Óbidos, Portugal

Vila de Óbidos

Postcard PT-311465 from Portugal shows Óbidos, a vila with a population of 3100 people. As the municipal seat of the municipality of Óbidos, it is located in the Estremadura Province, Portugal. The vila is located on a hilltop, encircled by a fortified wall, part of a well-preserved example of Medieval architecture. The vila established its charter in 1195, during the reign of Sancho I. The distinctive streets, squares, walls and its castle are now a popular tourist destination.

City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications

Vieux Luxembourg

I received my first postcard from Luxembourg today. Postcard LU-17397 shows the old quarters and forts of the City of Luxembourg. The city lies at the heart of Western Europe, located 213 km or 132 mi from Brussels, 372 km or 231 mi from Paris, 209 km or 130 mi from Cologne. Due to the city's strategic location, Luxembourg was one of Europe's greatest fortified sites from 1600's to 1800's during the European power transition from the Holy Roman Emperors, the House of Burgundy, the Habsburgs, the French and Spanish kings, and finally to the Prussians. "City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications" was declared a UNESCO's World Heritage Site in 1994.