Professional paper
Solin themes on the Croatian Post postage stamps
Žana Medved
Marko Matijević
Abstract
The article presents postage stamps, first day covers, and postmarks issued by Croatian
Post since 1991, which are connected to Solin. This selection reflects the publishing policy
of Croatian Post (Hrvatska pošta), aiming to present visually history, heritage, and notable
individuals, thereby promoting Solin's landmarks, which are shaped into postage stamps
that travel the world or become part of philatelic collections. By issuing a stamp, first day cover, and first day sheet, Croatian Post and Telecommunications (HPT – Hrvatska pošta i telekomunikacije) marked the Thirteenth International Congress for Early Christian Archaeology and the centenary of the First Congress held in Solin and Split. In the Early Middle Ages Series, and marking 1150 years since the stay of the Benedictine Gottschalk at the court of Prince Trpimir in Rižinice, Solin, HPT issued stamp, first day cover, and first day sheet. The Post also dedicated another issue to Prince Trpimir: on the occasion of the 1150th anniversary of his Charter, issuing a block with stamp and first day cover. The motif of the Trpimir's inscription from Rižinice was also used on a commemorative postmark on the occasion of the Thirteenth Annual Meeting of European Archaeologists held
in 2007 at the University of Zadar. In 1996, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rev. Frane Bulić was commemorated with special issues of a stamp featuring Bulić's likeness, as well as a first day cover and first day sheet. Similarly, the 1000th anniversary of the death of King Stjepan Držislav was marked. Pope John Paul II visited the Croatian people and the Church in Croatia five times: three
times in Croatia and twice in Bosnia and Herzegovina. HPT marked his visits with special
issues, but particularly important for this occasion was his second visit to Croatia in 1998,
when after visiting Zagreb, Marija Bistrica, and Split, he also visited Solin. On this occasion,
Post issued a stamp, a first day cover, a first day sheet, a postcard for international traffic, a
postcard for domestic traffic, and a special album filled with philatelic content. The tenth
anniversary of the Pope's visit to Solin was also marked with a commemorative postmark,
as was his subsequent beatification. In the seventh part of the Croatian Modern Painting Series, Croatian Post (HP) issued a stamp in 2001 featuring a reproduction of Vjekoslav Parać's painting Ruins of the Amphitheatre. In the same series, stamps with reproductions of works by Slavko Šohaj and Leo Junek were issued, along with a special envelope and first day postmark. A special stamp, envelope, and first day postmark, along with commemorative postmarks, marked the 1700th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Solin martyr St. Dujam. The stamp depicts Dujam kneeling with his head bowed while the executioner raises both hands holding a sword. One of the postmarks features a drawing of a fragment of the stone slab that stood over the saint's grave at the Manastirine graveyard in Solin, another features the saint's image created based on a detail from the relief of the Solin Martyrs from the first church of the Solin Martyrs in the Solin neighbourhood of Ninčevići, made by sculptor Marko Gugić. The third postmark shows the image of St. Dujam based on the church banner designed by the painter Josip Botteri Dini. In the Croatian Visual Art Series, Croatian Post issued a stamp in 2019 presenting reproduction of Jozo Kljaković's painting The Return of the Fishermen. In the same series, stamps featuring works by Hugo Conrad von Hötzendorf and Vjekoslav Karas were also issued. Printed was a first day cover featuring all three stamps and two identical postmarks. Croatian Post also participated in marking the 200th anniversary of the Archaeological Museum in Split by issuing a commemorative stamp and first day cover. The stamp features a photograph of the Good Shepherd sarcophagus, the most famous monument preserved
in the Museum, originating from the Manastirine graveyard in Solin. The first day cover bears the first day postmark. In the Croatian Marian Shrines Series, the Post dedicated two stamps and a first day cover to the ancient shrine of Our Lady of the Island. One stamp features a photograph of the
Church of Our Lady, and the other shows the altarpiece Our Lady with Child on the Throne by
Giuliano Zasso. In the same series, two stamps were issued with motifs of the Church of Our
Lady of Svetogorska in the Gorski Kotar region and the statue of Our Lady from that church.
The first day cover features four stamps, two from each shrine, with the first day postmark
stamped twice over them. This selection also includes two commemorative postmarks. The first, issued by Croatian Post in 2004, marking 50 years since the death of composer Ivo Parać, and the second, issued in 2010, celebrating Ivan Kljaković Gašpić's first-place finish at the European Sailing
Championship in the Finn Class. This wide selection of topics from various fields adequately represents Solin in the philatelic world, and given the Croatian Post's publishing policy, Solin's motifs can be expected to continue appearing in future issues.
Keywords
Croatian Post (Hrvatska pošta); commemorative postage stamps; postage stamps; first day covers; first day postmarks; postmarks; Solin heritage; Solin
Hrčak ID:
322586
URI
Publication date:
15.11.2024.
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