Date of issue: 23 June 2006

The set of two stamps shows frescoes depicting four virtues from around 1490 from the collection of the Castle Museum in Esztergom. A special feature of the set is that the two stamps have been printed on one sheet as a pair of stamps. The Castle Museum in Esztergom shows the rooms of the royal palace that have survived and houses an exhibition on the history of the Castle. The four virtues depicted are personifications of Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude and Justice, and are on the northern wall of the John the Valliant Room. Although the works are attributed to an unknown painter, the frescoes are believed to be by the Florentine master Albert.

The design of the miniature sheet focuses on Szentendre’s Orthodox relics and the stamp itself shows the iconostasis of Szentendre cathedral. In the surrounding frame of the miniature sheet architectural features of the interior and exterior of the cathedral can be seen. The cathedral is also known as the Belgrade church as it was built in the mid-18th century by descendants of people who came from Belgrade. Today it is considered one of the finest examples of Serb baroque, rococo and neoclassical building. Its interior with a single nave follows the traditional Eastern Church arrangement with the place for women to pray beneath the choir, the men’s place a step below them in the nave, and the sanctuary separated from worshippers by a richly decorated iconostasis. Everyone who buys the miniature sheet contributes the surcharge to organised stamp collecting.

Philatelic accessories and the first day postmark are depicted in the graphics of the cover. The design of the commemorative postmark has outlines of stamps.

Order codes
2006190030011 (block)
2006190060012 (FDC)
2006180050211(set)
2006180060012(FDC)
Date of issue: 23 June 2006 18/2006
Printing method: offset
Printed by Állami Nyomda Nyrt.
Designed by László Dudás
Face value of block: HUF 400+200
Total face value of stamp set: HUF 104
Number of copies: 80,000 numbered blocks
Number of copies: 600,000 sets (50 stamps/sheet)
Trimmed size of block: 100 x 70 mm, perforated size of stamp: 31.5 x 40 mm.
Perforated size of stamps: 40 x 30 mm