With the advent of mass tourism Spain's tourism industry has become one of the country's main sources of income. The country's sandy beaches that can be found in most coastal regions attract most foreign visitors. Big cities like Madrid and Barcelona, and to somewhat lesser extend Sévilla and Valencia are popular destinations for city trips.
Away from the beaches and big cities, Spain has many places of historic or natural interest. One can travel to the country's interior at the height of the tourist season and meet only a handful of Spanish tourists and even fewer foreign visitors.
From 1964 until 1970, before the advent of mass tourism, Spain's public entity of Correos y Telégrafos issued a series of stamps depicting Spanish tourist sights. The first stamp in the series named 'Paisajes y Monumentos' (Landscapes and Monuments) appeared on 8 January 1964. There were nine further issues during 1964. Between 1964 and 1970, Correos y Telégrafos issued 52 stamps in the series 'Paisajes y Monumentos.' From the fifth issue onwards, the stamps were numbered.
No. 1, Alcázar de Segovia, Edifil nr. 1546
The city of Segovia is situated 70 kilometres northwest of Madrid. The city was an episcopal seat of the Visigoth Kingdom but was mostly abandoned after the Umayyad invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. It was repopulated shortly after the reconquest of the area, at the end of the eleventh century. A document from 1222 contains the earliest reference to an oppidum that defended the city.
A letter from 1255 is the first referring to the alcázar – from the Arabic 'al Qasr' meaning 'royal fortress.' This arose on the site of the Almoravid oppidum. Its location on the edge of the hill on which Segovia sits and its proximity to hunting grounds made it a preferred residence of many Castilian kings. King Alfonso X "the Wise" convened the Cortes of Castile at the alcázar in 1256.
Alcázar of Segovia with John II of Castile's Tower (January 1993)
At the core, the alcázar of Segovia marks the transition from Romanesque to Gothic architecture. It has an irregular shape that follows that of the hill on which it stands. It was extended on several occasions from the twelfth until the sixteenth centuries. The tower of John II of Castile, built between 1440 and 1465, is considered exemplary of Spanish civil Gothic architecture. The interior of the palace was decorated in mudéjar – after the name for the Muslims that remained in the Spanish territory after its reconquest - style.
The old town of Segovia with its alcázar, together with the Roman aqueduct that provided the city with water from the nearby mountains have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
technical details Date of issue: 8 January 1964 Value: 1 peseta (inland letters up to 20 grammes, incl. possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: violet and blue Format: 33.2 x 28.8 mm.Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1546
The city of Granada is situated in Andalucía, 360 kilometres south of Madrid. The city was the capital of the Nasrid Emirs of Granada. It was the last Muslim territory to surrender to the Catholic Kings, on 1 January 1492. Its surrender ended almost 781 years of Muslim presence on the Iberian Peninsula.
At the beginning of the eleventh century, the Caliphate of Cordoba disintegrated into small territories, each ruled by a local clan – tai'fa in Arabic. In 1013, the ruler of such a clan founded what is now Granada. In 1090, a period ensues during which the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties established themselves as rulers of Al-Andalus. In the thirteenth century, a coalition of the Christian kingdoms of Spain defeated the Almohad Caliphate. A new period of tai'fa rule ensued. In 1238, after conquering Almería, Málaga, and Granada, the Nasrid ruler of the tai'fa of Arjona, Muhammad ibn Yusuf ibn Nasri, proclaimed himself Emir and made Granada his capital.
No. 2, La Alhambra (Granada), Edifil nr. 1547
On the site of an old, fortified palace built by the tai'fa that founded the city, Muhammad I who was know as Ibn Al-Ahmar ordered the construction of a palatial city. The complex of Nasrid palaces became known as 'al Qal'a al-Hambra' - meaning 'the red castle' – that was Hispanicised into 'Alhambra.' During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, consecutive Nasrid emirs of Granada extended the palatial complex and constructed a defensive wall. The Alhambra complex consists of a fortress and a palatial city. Its name may refer to the nickname of Muhammad I - 'descendent of the Red.' Alternatively, it may refer to the red reflection of the torchlights used as the Alhambra was built at night. In the sixteenth century, Emperor Charles V ordered the construction of another palace.
