0594 UKRAINE (Odessa Oblast) - Vorontsov Lighthouse in Odessa

0594 Vorontsovsky Lighthouse in Odessa

The Vorontsov Lighthouse is a famous red-and-white, 27.2m landmark in the Black Sea port of Odessa, named after Prince Mikhail Semyonovich Vorontsov, one of the governors-general of the Odessa region. The present lighthouse, a white cylindrical concrete tower (80m heigh) with a red lantern, was reconstructed in the postwar period, the old one being exploded in WWII. Before the foundation of Odessa, there existed a "seamen’s lantern", represented by a stone tower with a metallic brazier on the top, in which the fire was kept up from time to time.

In 1827 was build a polyhedral stone tower, called the Richeljevsky lighthouse, at the end of the Karantinny pier. It was destroyed after that the Reidovy pier was built. The Vorontsovsky lighthouse was erected in 1888 at the end of the Reidovy pier, which protect the port from the southern high seas. The port is protected on the east by huge concrete breakwaters or ramparts, built on rocks, that rise above the water.

About the stamps
The first and the fourth stamp, depicting Horse-chestnut / Aesculus hippocastanum (0,50 UAH), are part of the eight definitive ukrainian stamps series, which is one about leaf and fruits, designed by Volodymyr Taran. The series was issued in several successive sets as follows:

14.01.2012
• Acacia (Locust) / Robinia pseudoacaсia (0,20 UAH) - It's on the postcard 0783
• Walnut / Juglans regia (0,40 UAH) - It's on the postcard 3135
• Betula pendula / Betula pendula (0,70 UAH) - It's on the postcard 0783
• Acer platanoides / Acer platanoides (2,50 UAH)

24.01.2012
• Small-leaved lime / Tilia cordata (3,00 UAH) - It's on the postcard 1089 - de pus timbrul
• Fagus sylvatica / Fagus sylvatica (4,80 UAH) - It's on the postcard 0972
• Alnus incana / Alnus incana (5,00 UAH)
• European White Elm / Ulmus laevis (8,00 UAH) - It's on the postcard 1460
• Common aspen / Populus tremula (10,00 UAH)

03.02.2012
• European Rowan / Sorbus aucuparia (0,05 UAH) - It's on the postcard 0783
• European Ash / Fraxinus excelsior (0,30 UAH) - It's on the postcard 0783
• Horse-chestnut / Aesculus hippocastanum (0,50 UAH) - It's on the postcard 594
• English Oak / Quercus robur (2,00 UAH) - It's on the postcard 1460
25.06.2012
• European Willow / Salix atrocinerea (Ж)
• Sycamore Maple / Acer Pseudoplatanus (L)

11.01.2013
• Mulberry / Morus Alba (N) - It's on the postcard 2906
22.10.2013
• European pear / Pyrus communis (G)
05.11.2013
• Sea buckthorn / Hippophae rhamnoides (E)
15.09.2015
• European cornel  / Cornus mas (V)
19.11.2015
European spindle / Euonymus europaeus (F)

The second and the third stamp, depicting a rider and a trident, belong also of a series of definitive stamps, about which I wrote here.

References
Odessa - Wikipedia
Odessa Sightseeing - Odessa Gate
Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater - Wikipedia
Odessa Opera and Ballet House - Official website
Philately - Ukrainian State Enterprise Of Posts

Sender: Olga / Lelya_ (postcrossing)
Sent from Bila Tserkva (Kiev Oblast / Ukraine) on 03.04.2013
Photo: Vladimir Manevych
series Lighthouses of Ukraine - No 4