Bosnia postage stamps year 1995 Main Post Building in Sarajevo

Bosnia postage stamps year 1995 Main Post Building in Sarajevo MNH set The stamp issue you are referring to is a deeply poignant piece of postal history. Released in 1995 by the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Republika Bosna i Hercegovina), this set commemorates the Main Post Office Building in Sarajevo (Glavna pošta). This was not just a celebration of a beautiful piece of Austro-Hungarian architecture; it was a powerful statement of resilience. The historic 1913 building had been targeted, severely burned, and gutted by shelling in May 1992 at the very start of the Siege of Sarajevo. Issuing a postal set dedicated to it in 1995—while the war was still ongoing—served as a symbol of national identity and survival. The set was printed while the local postal service was operating under extreme wartime conditions. Date of Issue: 1995 Catalog Numbers: Michel #13–19 | Stanley Gibbons #460–466 Configuration: The issue consists of a multi-value definitive/commemorative set, often found by collectors as a complete mint set or within a specially designed miniature sheet (Souvenir Sheet / Blok). The Design: The stamps feature architectural drawings, archival photos, and renderings of the famous facade and grand interior hall of the Main Post Office. To understand why this stamp set is so significant to collectors, it helps to understand the history of the building itself: The Origin (1913): Designed by the famous architect Josip Vancaš and inspired by the Viennese Postal Savings Bank, the building opened on May 18, 1913. It was considered one of the grandest and most modern post offices in the Balkans. The 1992 Destruction: On May 2, 1992, the building was intentionally set ablaze by specialized incendiary shells. The fire destroyed the country’s central communications hub, instantly cutting off telephone lines for much of the city. The Stamp as Propaganda & Pride: By releasing these stamps in 1995, the Bosnian government highlighted both their cultural heritage and the destruction it faced, using philately to tell their wartime story to the international community.