Issue date: 03 Nov, 2020
12 MONTHS, 12 STAMPS. Murcia
The final stamp of the year from the series Twelve Months, Twelve Stamps is dedicated to the region of Murcia. This stamp features a motif which encapsulates the wealth of the region and what has it has on offer to those wishing to visit. The history, culture, art and gastronomy shape the two initials that overlap a panoramic view of the Nares Beach, situated in Mazarrón Bay, one of the many beaches to be enjoyed on the Costa Cálida.
The echoes of the Kingdom of Murcia can be felt by the legacy left by its history in the sacred and military architecture that can be visited in the region.
Hence, in the first initial and finishing the first outline, the tower of the Convent and Church of the Virgen de las Huertas in Lorca can be seen, whose first construction dates back to the end of the 15th century. Destroyed by floods in 1653, it was re-erected in the middle of the 18th century, becoming one of the finest works in the municipality.
Finishing off the second outline, the Homage Tower of the Alhama Castle can be seen. A fortress on the border between the Kingdoms of Granada and Aragon, it has documented the phases of Muslim occupation up until the middle of the thirteenth century, and up until to the last third of the fourteenth century when the castle and town of Alhama became the estate of the Fajardo family, along with other towns in the region.
The tower, which can be seen in the second initial, forms part of Murcia’s cathedral, which, given its height of 95 metres, makes it one of the tallest in Spain. Its construction, which was prolonged over centuries, has allowed for an overlap of diverse architectural styles, from its original Renaissance style to Baroque and neoclassical. This lends the tower its unique beauty and singularity.
In the lower section of the two initials, some of the fruit and vegetables cultivated in Murcia’s fields are featured, one of the main drivers of the region’s economy; here it is also necessary to add the wine sector, represented by the PDO Jumilla wines. Produced from the wine grape variety Monastrell, it lends notes of distinction to wines that are distinguished as rosé or red wines.
The region’s gastronomy can also be sampled through its patisserie selection. Not to be missed here is the authentic, typical paparajote dessert, which is a lemon leaf coated in a dough made from flour, egg and lemon zest that is later fried and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.
The lower section of the stamp forming a stripe in a crimson colour replicates the colour of Murcia’s regional flag.
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.