Exploring Places XV: Pihtipudas, Findland

 Postcard 15 has travelled 3,173 km to Pihtipudas in Finland! We hope Riitta likes it!

Pihtipudas

WHERE IS PIHTIPUDAS?

Pihtipudas is a community of 4500 inhabitants in a rural setting, 140 kms north from Jyväskylä, Central Finland.

Location of Findland

Location of Pihtipudas in Finland

PIHTIPUDAS IS FAMOUS FOR...

…its lakes.

There are 140 lakes in Pihtipudas. The biggest lakes are Alvajärvi, Muurasjärvi and Saanijärvi.

Alvajärvi Lake

... the annual Javelin carnival.

Javelin

... Lauri "Tahko" Pihkala, the father of Finnish baseball.

Tahko Pihkala commemorative stamp

PLACES TO VISIT

Javelin Museum

Javelin Museum

The javelin throwing museum in Pihtipudas is one of a kind in the whole world. The museum collection includes, among other things, the javelin that was used to throw the world’s longest javelin throw and a number of Olympic, World Championship and European Championship medals from 1932 onwards.

Heinäjoki Bridge

Heinajöki Bridge

The stone dual-arch bridge over River Heinäjoki is located in the Pihtipudas centre. It was completed in 1924. The Heinäjoki Bridge was a part of road E75 until 1962. In 1982, it became a museum bridge.

The Local Church

Pihtipudas Local Church

The small wooden cruciform church of Pihtipudas, dating from 1783, is the oldest church in Central Finland still in use. The master builder was Simon Silvén from Kalajoki. The Muurasjärvi village has its own church, which was designed by architect Esko Laitinen and completed in 1963. Furthermore, Finland’s first Church of silence for travellers is located in Elämäjärvi, in Pihtipudas.

Heinäjoki nature trail

Heinäjoki nature trail

The Heinäjoki nature trail is located close to Pihtipudas’ centre and passes through both wilderness and built-up areas. The trail includes 2 km of duckboard trail, a lean-to, two observation towers, a pontoon bridge, wooden bridge across the River Heinäjoki, information/break shelter, toilet/store and a gate at the start. The full length of the route is 6.5 km.

LIFESTYLE

Life is very peaceful in this Finish town. People love nature and spend a lot of time in the forests and lakes. If you want to enjoy their nature, watch the video below.

Sources

Wikipedia

Pihtipudas

Lomaseutu

Stop 15: Pihtipudas, Finland

Postcard 15 has travelled 3,173 km to Pihtipudas in Finland!

Hope Ritta likes this postcard written by Noa which features the River Limia or River Lethes in the town of Xinzo de Limia, which lies on the fertile valley of Antela, approximately 43 km from Ourense.

Noa has looked for information about Pihtipudas; you can read what she's found out about this Finnish town on EXPLORING PLACES. Thank you, Noa!

If you want to know why River Limia is also known as River Lethes, go to DISCOVER OUR HOMETOWN. You will also find amazing pictures that English teacher Eva Pousa and Antía Pousa have very kindly shared for your enjoyment!

Exploring Places XXIV: Frankfurt, Germany

A new postcard has arrived from FRANKFURT.

Frankfurt

WHERE IS FRANKFURT?

Frankfurt am Main is the largest city in the German state of Hessen and the fifth-largest city in Germany.

Location of Frankfurt

FRANKFURT IS FAMOUS FOR...

being the birthplace of Germany's greatest writer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832).

J.W. Goethe

...its sausages

German sausages

...its Christmas market.

Frankfurt's Christmas market

PLACES TO VISIT

The Senckenberg Museum

The Senckenberg Museum is the largest museum of natural history in Germany; it showcases thousands of exhibits, ranging from fossil amphibiens, and Egyptian mummies.

The Senckenberg Museum

The Romenberg

The Römerberg ("Roman Mountain") is the historic heart of Frankfurt and home to its City Hall.

The Römenberg

Cider Taverns In Sachsenausen

Sachsenausen Taverns

The signature drink of Frankfurt is "Apfelwein", or "Ebbelwoi" as the Frankfurters say; a light alcoholic apple cider that is produced in the regions around Frankfurt.

The Old Opera House

In the heart of Frankfurt's Opera Square (Opernplatz), the Old Opera House (Alte Oper) was constructed in 1880 in the style of the Italian High Renaissance. Although destroyed during WWII (it reopened in 1981), it remains one of the city's most important concert venues.

