The History of Peace and Justice (Netherlands)

In 1899 and 1907 the Hague Conventions were negotiated during the two Hague Conferences. The First Hague Conference was proposed by Russian Tsar Nicholas II, while the second conference was proposed by US President Theodore Roosevelt. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, France, the German Empire, Great Britain, Japan, the Russian Empire, the United States of America and other major powers of the time took in the conferences and signed the conventions, which defined the laws of war.    

The Peace Palace was built between 1907 and 1913 with the money of Andrew Carnegie. It houses the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, the Library of International Law and the Carnegie Foundation.

The Hague is today considered to be the International City of Peace and Justice. The Peace Palace got the European Heritage Label in 2014.

70th anniversary of the International Court
of Justice (issued 25-04-2016)

A Record-breaking Queen (United Kingdom)

Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born on 21st April 1926. When she born, she was the third in line to the throne. After her uncle abdicated in 1936 her father became king and she became heir presumptive. She started to undertake public duties during World War II. In 1947 she married Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark and in 1948 their first son was born, Prince Charles. She was crowned in 1953 as Elizabeth II after her father died in 1952. During her reign many former colonies became independent. She is today the Queen of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Belize, the Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and the United Kingdom. 

The card was sent with various stamps about royals showing Queen Elizabeth II, The Queen Mother and her grandfather King Georg V. On the card there is also a special postmark about Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday.

In 2015 she became the longest-reigning British monarch and to commemorate this achievement a new First Class Definitive in Amethyst Purple with a "Long to Reign Over Us" overprint was issued on 9th September 2015.

As Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday on 21st April 2016, she is also Britain's longest-lived monarch.
To celebrate her birthday six stamps were issued by Royal Mail showing her with her father, attending the State Opening of Parliament in 2012, with Princess Anne and Prince Charles, visiting New Zealand in 1977, with her husband and with Nelson Mandela. Also a special souvenir sheet was issued showing Queen Elizabeth II, her son Prince Charles, her grandson Prince William and her great-grandson Prince George.

The Architectural Work of Mimar Sinan (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey)

Mimar Sinan lived between 1489/1490 and 1588. He was the architect for the sultans Suleiman the Magnificent, Selim II and Murad III and was responsible for the construction of more than 300 structures. He is considered to be the greatest architect of the classical period of Ottoman architecture.

His three mayor works are the Şehzade Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque and the Selimiye Mosque.

The Şehzade Mosque in Istanbul is a work of his apprenticeship period.
I am looking for a card of this mosque. Anyone can help? 

The Süleymaniye Mosque was built between 1550 and 1557. It is the most famous work of Mimar Sinan and is the product of his qualification stage. Today it is the largest mosque of Istanbul. As part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul it is since 1985 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Selimiye Mosque in the former Ottoman capital Edirne was built between 1569 and 1575. Mimar Sinan said it was his masterpiece and it is considered to be one of the most important monuments of Islamic architecture. The Selimiye Mosque with its social complex is since 2011 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Sinan was also responsible for the construction of the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge in Višegrad in modern day Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was built between 1571 and 1578 at the behest of Grand Vizier Mehmed Paša Sokolović and is said to be a masterpiece of the Ottoman monumental architecture. Since 2007 it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Destruction of a Cultural Bridge and its Rediscovery (Turkey)

Troy was a city in Asia minor, modern day Turkey. The city was a cultural bridge between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions. It was destroyed during the Trojan War, which was described in Homer's Iliad.

The city was just rediscovered by the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1870. The excavations could be considered the starting point of modern archaeology.

The Archaeological Site of Troy is today one of the most famous archaeological sites in the World. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998.

Palaces of Saint Petersburg (Russia)

Saint Petersburg was founded in 1703. Between 1713 and 1728 and between 1732 and 1918 it was the imperial capital of Russia. In the 20th century was the city first known as Petrograd and then as Leningrad, before it changed its name back to Saint Petersburg in 1991. Saint Petersburg is today Russia's second largest city and an important cultural centre. The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and the Related Groups of Monuments are since 1990 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Winter Palace was between 1732 and 1917 the residence of the Russian monarch. In 1905 demonstrators were killed during the Bloody Sunday Massacre while marching to the Winter Palace to present a petition to the monarch. In 1917 the Winter Palace was stormed by Red Army soldiers and sailors, which became a key moment of the Russian Revolution. Today it is a part of the Hermitage Museum.

