2993 BELGIUM (Liège) - Stavelot

2993 Stavelot: 1. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps;
2. The Museum of the Racing Circuit in the Abbey of Stavelot;
3.  Amblève river.

Stavelot, a Walloon municipality located at the confluence of the rivers Amblève and Eau Rouge in the Belgian Ardennes, grew up around the Abbey of Stavelot, founded ca 650, out of what had been a villa, by Saint Remaclus, a Benedictine missionary bishop. It was for a long time, by its abbey, the chief place of a small abbey principality which disappeared in the political changes that followed the French Revolution. In 1830 it became part of Belgium. During the Battle of the Bulge, the last major German offensive campaign of WWII, the city was the scene of severe fighting.

Stavelot is home to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the famous venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, the Spa 24 Hours and 1000 km Spa endurance races. Despite its name, the circuit isn't in Spa but lies in the vicinity of the town of Francorchamps within the boundaries of the municipality of Stavelot, with a part in the boundaries of Malmedy. Designed in 1920 by Jules de Thier and Henri Langlois Van Ophem, the original triangle-shaped course used public roads. The first car race was held in 1922, and the circuit was first used for Grand Prix racing in 1925.

The Abbey of Stavelot, one of the oldest monastic foundations in Belgium, listed as major heritage of Wallonia, houses the Museum of the Ancient Principality of Stavelot- Malmedy, the Museum of the Racing Circuit of Spa-Francorchamps, and the Apollinaire Museum. Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), one of the foremost poets of the early 20th century, as well as one of the most impassioned defenders of Cubism and a forefather of Surrealism, came to spend his holidays in Stavelot when he was 19 years of age.

About the stamps

The stamp, designed by Kris Maes, was issued on October 24, 2016 and depict the new building which will host the headquarter of NATO in Brussels, Belgium.

References
Stavelot - Wikipedia
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - Wikipedia
Abbey of Stavelot - Official website

Sender: Bonboire Christian
Sent from Verviers (Liège / Belgium), on 12.03.2017