Frankfurt Opera House

St. Bartholomew's Cathedral

Roman Catholic St. Bartholomew's Cathedral (Frankfurter Dom, or Dom St. Bartholomäus), was built of red sandstone in Gothic style between the 13th and 15th centuries, and at 95 meters, still manages to stand out in this city of skyscrapers. One of only a handful of churches in Germany to be designated as an Imperial Cathedral, it was here from 1562 to 1792 that the coronation of Emperors took place in the Election Chapel. Beneath the tower is the magnificent Crucifixion by Hans Backoffen, sculpted in 1509, while in the Marienkapelle is the Maria-Schlaf-Altar from 1434. Other highlights include the grave-slab of King Günter von Schwarzburg who died in Frankfurt in 1349, as well as numerous carved side altars dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The cathedral's most important relic is the skullcap of St. Bartholomew, kept in the Late Romanesque Bartholomew's Choir.

St. Bartholomew's Cathedral, Frankfurt

The Palm Garden

On the Bockenheimer Landstrasse is the beautiful 54-acre Palm Garden (Palmengarten), the largest botanic garden in Germany. An instant hit with the public upon its opening in 1871, it attracted some of the top performers from around the world, including Buffalo Bill who visited with his Wild West show in 1890. The gardens also offer recreational facilities such as boating, a children's playground, and picnic spots.

The Palm Garden

The Hauptwache

In the middle of the city and undoubtedly one of Frankfurt's busiest pedestrian areas, the Hauptwache - literally translated, the Main Guard - is famous for its mix of fine old historic buildings and newer modern structures. The most notable building here is the old Baroque Guard House after which the square is named.

The Hauptwache

LIFESTYLE

If you want to find out what Frankfurt has to offer to anyone living there, watch the video below.

 Sources: 

Wikipedia

Planetware

Frankfurt Tourism

A postcard has arrived from Frankfurt, Germany!

A new postcard has just arrived from Frankfurt, Germany! Chrissy has sent us this lovely card featuring the Wattenmeer National Park, the largest national park in Germany.

Chrissy's postcard has travelled 1533 km!

Ledicia (3º ESO-A) has done some research on Frankfurt and has shared her findings in EXPLORING PLACES. Thank you, Ledicia!

Exploring Places XXIII: Tambov, Russia

Postcard 14 is on its way to TAMBOV!

The Tsna River in Tambov

WHERE IS TAMBOV?

Tambov is a city and the administrative center of Tambov Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Tsna and Studenets Rivers, about 480 kilometers (300 mi) south-southeast of Moscow. It has a population of 280,161.

Location of Russia

Location of Tambov Oblast within Russia

TAMBOV IS FAMOUS FOR...

...being a large industrial center and the location of theTambov air base of the Russian Air Force. Tambov was the birthplace of Sergei Rachmaninoff (,1873-1943) one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music.

Watch the video below to listen to an extract of one of Rachmaninoff's wonderful Romances:

PLACES TO VISIT

Tambov Cathedral

Tambov Cathedral

Tambov Puppet Theatre

Tambov Puppet Theatre "Little Red Riding Hood"

Tambov Catholic Church

Tambov Catholic Church

LIFESTYLE

Having become a modern center of the region, Tambov has retained its special view combining new and traditional things. Present day Tambov means lively streets and quarters all in green, high new buildings and cozy old houses, old-fashioned small streets and alleys decorated with fountains.

Tambov city view

Sources:

Wikipedia

Russia Trek

Discover Ourense XIV: Monumento á Pantalla

This postcard features one of the most famous sculptures in Xinzo de Limia, the Monument to the Pantalla. Xinzo de Limia is a village 40 kilometres from Ourense and famous for its Carnival (Entroido), which is celebrated in February. Carnival festivities include masked balls, parades, music performances, flour fights and markets with typically Galician products.

Entroido Xinzo de Limia

The "pantalla" is Xinzo's traditional disguise, a fancy dress composed of a mask with horns, white clothes with a red cape and cowbells around the waist.

Pantalla de Xinzo

Next destination: Tambov (Russia)

Postcard 14 has been sent to Tambov, Russia, 3794 kilometres away!

This time, it was a group of Sixth form students that were in charge of writing the postcard. They are the members of the Proxecto Ciencia Activa, a project coordinated by Biology teacher, Beatriz Temes, to make science more fun and engaging. For such a purpose they run a blog, a podcast channel and an online TV channel, and they also organise a yearly Science Week. They have been awarded the Peonza de Bronce- Espiral Edublogs for Best Students’ Blog in Spain.

The postcard they've written features the monument to the pantalla, one of the emblems of Xinzo de Limia, a town 40 kilometres from Ourense.

If you want to learn more about Tambov, listen to this podcast recorded by Ciencia Activa students. You can find more information about Tambov in EXPLORING PLACES. Thank you, guys!