The Saint Michael's Castle was built between 1797 and 1801 as a residence for Emperor Paul I. It was built in a combination of French Classicism, Italian Renaissance and Gothic. Due to his fascination with medieval knights and his constant fear of assassination Paul I ordered the new royal residence to be built like a castle, but ironically he was killed in his own bedroom just 40 nights after he moved to his new residence. Today the Saint Michael's Castle houses the Portrait Gallery of the Russian Museum.

Independence Hall and George Washington (USA)

The Independence Hall was built between 1732 and 1753. First it was known as Pennsylvania State House and housed the colonial legislature for the Province of Pennsylvania. In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed there and in 1787 the Constitution of the United States. Since 1979 is the Independence Hall on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

George Washington was born in Virginia in 1731. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and in 1789 he became the first President of the United States of America. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He died in 1799.

The Birthplace of European Values (Greece)

Athens was a city-state, a polis, in Ancient Greece. It was a centre of philosophy, music and theatre. Socrates, Pericles, Sophocles and other famous persons of Ancient Greece were born there. The city is also considered to be Cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy.

The Acropolis was built by the Athenian statesman Pericles and is one of the greatest architectural and artistic complexes of the Greek Antiquity.

In 1985 was Athens the first European Capital of Culture. Since 1987 is the Acropolis of Athens on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Heart of Ancient Athens got the European Heritage Label in 2014.

Kassel as Capital (Germany)

Kassel was the capital of the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel between 1567 and 1803, the Kingdom of Westphalia between 1807 and 1813 and the Electorate of Hesse until 1866. In 1949 Kassel was also one of the cities seeking to become the provisional capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. The city is known for its palaces and parks. 

The Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe was begun in 1689 by Landgrave Carl of Hesse-Kassel and depicts the ideals of absolutist Monarchy and the aesthetics of the Baroque and Romantic periods. 

Since 2013 is the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Wilhelmshöhe Castle was built between 1786 and 1798 in the Neoclassical style at the behest of Landgrave Wilhelm IX of Hesse. It was once used as residence of Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia, after his old residence burned down in 1811. Between September 1870 and March 1871 Napoleon III was held in captivity in the castle.

Today houses the Wilhelmshöhe Castle various museums including the Gallery of the Old Masters.

Turin, Metropolis in the Duchy of Savoy (Italy)

In 1563 became Turin the capital of the Duchy of Savoy. In 1861, when the House of Savoy became Italy's royal family, Turin became the first capital of the unified Italy. Turin already lost the status as capital in 1865, but soon became an important centre of industry, especially of the automotive industry. In 1902 and 1911 the city hosted the Universal Exposition and in 2006 the Winter Olympics. 

Today is Turin the fourth largest city of Italy and the capital of the Piedmont Region. 

After Turin became the capital of the Duchy of Savoy, the House of Savoy started to built palaces in the city. The Royal Palace was one of them. It was built in the 16th century and was modernised in the 17th century. The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, including the Royal Palace, are since 1997 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Of Finance, Art and Fashion - The History of Florence (Italy)

In the Middle Ages was Florence one of the wealthiest cities in Europa. It was ruled by the powerful Medici family and was a centre for trade and finance. It is also known as birthplace of the Renaissance. Famous residents of the city include Dante Alighieri, Sandro Botticelli, Donatello, Galileo Galilei, Niccolò Machiavelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Amerigo Vespucci and Leonardo da Vinci. Between 1865 and 1871 was Florence the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. 

Florence is today the eight largest city of Italy and the largest of the Italian region of Tuscany, of which it is also the capital. It is also centre of economy, industry, tourism and fashion. The Historic Centre of Florence is since 1982 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

Unfortunately the card was destroyed during the journey. :(

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the proclamation of Florence as capital of Italy a souvenir sheet was issued on 19th June 2015. 

Julius II and the Saint Peter's Basilica (Vatican)

Julius II was the follower of Pope Pius III. His civic name was Giuliano della Rovere. He was born in 1443. Before he became the Pope he was the head of the opposition against Alexander VI, the Pope from the House of Borgia. He became the Pope in 1503. He was the founder of the Swiss Guard and in 1506 he induced the laying of the first stone of the Saint Peter’s Basilica. He died in 1513.

The Saint Peter's Basilica is one of the largest churches in the World and one of the highest-ranking Roman Catholic churches. In 1506 Pope Julius II charged Donato Bramante with the construction of a new basilica on the place were Constantin built an older basilica on the grave of Saint Peter. Until the finishing 120 years passed and during this time many different popes brought forward their own ideas and so the best builder of Italy were involved in the building of the basilica.