Issue date: 09 Oct, 2013
PUENTE DE TOLEDO (MADRID)
The Spanish Bridges series continues with these two Souvenir Sheets devoted to the Bridge of Toledo, in Madrid, and the Bridge of Frías (Burgos).
The chroniclers of the city of Madrid assert that in remote times a wooden bridge was built over the modest river Manzanares to link the city with the road to Toledo. The river floods destroyed it on several occasions until a new sturdier one was built by architect Pedro de Rivera between 1719 and 1732. The Bridge of Toledo has nine semicircular arches built with ashlars, solid buttresses and capstones in the balconies. In the centre stand two niches in churriguesco style with statues of San Isidro Labrador and Santa María de la Cabeza. Both were made in limestone by sculptor Juan Alonso Villabrille and Ron in 1723. On each side of the bridge there are slopes leading down to the river which formerly gave access to the laundry and gardens. In 1992 it was declared Heritage of Cultural Interest. With the burial of the M-30 ring road, the banks of the Manzanares have been retrieved for public use.
The souvenir sheet depicts a front view of the bridge and the stamps features the two niches richly decoratedRate 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.