Spain – Every year, European administrations and postal companies, which are members of PostEurope, put into circulation the series Europe that is issued with a common theme, this time around the theme is emblematic castles of each country.

Spain issues a stamp that collects the image of the Castle of Manzanares el Real in Madrid.

The construction of this castle begins in 1475 by order of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, first Duke of the Infantado and is finalized under the direction of Juan Guas, architect also in charge of the construction of the Palace of the Infantado of Guadalajara, being Duque Inigo López de Mendoza.

Erected on a Romanesque-Mudejar hermitage in honor of Santa María de la Nava, the fortress-palace of the Mendoza is one of the best preserved in Spain.

The castle has square floor with cylindrical cubes in the corners, except the Tower of Homage. On its eastern side is attached a secondary body of rectangular plant that includes the apse of the old church. It has large arched windows with a rectangular patio and two galleries on octagonal columns. The building has four towers on its vertices, adorned with balls of the purest Elizabethan style.

Inside, it hosts a permanent exhibition dedicated to the figure of Don Iñigo Lopez de Mendoza, Marquis de Santillana, one of the best exponents of Spanish poetry of the fifteenth century. In addition it has a splendid collection of tapestries and another one of armors.The stamp captures an image of the imposing castle, framed in one of its arches, with a splendid blue sky in the background.

The castle of Manzanares el Real forms part of the list of the most beautiful castles in Spain, and for this reason, it will represent Spain in this series that every year, aims to promote philately and contribute to the diffusion of culture, customs and the history of the old continent.

Issue Date: 21.04.2017
Process: Offset
Size: 35 x 24.5 mm
Values: Tarifa B