Issue date: 16 Jan, 2018

Efemérides. 300 años Casa de Contratación de Cádiz

CONSULT RATES

Efemérides. 300 años Casa de Contratación de Cádiz

HISTORY

ANNIVERSARIES. HOUSE OF TRADE, CADIZ.

Correos has issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the transfer of the House of Trade to Cadiz.

The House of Trade was created in Seville in the year 1503 to regulate trade with the recently discovered New World.

It was entrusted with controlling and managing everything to do with the new trade route.

Later on, it began to deal with legal matters as a court for resolving grievances arising in relation to trade with the Indies.

Then in the 18th century, on 12th May 1717, King Philip V decreed that the Trade House was to be moved to Cadiz, due to the city’s increasing importance, since most of the fleet set sail from its port.

This stamp, issued by Correos to mark this anniversary, features a beautiful image of Santa Catalina Castle overlooking the sea. An antique map of Cadiz can be seen over the horizon as we look out from the bay, which saw countless ships set sail full of dreams, and many other ships arrive loaded with wondrous new products from a new world yet to be explored.

This stamp features coloured lines extending out from the Bay, representing the many journeys undertaken over many years from Spain bound for the Americas.

The stamp, which is being brought into circulation with Charge B, joins those stamps that record for posterity a historical period or event in Spain with great significance for the history of humankind.

The Cadiz House of Trade only existed for 73 years in this city, since the institution closed in 1790. The abolishment of the House was brought about by Charles III implementing the Regulations and royal tariffs for the free trade from Spain to the Indies in 1778, which was to open 13 Spanish ports for trade with 27 ports in the Americas, bringing an end to the primacy of the port of Cadiz.