I ♥ Kraków

Postcard PL-1034007 was a shaped card showing the Renaissance Cloth Hall at the Main Square in the Old Town of Kraków, Poland.

Located on the Vistula River, Kraków is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, dating back to the 7th century. Historically an early trade center and once the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1569, it is one of the most important Polish academic, cultural, and artistic centers and  economic hubs, with 8 million people living within 100 kilometers or 62 miles of the city center.

At 40,000 square meters or 430,000 square feet, its Main Square is the largest medieval town square in Europe, also one of the best public spaces in Europe due to its lively street life, surrounded by historic townhouses, palaces and churches. Rebuilt in 1555 in the Renaissance style, the Cloth Hall is the dominated feature of the Main Square as one of the city's most recognizable icons. Once a meeting place for traveling merchants who met there to discuss business and to barter, the Cloth Hall is still used as a center of commerce. As a culture venue, it has received many distinguished guests and dignitaries, hosted receptions and performances, and housed the Sukiennice Museum division of the National Museum on its upper floor.

The Kraków Old Town was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

Lord Baltimore Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland

Postcard US-3118723 to Hong Kong was a 1960 vintage linen postcard showing Lord Baltimore Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. Designed by William Lee Stoddart in the French Renaissance style, the 22-story 289-feet or 88-meter tall hotel opened on December 30, 1928. The hotel has a brick veneer over a steel frame and a tower featuring a mansard roof of copper on the top.

The Lord Baltimore Hotel was noted for its voluntary ending of its restrictive guest policies in 1958 after the Baltimore City Council's failed attempt to pass an ordinance prohibiting racial segregation in public accommodations.

The original Lord Baltimore Hotel closed in 1982, and re-opened in 2014 as an independent hotel after a series of ownership changes. The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Under the current ownership of Rubell Hotels of Miami, Florida, it had undergone a total renovation of guest rooms and restoration of the building's public spaces.

The Angus Barn

Postcard US-2640210 from North Carolina shows the Angus Barn at Raleigh, NC, just minutes from the RDU airport. The restaurant prides itself on rustic elegance, featuring certified Angus beef aged in-house, fresh seafood delivered daily, and more than 1,500 selections of wine from around the world. Showcased on both sides of the wine cellar, customers may choose to dine in one of the two Renaissance style gourmet dining rooms. It also has a lakeside Pavilion for weddings and other private events.

Červená Lhota State Castle in Czech Republic

zámku Červená Lhota

I received a postcard CZ-297722 from Czech Republic today. It shows the Renaissance styled Cervena Lhota State Castle that is surrounded by the Deštná Creek with its castle lake. The castle is located on a rock that forms a dam to the creek. It has a square courtyard closed by four wings. An entrance tower locks access road leading through a stone bridge.

Červená Lhota means "Red Village", and the name was changed from the original Nová Lhota ("New Village") in the early 17th century when it obtained a new red brick roof.  The facade of the castle got the same color later. It's a popular tourist destination and filming spot for several movies and television series.