The stamp depicts the 'Court of the Lions.' Emir Muhammad IV commissioned the Palace of the Lions in the second half of the fourteenth century. The palace is considered the apogee of Nasrid architecture. It is built around a rectangular courtyard centred on a marble fountain with twelve sculpted lions.
Court of the Myrtles, La Alhambra (June 1991)
The Alhambra is one of the best-preserved medieval palaces of the Islamic world. It is considered the culmination of Islamic architecture and art in Al-Andalus. In 1984, UNESCO inscribed the Alhambra, together with the nearby Nasrid summer palace of 'El Generalife' and the Albayzin area where Granada was founded in 1013, in its World Heritage list.
technical details Date of issue: 10 February 1964 Value: 1 peseta (inland letters up to 20 grammes, incl. possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: red and chestnut Format: 33.2 x 28.8 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1547
The four Caves of the Drach (Dragon) are in the village of Porto Cristo on the east coast of Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Isles. The caves have a total length of approximately 1,200 metres and reach a depth of 25 metres below ground level. In the caves are lakes. The biggest, Lake Martel, is one of the biggest underground lakes in the world. It has a length of 170 metres and width of 30 metres. Its depth ranges from 4 to 12 metres.
The caves formed during the Late Miocene (11 – 5 Ma) by rainwater seeping through cracks in the ground and porous ground. This forms holes in the rock that develop into caverns. The water dissolves the calcareous ground forming stalactites and stalagmites in the caverns. The stamp depicts formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
No. 3, Cuevas del Drach, Edifil nr. 1548
The oldest reference to the Caves of the Drach dates to 1632. A visit of the caves includes a short classical music concert and the opportunity to cross Lake Martel by boat.
technical details Date of issue: 16 March 1964 Value: 1 peseta (inland letters up to 20 grammes, incl. possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: green and black Format: 28.8 x 33.2 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1548
Córdoba is 296 kilometres south of Madrid. Since 1992, high-speed trains connect the city with Madrid and Sévilla. The Romans founded the city in the second century BCE. It became the capital of the Roman province of Baetica and was the birthplace of the Roman philosopher Seneca. After the Umayyad conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, the governors of Al-Andalus made the city their capital.
In 756 AD, Abd al-Rahman, the only survivor of the assassination of the Umayyads that ruled the Caliphate of Damascus, disembarked in Al-Andalus. After he conquered Córdoba, Abd al-Rahman proclaimed himself Emir of Córdoba. In 929 AD, his descendant Abd al-Rahman III proclaimed himself Caliph, establishing the Caliphate of Córdoba. During this period, the city became a centre of art, philosophy, and religion. Muslims, Christians, and Jews coexisted peacefully in the city.
No. 4, La Mezquita (Córdoba), Edifil nr. 1549
The fourth stamp in the series is dedicated to the cathedral of Córdoba. This Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady is better known as 'La Mezquita,' meaning 'The Mosque' in Spanish. Abd al-Rahman I, first Emir of Córdoba, ordered the construction of the mosque. Its construction started in 785 AD and took less than two years to finish. The successors to Abd al-Rahman extended the mosque. Until the completion of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, it was the second-largest mosque in the world.
The stamp depicts the emblematic double-tiered arches resting on columns of the cathedral's hypostyle. The columns used for the construction originated from old Roman and Visigoth constructions. They support double-tiered arches that carried the timber roof. This invention, probably, served to raise the roof to the required height. An alternative theory suggests the double-tired arches represent the palm trees of Abd al-Rahman I's native Syria. The arches have alternating red brick and yellow limestone voussoirs.
The hypostyle served as room for prayer. During the Umayyads' reign, it also served as a place of education and seat of the sharia. The rows of columns divided the mosque of Abd al-Rahman I's hypostyle in eleven naves. At the end of the tenth century, Caliph al-Mansur ordered the largest extension of the mosque adding eight naves.
Unlike modern mosques, La Mezquita's qibla is not oriented towards the Kaaba in the Sacred Mosque of Mecca, but towards the south. To the north of the hypostyle is an enclosed courtyard known as the Courtyard of the Orange Trees (Patio de los Naranjos).
