1348) "Ancient Postal Routes - the Old Road Majstorska Cesta", Croatia: A Se-tenant of two stamps of the values of 8.60 HRK issued by "Hrvatska Posta" (Croatian Post): Date of stamp issue: 08.05.2020:
About the Old Postal Route - the Old Road Majstorka Cesta:
Trusted and timely news has always been an important factor in the initiation and development of all the important processes in human society. The prerequisite for any organised transfer of news, is the existence of good, passable roads, which is why the history of old postal routes in Croatia corresponds largely with the history of old Croatian roads.
During the period of the Roman Empire, which was famous for its system of well-organised and well-maintained roads, the territory of modern day Croatia got its first good quality roads.
Roads that passed along the valleys surrounding the Rivers Drava and Sava in the then province of Pannonia, as well as, those that stretched along the adriatic coast in the province of Dalmatia, were traversed by a courier service called - "cursus publicus". Roman roads were carved deeply in the landscape of this region and were used for centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, enabling the movement of goods, people and news.
Ever since the earliest times, the biggest challenge in terms of transport was how to connect Croatian Continental and Coastal regions, which implied passage over the mountain range of Velebit.
Around the 16th Century, transport connections in this part of Croatia were threatened by constant Ottoman raids and conquests.
At the turn of the 18th Century, after the Ottomans were banished, the Monarchy entered into a period characterised by development of commerce and transport, whicj included the traffic connection between the Pannonian region and Northern Adriatic, partly by waterways, along the Rivers Sava and Kupa to Sisak and Karlovac and from there in the form of caravan traffic towards Bakar, Rijeka and Senj.
Within only a single Century, a series of important mountain roads were built on major mountain passes of Velebit.
In 1728, the Karolina Road, which connects Karlovac and Rijeka, enabled significant growth in the transportation of goods, but also a growth in postal services, which is why this road is often referred to as the "Postal Road".
In 1779, the Josephina Road connected Karlovac and Senj, but one of the most cutting-edge mountain roads in Europe at the time was the Louisiana Road, which was completed in 1811 and stretched from Karlovac to Rijeka. These macadam (crushed stone) roads were designed so that two carriages or stage-coaches could pass by each other at any section of the road. There used to be milestones placed along the roads, spaced apart at the distance of one Austrian Postal Mile (7.5 kilometres), and their remnants can still be seen today.
An example of excellent construction skills is the Majstorska Cesta Road, going over Velebit and connecting Zadar and the region of Lika along the Obrovac - Podprag - Mali Alan - Sveti Rok route.
It was built from 1825 to 1832 and it is considered the first modern road that connected Continental Croatia and Dalmatia. It was designed by a famous road designer of the time - Military Frontier officer Josip Kajetan Knezic.
Owing to the exceptional quality of design and construction execution, this road was dubbed - "Majstorska Cesta" (meaning "Master Roadbuilder's Road") in Croatian.
By end 1833, there were weekly stage-coaches going from Vienna to Zadar and back. Majstorska Cesta road was included in the "List of Protected Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia" in 2007 and is one of the few old Croatian roads that have kept their original form.
The Stamp:
The colour lithograph shows a motif from the Majstorska Cesta Road - St Francis Chapel in the village of Podprag and a stage-coach in front of the chapel with the postillion blowing a post horn.
The lithograph is the work of an unknown artist. It was printed by the Antonelli Printworks and is kept presently in the state Archives at Zadar.
The chapel was built in honour of the then Emperor Francis Joseph and it was dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. It was designed in the Classicist Style by Italian architect Valentino Presani.
In 2001, a commemorative plaque was installed inside the chapel in memory of the Croatian soldiers who lost their lives defending outposts across Velebit during the Croatian War of Independence.
Trusted and timely news has always been an important factor in the initiation and development of all the important processes in human society. The prerequisite for any organised transfer of news, is the existence of good, passable roads, which is why the history of old postal routes in Croatia corresponds largely with the history of old Croatian roads.
During the period of the Roman Empire, which was famous for its system of well-organised and well-maintained roads, the territory of modern day Croatia got its first good quality roads.
Roads that passed along the valleys surrounding the Rivers Drava and Sava in the then province of Pannonia, as well as, those that stretched along the adriatic coast in the province of Dalmatia, were traversed by a courier service called - "cursus publicus". Roman roads were carved deeply in the landscape of this region and were used for centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, enabling the movement of goods, people and news.
Ever since the earliest times, the biggest challenge in terms of transport was how to connect Croatian Continental and Coastal regions, which implied passage over the mountain range of Velebit.
Around the 16th Century, transport connections in this part of Croatia were threatened by constant Ottoman raids and conquests.
