Hungarian Stamps

Magyar Posta, in keeping with its traditions, is issuing a stamp block with a surcharge and a set of two stamps to mark the festival of collectors. The 82nd Stamp Day exhibition and associated events will be held between 5 and 7 June 2009 in the town of Visegrád, celebrating its millennium.

Lying to the north of Budapest on the Danube Bend, Visegrád is one of Hungary’s oldest towns. Saint Stephen created the governorship of his first comitatus, a county protected by a castle, here on Sibrik Hill. The castle is first mentioned in written records in 1009. After the Mongol invasion of 1241, the extension of the defences began: the hilltop citadel, the defensive walls closing the valley, the hexagonal keep and the lower castle were built. The heyday of the town that grew up around it was under the Angevin kings, Sigismund of Luxembourg and then King Matthias. Between 1323 and 1408 it was the royal seat of the kings of Hungary. During the reign of King Matthias the court of Buda and Visegrád was one of the centres of the European Renaissance. The town lost its political significance when Hungary was partitioned into three parts during the Turkish occupation. It was granted the status of a town in 2000. (Source: http://hu.wikipedia.org)

The 1000-year history of Visegrád has been portrayed according to periods of art history in the philatelic novelties for the 82nd Stamp Day. The stamp design of the block with a surcharge features the Renaissance courtyard and fountain from the age of King Matthias, a Renaissance ceramic stove and a red marble relief with the Visegrád Madonna that once adorned the royal chapel. In the surrounding frame there is an image of the royal palace.

The huf 75 stamp of the set shows a Romanesque monument, featuring some capitals and columns, and details of these from the decanal church and monastery of St Andrew. In the background printing there is a drawing of a reconstruction of the 11th century castle governor’s building. The huf 100 stamp recalls the Gothic age, showing the fountain in the court from the time of King Sigismund, as well as the lower castle tower and keep. In the background printing there is a drawing of a reconstruction of the southern aspect of the citadel from the age of Sigismund.

The first day cover shows a picture of Visegrád today. The special postmark includes the town’s millennium emblem. Magyar Posta devotes the proceeds from the surcharge of the block to supporting organised stamp collecting. The sum of the surcharge (huf 200) may not be used to pay for postage.

• (DOMESTIC) standard letter weight up to 30g (between 2009-01-01 and 2009-12-31)
• (DOMESTIC) postcard (between 2009-01-01 and 2009-12-31)