Patio de los Naranjos, La Mezquita (June 1991)
After definitively conquering Cordóba, in 1236, King Fernando III of Castile converted the mosque in a cathedral devoted to the Virgin Mary. In the sixteenth century a large nave was constructed in the hypostyle. Many of the double-tiered arches, however, have been preserved. In 1984, La Mezquita was listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. In 1994, UNESCO extended the listing to the whole of the historic centre of Córdoba.
technical details Date of issue: 6 April 1964 Value: 1 peseta (inland letters up to 20 grammes, incl. possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: red, carmine, and violet Format: 28.8 x 33.2 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1549
Thanks to Roberto59 for pointing out a possible confusion.
Quote: Value: 1 peseta (inland letters up to 20 grammes, incl. possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone)
This should be understood as a domestic rate and also the rate applied to letters sent from Spain to possessions, Philipines, UPAE (except USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone. 'Inland' only refers to domestic letters sent within Spain itself.
Around 29 BCE, the Roman Legion VI Victrix founded León as an encampment. The name of the city derives from the word 'legion.' After the Umayyad conquest, most of its inhabitants abandoned the city. Already in 754 AD, King Alfonso I of Asturias reconquered it. León remained on the border between the Christian Kingdom of Asturias and Muslim Al-Andalus for almost a century.
At the middle of the ninth century the Asturian King Ordoño I repopulated the city that preserved its Roman walls. His son and successor, Alfonso III 'the Great,' reconquered the lands north of the river Duero. Consequently, León no longer sat on border between the Christian and Muslim lands. After the death of Alfonso, his three sons inherited different parts of the Asturian kingdom. His eldest son García inherited León, founding the Kingdom of León. The city of León is almost 290 kilometres northwest of Madrid.
No. 5, Cripta de San Isidoro (León), Edifil nr. 1543
The fifth Stamp in the 'Landscapes and Landmarks' series depicts the pantheon of the Kings of León. Contrary to the inscription, the pantheon is not a crypt but a room that corresponds with the cloisters of the basilica of Saint Isidore in León.
After al-Mansur devastated León, King Alfonso V 'the Noble' ordered the reconstruction of León. Among the reconstructed buildings were the monastery dedicated to Saint Pelagius of Córdoba and church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Alfonso also ordered the construction of a kind of atrium to the west of the church where he transferred the remains of his parents and was buried himself.
On the recommendation of his wife and daughter of Alfonso V 'the Noble,' Fernando I 'the Great' built a new church on the site of that constructed by Alfonso V. He also reconstructed the royal pantheon. After the death of King Fernando I (1065) and his wife Sancha (1067), their daughter Urraca of Zamora ordered further remodelling of the Romanesque church and pantheon. She commissioned the Romanesque decorations of the pantheon that can be seen on the stamps. These paintings are considered among the most important Spanish Romanesque artworks. Work on the new church finished in 1149.
South façade, Basilica of Saint Isidore of Seville, León (January 1993)
In 1062, Fernando I had the remains of Saint Isidore of Seville brought from Seville to lend importance to his church. On 21 December 1063, the basilica was consecrated to Saint Isidore of Seville.
technical details Date of issue: 23 June 1964 Value: 70 céntimos (inland postcards, incl. possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: green and black Format: 33.2 x 28.8 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe, Pablo Sampedro Molero Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1543
The city of Girona – as is its official, Catalan spelling – is in the northeast of Spain, in Catalonia. It is 85 kilometres north of Barcelona, about halfway between Barcelona and the French city of Perpignan.
In 77 BCE, Roman general and consul Pompey ordered the construction of an oppidum on the Via Augusta, the Roman road that led from the Pyrenees along the Mediterranean to Cádiz on the Atlantic coast in the extreme south of the Iberian Peninsula. This developed into the Roman city of Gerunda from which Girona derives its name.
After a brief occupation by the Muslims of Al-Andalus, the city was reconquered by Charlemagne. It became the seat of the Carolingian County of Gerona. The towns historic centre preserves mediaeval buildings and parts of its fourteenth-century walls. The walls were first constructed in the first century AD by the Romans and extended by the Carolingians. Some Carolingian parts survive.
