0601, 0602, 1900, 3020, 3277 ROMANIA (Hunedoara) - Corvin Castle

0601 Hunedoara - Corvin Castle (1)

Posted on 16.04.2013, 17.09.2015, 17.04.2017, 01.12.2019
Located in Hunedoara, on a rock at the foot of which flow Zlaşti creek, a tributary of the Cerna River, Corvin Castle, known also as Hunyadi Castle or Hunedoara Castle, is one of the most important monuments of Gothic inspiration from Romania. It was originally given, in 1409, by Sigismund of Luxemburg, king of Hungary, to Vlach (Romanian) knyaz Voyk (Voicu), for his distinction in the wars against the Ottomans. On this occasion Voyk was ennobled and took the name Hunyadi (de Hunedoara) after the property name, as was the custom.

0602 Hunedoara - Corvin Castle (2)

His son, John Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara), Ban of Severin (1438-1441), then Voivode of Transylvania (1441-1446), rebuilt the castle from the foundation starting with 1446, the year in which was elected as Regent-Governor of the Kingdom of Hungary by the Diet, a position which he will hold until 1453.
The castle was built mainly in Gothic style, but with Renaissance architectural elements. The walls were flanked by rectangular or circular towers, three of them (the Capistrano Tower, the Deserted Tower and the Drummers' Tower) being used as prisons, and one (the Mace Tower) was solely built for defence purposes.

1900 Hunedoara - Corvin Castle (3)

The rectangular shaped towers had large openings to accommodate larger weapons. The castle has three large areas, decorated with marble: the Knight's Hall (used for feasts), the Diet Hall (used for ceremonies) and the circular stairway. In 1456, John Hunyadi died and work on the castle has stagnated. Ladislaus Hunyadi, the elder son of John, has owned the castle just one year, because in 1457 he fall prey to intrigues. His younger brother, Matthias Corvinus, became King of Hungary and Croatia from 1458, then also King of Bohemia and Duke of Austria, and new commissions were being undergone to construct the Matia Wing of the castle.

3020 Hunedoara - Corvin Castle (4)

In 1480, the work was stopped and it was recognised as being one of the biggest and most impressive buildings in Western Europe. In 1482 Matthias donated the domain and the castle to his illegitimate son, John Corvinus (Ioan Corvin). After his death and the death of his children the Hunyadi family died out on the paternal side. In the following two centuries the castle passed through several hands, until 1724 when became the property of the Austrian State, then in 1867 to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and in 1918 to the Kingdom of Romania.

3277 Hunedoara - Corvin Castle, inside

In the 17th century new additions have been made to the castle, for aesthetic and military purposes, two new towers being constructed: the White Tower and the Artillery Tower. The current castle is the result of a fanciful restoration campaign undertaken after a disastrous fire from 1854 and many decades of total neglect.

About the stamps
On the postcars 0601 and 0602
The stamps, depicting Silverweed (2.00 RON) and Starflower (1.60 RON), are part of the series Flora of Romania - Fauna flowers (II), about which I wrote here.

On the postcard 1900
The stamp, depicting Viper’s Grass (1.00 RON), is part of the series Flowers’ Clock I, about which I wrote here

On the postcard 3020
The stamp is one of the two designed by Victor Telibaşa and issued on April 12, 2017 by Romfilatelia which form the series Castles, the theme selected for the Europa stamps 2017.
• Hunyadi Castle (4.50 RON) - It's on the postcard 3020
• Károlyi Castle (15 RON)

On the postcard 3227

The stamps are part of the series Cats, designed by Simona Bucan and issued on January 20,2006.
• Norwegian Forest Cat (0.30 RON) - It's on the postcard 3277
• Turkish Van (0.50 RON) - It's on the postcard 3295
• Siamese (0.70 RON) - It's on the postcard 3288
• Ragdoll (0.80 RON) - It's on the postcard 3288
• Persian (1.20 RON) - It's on the postcard 3313
• Sacred Birman (1.60 RON) - It's on the postcard 3277 

The postmark on the postcard 3020

First day postmark for the series Europa stamps 2017 - Castles.

References
Corvin Castle - Wikipedia
Muzeul Castelul Corvinilor - Official website
Castelul Corvinilor - Turist de Romania

Sender 0601, 0602: Mircea Ostoia (Cătălin Frolov)
Sent from Focşani (Vrancea / Romania), on 12.04.2013 
Senders 1900: Eugen Mihai and the Romania postcrossers who participated to the meet-up which held on Bucureşti on September 13, 2015
Sent from Bucharest (Bucharest / Romania), on 13.09.2015
Photo: Eugen Mihai / July 15, 2015
Sender 3020: Mihnea Răducu
Sent from Bucureşti (Bucureşti / Romania), on 12.04.2017
Sender 3277: Cătălin Jucătoru
Sent from Hunedoara (Bucureşti / Romania), on 30.07.2019