On April 23, a souvenir sheet dedicated to the 250th Birth Anniversary of architect Karl Rossi was put into postal circulation

Karl Rossi (1775-1849) was a Russian architect of Italian origin, the author of majestic buildings and beautiful ensembles in St. Petersburg and its environs. Karl Rossi can be safely called the founding father of the Russian Empire style. Having become an innovator of urban construction, he was the first to impart large scale to urban perspectives, and introduced metal ceilings. K. Rossi had in mind each of his projects as a complete quarter rather than as a separate building.

Everything created by this outstanding master became a qualitatively new contribution to Russian architecture. Karlo Rossi's first projects in St. Petersburg were two pavilions built in 1816-1818 during the reconstruction of the Anichkov estate as a symbol of Russia's military strength and its victory over France. The buildings are distinguished by large arched windows, well proportioned Ionic columns, and figures of Old Russian warriors. The architect erected in Russia ensembles that caused admiration and gained world fame: Palace Square with the General Staff building (1820-1830), Senate Square with the Senate and Synod buildings (1829-1834), Mikhailovskaya Square with Mikhailovsky Palace (1819-1825), and Alexandrinskaya Square with the Alexandrinsky Theater building (1828-1832).

The postage stamp provides an image of the General Staff building in Saint Petersburg; the margins of the souvenir sheet feature a portrait of architect Karl Rossi.

In addition to the issue of the souvenir sheet, JSC Marka produced First Day Covers and special cancels for Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tver, as well as illustrated covers for the souvenir sheet with a label and a First Day Cover with a cancel for Tver inside; and for the second emission type: an imperforated souvenir sheet made on canvas-type design paper.


Design Artist: O. Savina.
Face value: 200 rubles.
Souvenir sheet size: 104×71 mm, stamp size in the souvenir sheet: 42×30 mm.
Quantity: 18 thousand souvenir sheets (the 1-st emission type); 3.6 thousand souvenir sheets (the 2-nd emission type*).
* To be on sale as part of an illustrated cover.

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