Danubian Harbours and Ships - Miniature Sheet

This is a Joint Issue between Romania and Serbia.

Date of Issue: November 11, 2007
Design: Livia PENDA (Harbour and Ship ORSOVA); Marina KALEZIC (Harbour NOVISAD and ship SIRONA)
Value: RON 2.10 + RON 2.10 and two labels (emblems of Orsova and Novi Sad ports)
Sheet size: 136 mm x 106 mm
Printing Process: Offset, 4 color, on chromo paper - UK origin
Miniature Sheet quantity issued: 25,500

Over the centuries, Romania and Serbia, both countries predominantly orthodox, have created an amiable neighbourhood environment along the natural boundaries of the Danube River.

Orsova, town hall in the county of Mehedinti, belonging to the geographical and historical area of the Romanian Banat, is located on the shore of the Portile de Fier I basin at the Danube´s confluence with Cerna. As a result of the building of the water storage dam at Portile de Fier I, the old precinct of the town was flooded while indigenous people were dislodged to a new place, including the Delta and Cerna terrace and the Southern slopes of Almaj mountain chains, where they set up a new town (1966-1971), that ultimately incorporated the villages of Jupalnic, Tufari, and Coramnic.

Orsova was part and parcel of the Roman province Dacia Malvensis, the Romans having set up here a camp, Dierna. In the area surrounding the establishment researchers have ultimately discovered remnants of Daco-Roman establishment bearing the same name which, in 193 AD was finally upgraded to municipality. In 1524, the citadel of Orsova (including the locality) was conquered by the Turks which took it over until 1688. Starting with 1664, Orsova became administrative center of a "sangeac"(ancient Ottoman territorial administrative unit). In 1688, the locality was conquered by Austrians. In 1916, the establishment was liberated by the Romanian Army and on December 1st, 1918 it was released to Romania being integrated as part of the Banat region.

Novi Sad, located in Northern Serbia is the administrative center of Vojvodina.

Important Danubian harbour with a well known naval ship construction site, the town has a population of around 300,000 inhabitants amongst which approximately 1,000 Romanian citizens live their lives.

The first records on Novi Sad date back to 1526, the establishment being well known for its importance as a fortress during the 13th-17th centuries, the Petrovaradin stronghold. Prince Eugeniu de Savoia had gloriously defeated the Turks in 1716 there.

Tourists will also commonly identify the town as "Yugoslavian Athens" (Srpska Atina).

The postage stamps of the perforated miniature sheet depict the images of two passengers ships: "Orsova" and "Sirona".