No 6. Vista de Gerona, Edifil nr. 1550
The Stamp's caption reads "view of Gerona." It depicts the River Oñar that flows through the city with its emblematic 'Cases de l'Onyar.' Over time, the houses built on the mediaeval city wall along the River Oñar were rebuilt or refurbished. As the houses were rebuilt, they rose higher and many, also, were extended over the river. The hanging houses of the River Oñar have not been conceived as an architectural ensemble and show little uniformity. Some unity was added by painting the façades facing the river in a specially designed colour palette. In the background, towering over the hanging houses, stands the city's mediaeval cathedral.
technical details Date of issue: 27 July 1964 Value: 1,50 Peseta (postcards to Morocco – a lower tariff of 1,20 Peseta applied for Northern Morocco –, fully paid-up airmail rate for airletters up to 3 grammes to Andorra, Morocco, Spanish Guinea, Gibraltar, and Portugal, except Azores, and airmail supplement for letters and postcards up to 5 grammes to Spanish Guinea) Colours: chestnut and slate Format: 33.2 x 28.8 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1550
This is the second stamp dedicated to a landmark in Córdoba. Its cathedral known as 'La Mezquita' was the subject of the fourth stamp in the series. This seventh stamp is dedicated to the crucifix known as 'Christ of the Lanterns.' This stands in the Plaza de Capuchinos (Capuchins Square) of Córdoba. The square was part of the patio of a capuchin convent.
No 7. Cristo de los faroles, Edifil nr. 1545
The sculpture in black marble for the cross and white marble for Christ dates to 1794. It is the work of local sculptor Juan Navarro León. The promotor was friar Diego José de Cádiz of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins.
The official name of the crucifix is 'Christ of the Atonement and Mercy.' Its popular name inscribed at the bottom of the stamp derives from the eight lanterns that illuminate the crucifix. In the 1920s, electric lanterns replaced the original oil lanterns.
This is the first stamp in the series depicting landscapes and landmarks that has an inscription with its sequence number.
technical details Date of issue: 27 September 1964 Value: 80 céntimos (local letters up to 20 grammes) Colours: blue and black Format: 28.8 x 33.2 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Antonio Manso Fernández, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1545
Stamp number 8 in the series depicts the cathedral of Santa María de Regia in León, the old capital of Castile. The cathedral's extreme "dematerialisation" of Gothic art earned it the sobriquet 'Pulchra Leonina' (Beauriful Leonese). It stands on the main pilgrims' route from France to Santiago de Compostela.
No 8. Catedral de León, Edifil nr. 1542
In gratitude to God for his victory over the Muslims at San Esteban de Gormaz, in 916, King Ordoño II of León ceded his palace for the construction of a church. In the eleventh century, this original church was in a state of dilapidation. Doña Urraca, the oldest daughter of King Fernando I of León sponsored the construction of a Romanesque cathedral on the site.
Towards 1205, construction began on a new cathedral on the site. Problems with the foundations soon halted work on the cathedral. Construction recommenced in 1255. Medieval sources mention the cathedral's master builder was a 'Master Enrique.' He, almost certainly, was born in France where he may have worked on the rayonnant-Gothic cathedrals of the Îsle de France, such as that of Saint Denis.
Cathedral, León (January 1993)
The cathedral is the only thirteenth-century building outside France constructed completely in rayonnant-Gothic style. In the fifteenth century, the southern tower was finished in flamboyant Gothic style. The cathedral underwent further alterations in the following centuries.
The dematerialisation consisted in minimising the construction of stone walls, to allow for large windows that let light enter the building. The cathedral of León preserves most of its original stained-glass windows dating to the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries. As such, they are considered among the most important ensemble of mediaeval stained-glass windows after that of the cathedral of Chartres.
technical details Date of issue: 26 October 1964 Value: 50 céntimos (supplement for airmail letters and postcards to Gibraltar, Portugal (excl. Azores), and Morocco for 5 grammes; supplement for each additional 20 grammes for inland letters and letters to possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone above 100 grammes) Colours: black, grey, and blue Format: 28.8 x 33.2 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1542
The Costa Brava (Rugged Coast) is a 200 kilometres' stretch of coastline in Spain's most north-easterly province of Girona. It runs from the seaside town of Blanes in the south to Portbou on the French border in the north. Its name is attributed to Ferran Agulló I Vidal, who used the name to describe to coast in the 'La Vue de Catalunya' daily, on 12 September 1908.
This part of the Mediterranean coast in the Spanish autonomy of Catalonia is rocky and has many small bays (calas). Already in the 1930s, the sandy beaches of this coast were popular among Spanish tourists. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Spanish government recognised the potential of this coast as a destination for foreign tourists.
