On August 13, a postage stamp dedicated to the Skryplev Lighthouse was put into postal circulation in the Lighthouses of Russia series

The Skryplev Lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouses in the Far East, located on the island of the same name, 3 km apart from the south of Vladivostok. The island is named after military hydrographer Konstantin Skryplev. The construction of the lighthouse started in 1866, it proceeded intermittently and was completed only 10 years later. The official opening date was November 20 of 1876.

Since 1917, the lighthouse had been operating irregularly: almost no one knew how to use the flag signal system. During the Soviet era, all the lighthouse buildings were renovated, the equipment was updated, and a backup lighting unit was installed on the tower’s balcony.

Today, the lighthouse consists of a white, single-story stone building with an integrated octagonal prismatic white tower, topped by a red lantern. The building was originally designed as a residence with an apartment for the lighthouse keeper, incorporating a kitchen, an entryway, and a storage room. In later years, a guest house, two bathhouses, and several outbuildings were constructed on the premises. The tower is 12 meters high.

The lighthouse ensures safe navigation in the Eastern Bosporus Strait and the Ussuri Gulf. Its red light, visible from a distance of 32 km, together with the green light of the Basargin Lighthouse, forms a unique maritime gateway to Vladivostok. The site is closed to tourists, but on sunny days, the lighthouse is visible from afar. It is operated by the Hydrographic Service of the Russian Pacific Fleet.

The postage stamp features the Skryplev Lighthouse against a map of Russky Island and a wind rose.

In addition to the issue of the postage stamp, JSC Marka produced First Day Covers and special cancels for Moscow and Vladivostok, as well as a maxi-card.


Design Artist: M. Bodrova.
Face value: 60 rubles.
Stamp size: 42×30 mm, sheet size: 146×175 mm.
Emission form: a sheet with 15 (3×5) stamps.
Quantity: 82.5 thousand stamps (5.5 thousand sheets).

« back