlements.  The current day city of Lucca has kept the street plan dating to when it was a Roman colony in 180 BC.  The walls around the old town have remained intact and traces of an old Roman amphitheatre can still be seen in the Piazza dell’Aanfiteatro. 

Like many ancient and medieval cities Lucca was a fortress and subject to periodic plundering and sieges.  Lucca prospered with silk trade beginning in the 11th century.  It was also a feudal capital in Tuscany during the 10th and 11th centuries.  For almost 500 years Lucca was an independent commune republic.  The rich and varied history through the centuries list times it was sold, seized, ceded, surrendered and liberated.  In 1805 Lucca was conquered by Napoleon, followed by rule by a succession of dukes and duchesses.  In 1861 it was annexed into the Italian State.   Lucca is the birthplace of the famous music composer Giacomo Puccini.

For additional information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucca
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinigi_Tower
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Michele_in_Foro