Among the resort towns that are popular with tourists from Europe are Blanes, Lloret de Mar, and Tossa de Mar. In the 1990s, its location made it popular with low-budget tourists who could only afford to travel by bus.
Away from the beaches, the Costa Brava has many spots of natural beauty, archaeological sites, and cultural offerings. In Cadaqués, the most eastern point of the Iberian Peninsula, stands the house where Salvador Dalí lived with his wife Gaia. Dalí was born and died a few kilometres inland, in the town of Figueres. Some of the localities on the Costa Brava are incorporated in the Empordà wine region that has its protected designation of origin.
No 9. Costa Brava, Edifil nr. 1544
The stamp depicts Tossa de Mar and its bay seen from north of the town. The old town is the only mediaeval walled town on the Catalan Coast. The fortifications were erected between the 12th and 14th centuries to protect the town from raids by pirates. Outside the old town are sandy beaches.
technical details Date of issue: 30 November 1964 Value: 70 céntimos (inland postcards, incl. addresses in possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: chestnut and violet Format: 28.8 x 33.2 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1544
The town of Potes is 315 kilometres north to northeast of Madrid in the province of Cantabria. It sits in a valley at the confluence of the Quiviesa and Deva rivers. It is the main town in the historical region of Liébana. The region is surrounded by the Picos de Europa, Spain's third-highest mountain range and a popular ski area.
The town was first recorded in the year 847. In 1351, it was in the possession of Don Tello, son of King Alfonso XI 'the Avenger' of Castile. The possession of the town was contested by two noble lineages. Around 1444, King Juan II of Castile granted the town to the first Marques of Santillana whose son was granted the title of Duque of the Infantado by the Catholic Kings.
No 10. Potes, Edifil nr. 1541
The Stamp shows a view of the town from the bank of the Deva River against a backdrop of the snow-covered Picos de Europa. In the foreground stands the Torre del Infantado, a fortified mansion from the fourteenth century. The tower belonged to Don Tello. It became the home of the Dukes of the Infantado, from which it derives its name. Behind the tower is the nineteenth century church of Saint Vincent that has been built next to the fourteenth-century church of Saint Vincent.
Among the other sights in the town are typical old houses and mediaeval bridges across the Quiviesa River.
technical details Date of issue: 14 December 1964 Value: 40 céntimos (make-up value; together with a 1 peseta stamp, it would pay for inland double postcards, incl. addresses in possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: chestnut, blue, and green Format: 33.2 x 28.8 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Daniel Carande Boto, Antonio Manso Fernández, and Germán Martín Orbe Number printed: 15,000,000 Edifil nr. 1541
Zamora, capital of the homonymous province, lies 210 kilometres northeast of Madrid. It sits on the bank of the Duero River. In addition to a regular bus service, there is a high-speed train service between the cities. Its origin dates to the early Bronze Age.
Like much of the Iberian Peninsula, the city conquered by the invading Muslims in the early eight century. It, already, was reconquered by the Christians at the end of the eight century. King Alfonso III "the Great" of Asturias repopulated the city from 893 and erected town walls. From the tenth until the early thirteenth centuries, the town secured the border between the Christian and Muslim territories. It was destroyed during the campaigns of al-Mansur at the end of the tenth century. From 1055, King Fernando I "the Great" rebuilt and repopulated the city again.
The historic centre of Zamora preserves parts of the mediaeval town walls with its castle and many Romanesque churches. The city's Romanesque cathedral dates to the twelfth century. Parts were reconstructed in Gothic style. The Romanesque dome of the cathedral, however, is considered one of the most important examples of Leonese Romanesque architecture. Only four other such towers survive.
Next to the cathedral stands a Romanesque house. Known as the house of Arias Gonzalo, some historians believe Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar grew up in the house. He was knighted by King Fernando I in the Romanesque church of Santiago de los Caballeros at the foot of the town wall. Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar entered history as "El Cid."
No. 11, Vista de Zamora, Edifil nr. 1646
The Stamp depicts the Romanesque "New" Bridge. Its construction started in 1167 and was finished in the thirteenth century. The bridge is part of the Vía de la Plata, the old Roman road between Astorga and Mérida. Little remains of the mediaeval bridge that, largely, was reconstructed after a flood in 1556. At the beginning of the twentieth century, its defensive elements such as the towers on both ends and merlons were demolished. In the background appears part of the old town with the spire of the church of Saint Cyprian.
