Issue date: 20 Jun, 2005
Alicante hosts the 43rd edition of EXFILNA. Coinciding with this National Philatelic Exhibition 2005 and as usual, a commemorative souvenir sheet is issued. The stamp depicts the Homenaje Tower of the Santa Barbara Castle, whilst the souvenir sheet shows a panoramic view of Alicante. In a close-up view, the beach appears in the background, as well as a seafront with palm trees and buildings and at the back, the rocky Benacantil Hill, a large rock of 166m where the Santa Barbara Castle stands.
The castle was named Santa Barbara when it was captured by the Infante Alfonso de Castilla, future King Alfonso X The Wise, from the Arabs on 4th December 1248. With King Jaime II it became part of the Crown of Aragon. Centuries later, with Carlos I, it began to be fortified although the main refurbishment took place during the reign of Felipe II, and the constructions and premises that are visible today are his work. The French bombardment of Alicante in 1691, the warfare during the war of Succession between 1706-1709 and the military actions of the cantonalist rebels of Cartagena with the Numancia frigate in 1873 left the castle in a wrecked state. The fortress, after being refurbished, opened to the public in 1963 and throughout its premises are the following bastions, parks, rooms and patios: Baluarte de los Ingleses Parque de Ingenieros, Sala Noble, Casa del Gobernador, Salon Felipe II, Patio de Armas, Cuerpo de Guardia and Baluarte de la Reina. Alicante, a welcoming and modern city, with nearly 325,000 inhabitants will welcome with open arms philatelists and all those fond of stamps from the 20-26 June. EXFILNA, one of the most important events in Spanish philatelics, comes to dignify stamp collecting and enrich the vast quantity of subject matter which has come up as a result of previous editions. De esta hoja bloque se realizó una Prueba de Artista con el sello en negro.
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.