June 2008

This souvenir sheet is devoted to the Expo 2008 which will take place in the town of Zaragoza. The three stamps depict the logo of the exhibition, a trace of water making a Z and two representative icons of this city; the monument of Goya and a panoramic view of the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar, as seen from the Ebro river.

EXPO 2008. ZARAGOZA

The monument of Goya depicted in the stamp stands in the Pilar square in Zaragoza, also known as cathedral’s square. On a monolith stands the bronze figure of the famous painter Francisco de Goya y Lucientes born in Fuendetodos. The monument is the work of the Catalonia born artist Federico Marés and it is conceived as a sculptural set of five figures divided in three groups; the main one featuring Goya standing with his legs crossed bearing a palette and paintbrush and the other two groups, set on a lawn, are made up of two couples with eighteen century garments representing the Majas and Chisperos. The monument dates from 1960.

The Catherdral-Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar and the Ebro river are also depicted in this issue. The cathedral is a baroque exponent built over three naves, all the same height covered with barrel vaults and domes set over enormous pillars. The outside is brick and the inside stucco painted. The building is topped with 11 cuppola, 10 lanterns and four towers. The image of the Virgin of El Pilar is worshipped in this church. Inside stand out the frescos by Goya and the Bayeu brothers.

De esta hoja bloque se realizó una Prueba de Artista con el sello en negro.