At the turn of the 18th Century, after the Ottomans were banished, the Monarchy entered into a period characterised by development of commerce and transport, whicj included the traffic connection between the Pannonian region and Northern Adriatic, partly by waterways, along the Rivers Sava and Kupa to Sisak and Karlovac and from there in the form of caravan traffic towards Bakar, Rijeka and Senj.
Within only a single Century, a series of important mountain roads were built on major mountain passes of Velebit.
In 1728, the Karolina Road, which connects Karlovac and Rijeka, enabled significant growth in the transportation of goods, but also a growth in postal services, which is why this road is often referred to as the "Postal Road".
In 1779, the Josephina Road connected Karlovac and Senj, but one of the most cutting-edge mountain roads in Europe at the time was the Louisiana Road, which was completed in 1811 and stretched from Karlovac to Rijeka. These macadam (crushed stone) roads were designed so that two carriages or stage-coaches could pass by each other at any section of the road. There used to be milestones placed along the roads, spaced apart at the distance of one Austrian Postal Mile (7.5 kilometres), and their remnants can still be seen today.
An example of excellent construction skills is the Majstorska Cesta Road, going over Velebit and connecting Zadar and the region of Lika along the Obrovac - Podprag - Mali Alan - Sveti Rok route.
It was built from 1825 to 1832 and it is considered the first modern road that connected Continental Croatia and Dalmatia. It was designed by a famous road designer of the time - Military Frontier officer Josip Kajetan Knezic.
Owing to the exceptional quality of design and construction execution, this road was dubbed - "Majstorska Cesta" (meaning "Master Roadbuilder's Road") in Croatian.
By end 1833, there were weekly stage-coaches going from Vienna to Zadar and back. Majstorska Cesta road was included in the "List of Protected Cultural Goods of the Republic of Croatia" in 2007 and is one of the few old Croatian roads that have kept their original form.
The Stamp:
The colour lithograph shows a motif from the Majstorska Cesta Road - St Francis Chapel in the village of Podprag and a stage-coach in front of the chapel with the postillion blowing a post horn.
The lithograph is the work of an unknown artist. It was printed by the Antonelli Printworks and is kept presently in the state Archives at Zadar.
The chapel was built in honour of the then Emperor Francis Joseph and it was dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi. It was designed in the Classicist Style by Italian architect Valentino Presani.
In 2001, a commemorative plaque was installed inside the chapel in memory of the Croatian soldiers who lost their lives defending outposts across Velebit during the Croatian War of Independence.
The Se-tenant Stamps issued in the set.
Both Stamps are of the value of 8.60 HRK each.
Both Stamps are of the value of 8.60 HRK each.
The First Day Cover (FDC) has the two Stamps affixed at top right. At left is shown a route map of the old Road Majstorska Cesta.
The Special Cancellation Handstamp/Postmark is dated - "08.05.2020".
The Special Cancellation Handstamp/Postmark is dated - "08.05.2020".
The Full Sheet (FS) depicting 6 copies of the Se-tenant Stamps (i.e. 2 variants x 6 = 12).
The specifications of this Stamp issue are:
Stamp issue date: 08.05.2020
Designer: Alenka Lalic, (from Zagreb)
Printer: AKD d.o.o. Zagreb
Process: Offset Printing
Colours: Multicolour
Stamp Size(s): 35.0 mm x 48.28 mm
Stamp values: 8.60 HRK (x 2 Stamps)
The specifications of this Stamp issue are:
Stamp issue date: 08.05.2020
Designer: Alenka Lalic, (from Zagreb)
Printer: AKD d.o.o. Zagreb
Process: Offset Printing
Colours: Multicolour
Stamp Size(s): 35.0 mm x 48.28 mm
Stamp values: 8.60 HRK (x 2 Stamps)
Links to posts on "Ancient Postal Routes" on this Blog, the theme of PostEurop for 2020:
16) "Ancient Postal Routes - Within and Outside Europe", Iceland: Two Postage Stamps issued by "Islandpostur" (Iceland Post) in the denominations of ISK 3150: Date of Stamps issue: 07.05.2020
17) "Ancient Postal Routes - the Old Road Majstorska Cesta", Croatia: A Se-tenant of two Stamps of the values of 8.60 HRK issued by Croatian Post: Date of stamp issue: 08.05.2020
17) "Ancient Postal Routes - the Old Road Majstorska Cesta", Croatia: A Se-tenant of two Stamps of the values of 8.60 HRK issued by Croatian Post: Date of stamp issue: 08.05.2020
Links to some Interesting posts on Croatia on this Blog:
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