On 1st October 1869, the very first postcard was sent in Austria-Hungary. What began as a simple way to share short notes quickly grew into a worldwide tradition of preserving journeys, stories, and emotions through print.
More than 150 years later, World Postcard Day celebrates this legacy, reminding us that some moments are meant to be held in our hands, not just scrolled past on a screen.
The Legacy of Postcards
For generations, postcards have carried far more than pictures and words—they have carried feelings, friendships, and fragments of life. Unlike a fleeting digital message, a postcard often found a permanent place, whether tucked inside albums, displayed on mantelpieces, or passed down through families as cherished keepsakes. They remind us of photography’s original purpose: to preserve and share human experience in a way