This year, the theme of the EUROPA stamp series is stories and myths. The stamps depict the painting ‘Tiritamme kasvatamine’ (‘Doing a headstand’) and the tapestry design ‘Siuru-lindu Kalevipojast’ (‘The Siuru bird from Kalevipoeg’) by the artist Oskar Kallis.Kalevipoeg is a mythical hero in Estonian folklore, which contains many legends and stories about a mighty… Read More »

The curly birch is a variant of the silver birch with a peculiar wood texture. It is extremely variable in terms of growth form: it may stand at a medium height or, more often, be a stocky, short tree with a curved or straight trunk and a crown reminiscent of an apple tree. Sometimes, it… Read More »

The Estonian Tennis Association was founded on 10 July 1922. The founding members were five associations at the time: the Lawn Tennis Club of Estonia, the Tallinn Lawn Tennis and Hockey Club, the Narva Lawn Tennis and Hockey Club, the tennis department of the Estonian Sports Association Kalev, and the tennis department of the Tartu… Read More »

The Town Hall Pharmacy (Raeapteek) in Tallinn is the oldest known pharmacy in Europe thathas continuously operated in the original building. The pharmacy was first mentioned in the records of the town council of Tallinn in 1422.The dignified Raeapteek is located by the northern side of the Town Hall Square of Tallinn.For as many as… Read More »

The Eurasian woodcock is relatively large wader bird living in our forests. The bird has largely black and brown feathers and relatively short legs in terms of waders. The Eurasian woodcock has excellent camouflage and a secretive lifestyle, making any rare meeting with it in our forests during the daytime a random occurrence. Only in… Read More »

The war in Ukraine began on 24 February 2022 with the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and their attack against the country’s independence. This is a continuation of the Russian–Ukrainian war that began in 2014. ‘Glory to Ukraine!’ (Slava Ukraini) is the national greeting of Ukraine, known as a symbol of Ukrainian sovereignty and resistance.… Read More »

The Society of Estonian Literati is a literary and cultural society which was founded in Viljandi and operated in Tartu in 1872–1893. The idea to create the society came up at a schoolmasters’ conference in Viljandi in June 1868. Carl Robert Jakobson, who believed that Estonia needed a literary undertaking, may be considered to be… Read More »

Rear admiral Johan Pitka VR I/1, KCMG (19 February 1872, Terasaugu gamekeeper’s house, Jalgsema Village, Võhmuta Parish, Järva County – autumn 1944) was an Estonian entrepreneur, sea captain, and one of the founding fathers of independent Estonia. He was one of the organisers of the Estonian national units and the Militia of Tallinn in 1917… Read More »

A series of postage stamps dedicated to the Chinese New Year has been issued since 2011, and the postage stamp dedicated to the Year of the Tiger, which begins on 1 February this year, is the last in the series. There are a total of 12 animal signs in Chinese astrology, and the tiger is… Read More »

St Mary’s Church in Tartu was consecrated on 11 January 1842. The church became one of the centres of the religious life of Tartu and its members included several famous persons, such as J. V. Jannsen, M. Härma, and others.On 17 June 1869 (Julian calendar), the dress rehearsal of the mixed choirs of the first… Read More »