Puente Nuevo, Zamora (12 November 2017)
technical details Date of issue: 9 January 1965 Value: 70 céntimos (inland postcards, incl. to addresses in possessions, Philippines, UPAEP (not USA), Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal, and French border zone) Colours: blue and black Format: 33.2 x 28.8 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Antonio Manso Fernández, José Manuel Mata Martín Number printed: 6,000,000 Edifil nr. 1646
Burgos, capital of the homonymous province, lies 240 kilometres due north from Madrid. In addition to a regular bus service, there is a high-speed train service between the cities. It sits on the Roman road that connected Italy with Hispania. The area occupied by the city, already, was settled in the Bronze Age. Fifteen kilometres from the city is the Atapuerca archaeological site where human remains have been discovered that are at least a million years old.
Under the threat of the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba, King Alfonso III "the Great" of Asturias commanded the construction of a fortification on the bank of the river Arlanzón. Towards 932, when Fernán González united his counties of Castile, Burgos, Álava, Lantarón, and Cerezo, Burgos, the town became his capital. When King Fernando I "the Great" of León, Count of Castile, died in 1065, his territory was divided among his sons. Sancho inherited the County of Castile that became a kingdom. Burgos remained the capital of this Kingdom of Castile. It remained so until the kingdoms of Castile and León reunited in 1230.
In the historic centre of Burgos stands its thirteenth-century Gothic cathedral that appeared on stamp number 19 in this series. Another site of historical interest is the Cistercian royal monastery that was the subject of a set in the 'monasterios' series. Other sights include Gothic and Renaissance mansions, the castle of which the core is the fortification King Alfonso III "the Great" had built in 884, and parts of the city walls constructed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
No. 12, Arco de Sta. María (Burgos), Edifil nr. 1644
The Stamp depicts the 'Arco de Santa María' (Saint Mary's Arch). The arch is one of the twelve mediaeval city gates. It provided access to the city from Saint Mary's bridge across the Arlanzón. The first gate was built in the eleventh century. This is mentioned in the 'Cantar de mio Cid' from ca. 1200 as the point of entry and exit used by Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar "El Cid." A newer gate under its present name is documented at the beginning of the fourteenth century.
The current Renaissance arch was built between 1536 and 1553 to commemorate the visit of the Holy German-Roman Emperor Charles V, King Carlos I of Castile and Aragón. It was conceived as a triumphal arch. It is crowned by merlons and flanked by cylindrical towers that give it the appearance of a small castle. The façade is decorated with six niches. Among the six statues that occupy the niches are those of Counts Diego Rodríguez Porcelos, who built the city's original fortress in 884, and Fernán González, one of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar "El Cid," and one of Emperor Charles V. At the top of the gate appears a statue of the Virgin Mary, patron saint of Burgos. Inside the arch is a room with a Mudéjar – Spanish Gothic influenced by the Muslim culture of Spain - timber ceiling.
technical details Date of issue: 18 February 1965 Value: 30 céntimos (printed matter to addresses in Morocco supplement for each 50 grammes over the first weight step of 50 grammes) Colours: slate and blue Format: 28.8 x 33.2 mm. Perforation gauge: 13¼ Printer: F.N.M.T. (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) Printing process: intaglio Engravers: Jesús Terriza de Coca Number printed: 6,000,000 Edifil nr. 1644
Wow NSK - just seeing this. Beautiful. I have not traveled much outside of the US - but Spain I have been to twice (had to visit the land of my ancestors). Very lovely stamps and background information. If I add a new country it will be Spain and I have been slowly adding to my stock book through trades.
I was a baby when my parents took me to Spain for the first time. That was my first trip abroad. I have been there many times. Barcelona is only two hours and Madrid 2:30 hours by air. KLM has several flights to those airports and some other airports as well.
I set myself the target of spending time in each of the 50 provinces and territories. I am about a dozen short of my objective. It is good fun to see many of the places I have visited on stamps and some new ones as well. I like the engraving.
As Roberto wrote, the stamps from this period are easy to find. They are quite cheap.
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Posted 10/28/2022 5:20 pm
