United Nations stamps highlight World Heritage sites in Turkey Sept. 8

By David Hartwig

The United Nations Postal Administration highlights sites in Turkey on six stamps that were issued Sept. 8.

The stamps are part of the UNPA World Heritage series that features sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The series began in 1997.

The new set includes six stamps and three prestige booklets that contain text and illustrations in addition to stamps.

There are two stamps and one prestige booklet for each of the three U.N. post offices.

With its World Heritage list, UNESCO says it “seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.”

The six stamps commemorate Nemrut Dag, Selimiye Mosque, Goreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia, the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi, Ephesus, and the historic areas of Istanbul. Those sites make up six of Turkey’s 19 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

A 66¢ stamp issued for the post office at U.N. headquarters in New York City shows one of the statues located at Nemrut Dag, a temple-tomb and house of the gods built by King Antiochus I of Commagene (69-34 B.C.) as a monument to himself.

The sculptures, which are 26 feet to 30 feet tall, represent deities from Greek and Persian traditions, such as Zeus, Apollo and Heracles, in addition to King Antiochus. The site blends Hellenistic, Persian and local cultural influences to offer a glimpse into the religious and political practices of the era.

The $1.50 stamp for the U.N. New York post office features the Selimiye Mosque, which was completed in 1575 and designed by the architect Mimar Sinan.

Sinan, whom UNESCO calls the most famous Ottoman architect of the 16th century, considered the mosque complex his best work. In addition to the mosque’s dome and minarets, the complex is known for its exceptional acoustics. The mosque continues to function as a place of worship. …

Royal Joh Enschede of the Netherlands printed the stamps by offset lithography.

For each of the six stamps, 3,500 panes of 20 were printed. The prestige booklets were printed in quantities of 6,000 for the UNPA/New York and Geneva booklets, and 7,500 for the Vienna booklet.

For ordering information for the Turkey World Heritage stamps and related products, visit the UNPA website; email unpanyinquiries@un.org; telephone 212-963-7684 or 800-234-8672; or write to UNPA, Box 5900, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163-5900.

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