POSTCARD N.23 - Lithuania

Postcrossing postcard posted on the 21st June; received on the 9th August
Postcard image: Juodkrantè - Witches' hill sculpture (1979-1981)
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A very nice wood sculpture takes centre stage on this beautiful postcard I received from Lithuania, sent by Vidas, whom I thank a lot for it.

A bit of research on the internet allowed me to understand that the Hill of the Witches is a very popular destination near the also highly popular seaside village of Juodkrantè, located  in the Lithuanian part of the Curonian Spit, one of those accidents of geography that on first acquaintance, as it was the case,  immediately stirs one's curiosity, due to its uncommonness. The Spit is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, shared by Russia and Lithuania.

In its essence, the Hill of the Witches is a folk themed wooden sculpture park in the forest, that was created with a first nucleus of 25 wooden sculptures installed in 1979 to celebrate the international year of the child. Since then the number of exhibits has largely increased and some sculptures have already been replaced by new ones, since over time, being made of organic material,  they are prey to the elements.

4 stamps were used to make sure the postcard reached my letterbox in Portugal:

left to right; top to bottom:

the 0,03€ stamp is part of a 3 stamp definitive auto-adhesive set, issued on 04JAN2019 dedicated to Historic National Flags.

It depicts the Lithuanian Presidential flag. Quoting from the Site of the Lithuanian Presidency, the Presidential flag is thus composed:  "A purpure cloth centre front and back is charged with the coat of arms of the State of Lithuania with supporters: on a pedestal a griffin rampant in dexter and a unicorn rampant in sinister, all argent, armed and membered or, langued gules. The cloth edged on three sides in cord or. Ratio - 5:6. The staff of natural wood has a finial imprinted with the coat of arms of the State of Lithuania."

The other stamps and flags on this set are the Historical State Flag (0,10€) and the National Flag (0,49€)

The 0,29€ stamp was issued on 02JAN2015 as part of a 6 stamp auto-adhesive definitive issue with face values of 0,01€; 0,03€; 0,10€; 0,29€; 0,39€; 0,62€, commemorative of the introduction of the Euro, themed on old Lithuanian coins adorned with the  Vytis, the Symbol of the Emblem of the Lithuanian State.

The 0,42€ stamp is part of a 2 identical face value auto-adhesive stamp set dedicated to the rodents of the red book of conservation in Lithuania, issued on 08APR2017. it depicts the Northern Birch Mouse (Sicista betulina), a small rodent about 5 to 8 cm long (without the tail), weighing 5 to 13 g, with a vast distribution ranging from  Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe to Northern Asia.

The Vytis is again the showpiece in the  0,01€ stamp. Issued on o2JAN2016, this self-adhesive stamp integrates a 6 stamp definitive set, with images of the Vytis used in flags, with face values of 0,01€; 0,03€; 0,10€; 0,29€; 0,39€; 0,62€.

The green potsmark lets us know that the postcard was mailed from the city of Rokiškis, in the north of Lithuania.