Issue date: 05 Jul, 2018
RURAL ARCHITECTURE. POSSESSIÓ RAIXA.
Continuing the series that Correos began a few years ago, this new Premium Sheet celebrates the Rural Architecture of Spain, represented this year by the Possessió Raixa in Mallorca.
Surrounded by magnificent gardens, at the foot of the Tramuntana mountains, this villa of Arabic origin conserves some 16th century elements such as the vault of the chapel and the portico of the “clastra”, the traditional courtyard of Mallorca.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was reworked in the Neoclassical style under the direction of Cardinal Despuig.
The Cardinal transformed it to a noble villa and installed a museum of Classical sculpture that can now be enjoyed in Bellver Castle.
One of the most notable elements of the house is the arched loggia on the south façade.
As is traditional in this type of building, the main rooms of the house are distributed around the central courtyard.
The garden is undoubtedly the star attraction of this house. It can be reached via a large terrace with a crenellated tower. The upper garden is crossed by a Neoclassical monumental staircase. In the lower, there is an impressive orange grove.
A large pond, a little chapel, a Classical temple, and a Neogothic pavilion are some of the elements that make this garden such a special place to visit, for locals and visitors alike.
Raixa has also appeared in the movies. It was a setting for various films such as Evil Under the Sun and Bearn.
It is now home to the Raixa-Serra de Tramuntana Visitors’ Centre. After passing through several different families, in 2002 the Raixa estate, an official Cultural Asset (BIC), was bought by the Mallorca Insular Council and the Ministry of the Environment and opened to the public.
The Premium Sheet depicts the great staircase. The stamp shows the main building, with its impressive loggia, and conveys the stunning beauty of this very special house.
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.