Barcelona & Catalonia Cinderellas

Following our trip North of the Costa Brava, we reach Tossa de Mar. Once a quite fishing village, a bursting sea-side town today. But it has kept its centuries old wall, built to keep pirates off, as well as quite tiny streets. Although the best is its rocky coast, full of small rough sand beaches ("Cales", as we call them) with pine-trees woods reaching down to the sea.

Sant Feliu de Guíxols (22.000 h, today) is considered the capital of the Costa Brava:





Is somewhat curious how, in July 1933, boolet # 17 of Album Catalunya shows 4 cinderellas with subjects related to St. Feliu: a magazine, l'Onada (the wave); a Cultural and sport society, "C. E. Mar I Muntanya" (Sea & hills trekking club); a hostel: "Hotel les Noies" and a Taxi service, "Taxis Vilossa". The booklet cover, also shows a Sant Feliu landscape.







It was an early (for us!) tourist advertising as St. Feliu had a narrow gage railway connecting to Girona and, from there to Barcelona. Thus, making easier for most Catalan inhabitants to reach the beach resort.

As we reach the 12,000 readings milestone (thank you very much to all our friends!), we also arrive to Palafrugell. Itself an inland town known for its cork industries (coming from a very common Mediterranean tree, the cork oak) has three beaches: Tamariu, Calella and Llafranc. Only the last is depicted on two cinderelleras, one showing the Far de Sant Sebastià (Saint Sebastian Lighthouse) and, the other, the beach.

A stamp that connects two themes: Orfeo Catala and the Costa Brava. Published in 1901 and bears the inscription "Seal of Sant Feliu de Guixols" in Latin.

It seems that this cinderella commemorates a visit of the Orfeó Català to Sant Feliu de Guíxols. As June 29th is Saint Peter's Day, that in Catalonia used to be a bank holiday up to the 1980's, and on 1901 it was Saturday... It was a proper day to held a concert.

Radio Barcelona, dating from November 14th 1924, is the oldest Catalan broadcast station. This cinderella bears no date, but (in my view) the design places it around 1960.

Some very lovely designs and more amazing items. Thanks Cursus and friends for showing all these items from Catalonia.

Thank you vey much Mike, for your nice words. I appreciate that someone who knows so much on cinderellas value our country output.

Going back to the Orfeó Català issue, this an inside view of the Palau de la Música Catalana, built in 1908 by Lluis Domènech I Montaner. One of the finest Modern Style buildings in Barcelona.

Incidentally, when in the 1970's decade, the Orfeó Català (as anything Catalan) was being ill-treated by ruling fascist Franco regime, they resorted to rent the concert hall to Catalan-minded schools (who were, actually, underground fighters against the regime) for their yearly performances. So, pupils had the chance of playing "on the guts" of the Palau de la Música and performing on its unique and wonderful scenary. I know it very well, because I was one of these lucky guys...

To end this Segells de Catalunya series devoted to the Costa Brava two stamps showing l'Estartit and Cadaqués.
The first town is in front of the Formigues (Ants) Islands, today a peaceful sea wildlife park but, back in 1285, also the site of a victory of the Catalan fleet against the French.






The second village is Cadaquès, known for being the favourite place of Salvador Dalí.



Dalí's Museum is on the neighbouring town of Figueres, and can be seen on this cinderella.

For the Exhibition of 1960 in Figueres these stamps were published (I know of three colours).These drawings are signed by Dali.

Need Cursus help!(1932 Joventuts d'esquerra Macianistes)

In my view is a cindy issued to raise money for the organisation of the youth branch of the Esquerra Republicana de Calunya. A political party founded by Francesc Macià in March 1931, it was the main Catalan party on the 1931/1939 years, still existing and doing pretty well as one of the leading parties on the Catalan independence current fight. The youth branch is today called "Joventuts d'Esquerra Republicana" (JERC, for short).
The cindy itself, depicts Francesc Macià I Llussà (Vilanova I la Geltrú, 1859 - Barcelona, 1933). Freedom fighter and President of Catalonia, 1931-1933.

It is curious that all the specimens I have seen such thick stripe at the bottom left and hiding something ... someone knows something?

I guess the stripe hides the year of issue (1931 or 1932, I would think). Perhaps, this cinderella was used for showing yearly membership payment and stuck to the identification card (we love to have, and show, organisation membership cards!) linked to it by a blue stamp print, as the imprint on the upper right corner might point.
As there was a stock of the stamp, the year was hidden to make it useful for other years.

President Macià, known by Catalans as "l'Avi" (Grand dad), gave his name on the thirties to the square previous known as "Reial" (Royal) a 1845 classical square, where still today stamp and coin (mainly) collectors meet for buying, selling or just chatting on our hobbies.
Luckily it hasn't changed that much since 1933.





Today, reverted the square's name to the Spanish Plaza Real (1939/1979) and to the Catalan Plaça Reial (since 1979); Barcelona honours President Macià by giving his name to another square in the new town. It's actually bigger, elegant, cosy and nice, but it lacks the flavour of the Plaça Reial.