Issue date: 20 Oct, 2005
Two stamps are issued to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the foundation of La Orotava and 150 years of the first Spanish stamps issued for Cuba and Puerto Rico
Located at the foot of the Teide mountain is the village of La Orotava which is celebrating 500 years of its foundation. Its history is linked to governor Alonso Fernandez de Lufo’s arrival in Tenerife, who, once he became aware of the fertility of its extense valley watered by the river Aguamansa, didn’t give it a second thought and distributed the land, belonging to the old Menceyato de Taoro, to his family and friends. When news of this reached King Ferdinand the Catholic, he sent Juan Ortiz de Zárate to La Orotava in 1506 to sort things out. In the 16th century, La Orotova lived a prosperous moment due to the important sugar production, which was abandoned when vineyards became more profitable to grow. From its historic past, La Orotava has a rich architectural and festive heritage. Thus in the old part of town we can find the Churches of Concepcion and San Juan Bautista de Farrobo and the church and convent of Santo Domingo de Guzman, today turned into the Museum of Latin American Handicrafts, the hermit age of the Calvario and the Los Balcones house, as well as many noble manors and gofio mills. With regards to local fiestas, worth mentioning are the Corpus Christi, with its beautiful and colourful carpets made out of flowers and earth from the Teide, and those of San Isidro where a local massively-attended pilgrimage takes place. The stamp depicts the coat of arms and façade of the Town Hall and the title of Villa Exenta which was awarded to La Orotava by King Felipe IV
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first Spanish stamps issued for Cuba and Puerto Rico. At the time, these two countries both belonged to Spain and stamps were first used there from 1855 onwards. The design used in these stamps, a profile image of queen Isabel II and at the top the word Correos (Post), was the same for those used in Spain. The stamps were used in Cuba until 1898, when the American intervention took place, and these last ones depicted King Alfonso XIII.
This issue reproduces a letter sent from Havana to the northern Spanish town of Santander and a copy of a ½ silver “real” (an old Spanish coin).
Rate A - €0.75. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, up to 20 g.
Rate A2 - €0.85. For a “standard” letter or postcard within Spain, between 20 g and 50 g.
Rate B - €1.65. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to Europe (including Greenland), up to 20 g.
Rate C - €1.75. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the rest of the world (except USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand), up to 20 g.
Rate D - €2.10. For a “standard” Ordinary International letter or postcard addressed to the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, up to 20 g.