The mountains surrounding the Hjørundfjord in the county of Møre og Romsdal are called the Sunnmøre Alps. This is a favourite haunt of hikers and climbers. The peaks, as high as 1700 m above sea level, line both sides of the fjord.
Above the valley of Molladalen stands the Blade, the subject of one of the stamps. This 15 m high pinnacle is visited frequently in the summer season. Climbers love to be photographed, triumphantly seated astride its narrow top!
Directly east of Stavanger, the Lysefjord cuts through smooth-faced mountains and some of the wildest and finest scenery on its way to Lysebotn 42 km away. The majestic Kjerag plateau waits at the end of the fjord, where the vertical rocky walls rise almost 1000 metres to the highest and most spectacular cliff top in the area. Kjeragbolten is a five-minute walk from the plateau. This huge boulder is literally suspended in the air 900 metres above the fjord. Two men, clearly with no fear of heights, are rewarded for their bravery with a picture on a stamp!
In the days of sailing ships, Lyngør was one of the most important harbours on the Skagerrak coast. It is now a popular place for holidays. Narrow, cemented paths, flanked by white picket fences, wind their way over these vehicle-free islands. Boats are the only means of transport in this South Norwegian Venice.
When Lyngør Lighthouse was finished in 1879, householders in Lyngør celebrated the event by putting lights in their windows. It had been touch and go whether the lighthouse would be built. The authorities had not recommended it, but men from the region with money and good contacts in the Storting took action and produced results. Today we call that lobbying!
Stamps have been printed for tourists to Oslo, featuring the Vaterland Park and the Oslo City Hall. The Vaterland Park (opened in 1994) is located in the city centre by the Aker River. The original intention was to build a mosque there but, when these plans were shelved, a park was laid out instead. On the stamp, Ola Enstad’s Divers can be seen hanging over the river.
The Oslo City Hall is the political and administrative heart of the city. It has an important place in the history of Norwegian art and architecture and is visited by more than 100,000 guests and tourists every year. Its two towers, best seen from the sea, stand 66 and 63 metres high. The bells on the top of the east tower provide pleasure for many people, as they play tunes every hour on the hour from 7 am to 12 pm each day.
Subjects: Oslo harbour, “Divers”, Sunnmøre Alps, Kjerag boulder, Lyngør lighthouse, Lyngør
Design: Hilde Hannestad Wulff and Jørn O. Jøntvedt, Making Waves Value: A-Priority, domestic
(NOK 7.00) x 2 A-Priority, Europe (NOK 9.00) x 2 A- Priority, world (NOK 11.00) x 2
Issue: A-Priority, domestic: 1.5 million booklets A-Priority, Europe: 500,000 booklets A-Prioity, world:
300,000 booklets
Number: Booklets, each containing 10 self-adhesive stamps
Printing: Photogravure by Royal Joh. Enschedé, Netherlands
Sales prices:
First day cover: NOK 58.00
Presentation pack: NOK 59.00
Collector’s set: NOK
122.00
Collector’s sheet: NOK 74.00