Can Anyone Identify This Greek Stamp?

I love the lettering! Some of the older Greek stamps are really rather beautiful, I think.

Does anyone know what it is?

In the Scott catalog, Greece #324 (1Apr1927).

Thanks!

I was going to say it was Greek to me.

What is the picture on the stamp of?
It looks like a building under construction maybe?
Nicely designed stamp too.

Isn't there a monastery in northern Greece where only men are allowed to go?

I forget the name of the place, but it's a well-known tourist attraction (for men!)

I think that's what's on the stamp, but I'm not 100% sure.

It is the Monastery of St. Peter of Athos.
It is located on Mount Athos in Macedonia and known locally as "Holy Mountain" (Agion Oros).
This Peter was a soldier and was imprisoned in some jail (don't quite remember the details) and vowed to live on the mountain as a hermit if he ever gained his freedom.
I guess he did, because he ended up living most of his life on the mountain.

Hope this helps (in a very superficial way).

Cool, thanks all.

Maybe those black things along the sides of the top floors are balconies or canopies or bedding hung out to air and dry in the sun or flocks of birds or . . . .

While on things Greek, can anyone read the inscription on this 1911 Greek stamp?

All I know is that the overprint exists in both red and black, but I don't know when or why it was added.





I wonder if anyone specialises in sideways overprints?

The overprint is
ellinikí dioikísis = Greek Administration
Hope this helps.

To expand on the above as to why the stamps were overprinted:

General issue (1912-1913)

Greece's borders were greatly expanded by the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 as it occupied Macedonia including the city of Thessaloniki, parts of Epirus and Thrace and various Aegean islands, as well as formally annexing Crete. Until these so-called "New Territories" were formally incorporated into Greece, they were not permitted to use regular Greek stamps. In order to cover postal needs in these areas, Greece's government ordered existing stamps to be overprinted with #917;#923;#923;#919;#925;#921;#922;#919; #916;#921;#927;I#922;#919;#931;#921;#931; (Hellenic Administration) until a planned 1912 issue became available.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postag...ry_of_Greece

It doesn't want to put in the Greek spelling.

Thanks for the info, guys!

Here's a good Wikipedia picture of the Simonopetra monastery taken from much the same angle as shown on the stamp:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:S..._Aug2006.jpg

The name Simonopetra means "Simon's Rock".

You can see that Puzzler is spot on about the balconies!

Holy monastery. That's one big piece of work, that is. Wow.

Amazing what you can do in your spare time with a bit of faith.

Look at the cupola rising above in the background. They must have a big cathedral there also.