Issue date: 03 Apr, 2018
With this die-cut booklet featuring the profile of the north coast of the Peninsula which comprises eight self-adhesive stamps, Correos highlights UNESCO’s inclusion of The Routes of Northern Spain in its List of World Heritage Sites as an extension of the French Way of St. James, which was already declared a World Heritage Site in 1993. The Routes of Northern Spain are four routes that extend the 800 km-French Way by 1,499 km and that run through the autonomous regions of the Basque Country, La Rioja, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. One of these routes is the Coastal Way, which has been highlighted in foil to illustrate the route. It starts in Irún and continues towards Compostela, leaving an unforgettable trail in cities such as San Sebastián, Bilbao, Santander and Gijón, before entering Galicia. It is one of the routes with the most history along with the Original Way, and is as old as the French route.
The stamp dedicated to the Coastal Way that ends in Galicia includes an image of the altarpiece found at the entrance of the old Royal Hospital of Santiago, commissioned by the Catholic Monarchs, which since 1986 has been a National Parador. In addition to religious images, the stamp also depicts the Catholic Monarchs. A silhouette of the Galician coast where the Way concludes is shown in the background.
An image of the Church of San Salvador de Valdedios de Villaviciosa in Asturias is the main image on the stamp dedicated to the Coastal Way of Asturias. Popularly known as “El Conventín”, it is the last great work of Asturian art to have reached us, and its exterior is admired for its balance and beauty. The stamp also features the coastal outline of the area.
Cantabria is represented on the stamp through the image of the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana de Santillana del Mar. The relics of Saint Juliana gave the church its name. It was originally constituted as a Benedictine monastery, but in the eleventh century it became a Collegiate Church, ruled by a community of canons of St. Augustine. The Cantabrian coast can be seen in the background of the stamp.
The section of the Way that passes through the Basque Country coast depicts a detail of the Monastery of Zenarruza in Bizkaia. This place, which was an important stop on the coastal Way, is found in Cenarruza-Puebla de Bolívar. The Basque coastline is illustrated in the background of the stamp.
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.