Swiss Post commemorates Switzerland’s first steamboat
On June 18, 1823, Switzerland's first steamboat, the Guillaume Tell, set off on its maiden voyage on Lake Geneva. Swiss Post is commemorating the 200th anniversary of this event with a special stamp. The other stamps in Swiss Post’s first issue of 2023 also feature designs that celebrate energy and new beginnings. They are dedicated to various river landscapes and another significant anniversary for Switzerland. Meanwhile, Swiss Post is issuing a further special stamp to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Landesmuseum in Zurich.
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Landesmuseum Zurich celebrates its 125th anniversary
Travel by steam power from Lausanne to Geneva became possible for the first time exactly 200 years ago. The Guillaume Tell set off on its maiden voyage across Lake Geneva on 18 June 1823. It was Switzerland’s first steamboat. On weekdays, the paddle steamer mainly transported goods; on weekends, passengers were also allowed on board. The new service was much talked about at the time and was undoubtedly one of the innovations that heralded the machine age in the Confederation. Swiss Post is commemorating this technological achievement with a special stamp. There are no photos of the Guillaume Tell and very few drawings. All the more reason, then, for the 200th anniversary stamp to be issued in a special rectangular format of 80 x 30 millimetres, giving the historic steamboat the importance it deserves.
Landesmuseum Zurich celebrates its 125th anniversary
The Landesmuseum Zurich also has cause for celebration. It opened its doors in 1898 at a time when people in Switzerland were looking for monuments and symbols for the relatively young nation state. The Landesmuseum will celebrate its 125th anniversary at a public festival to mark the occasion on 10 and 11 June 2023. Swiss Post is commemorating this anniversary with a special stamp. The stamp highlights the architectural history of the spectacular building. One half of the structure in the heart of Zurich is the historic building from 1898, while an extension by Swiss architects Christ & Gantenbein was added to the listed building in 2016.
From the Breggia to the Versoix: the power of water adorns the supplementary stamps
From thundering mountain rivers that squeeze through narrow gorges, such as the Breggia in the Canton of Ticino, to the quiet Versoix, which meanders through enchanting landscapes in the French-Swiss border region. The power of water is the theme of the seven new supplementary stamps (with face values from CHF 1.15 to CHF 5.30). Photographer Andreas Gerth showcases the diversity of Switzerland’s river landscapes, with the Thur, Inn, Reuss, Kleine Emme and Areuse also featured on the new supplementary stamps.