NORWAY ~ Nordkapp ~

... Great views of Europe’s northernmost point at the latitude of 71° north... the steep mountain cliff topped with a large flat plateau is rising to a magnificent 308 metres above the Barents Sea and marks the end point of the European continent... it used to be a vital orientation point for sailors but is now better known for its spectacular natural beauty and striking globe monument with views out to sea... a majestic landmark that has been challenging explorers, royalty and tourists to the north... today boats, planes and buses make this legendary place a popular destination... with once more the great special and "unique" postmark stamped on the cruise ship to to commemorate an Arctic Circle crossing💙... and as extra bonus this time a fantastic postmark by the North Cape Hall staff from the gift shop... they collects the mail and hand-stamps each postcard with a special Nordkapp postmark before mailing them😍... Big Thanks once more Gian Luca & Raffaella! ! (✿◠‿◠)

Photo: Ole P. Rørvik
Nordkapp  sits on the northern coast of the island of Magerøya and was named by English navigator and arctic explorer Steven Borough, captain of the Edward Bonaventure, who sailed past the cliff in 1553 in search of the Northeast Passage shipping route. In 1664, Italian priest Francesco Negri became the first person known to have traveled to Nordkapp. King Oscar II, Union King of Norway and Sweden, visited in 1873, and in 1956 the first road to Nordkapp was built. Beyond Nordkapp, the Norwegian Sea, part of the Atlantic Ocean, meets the Barents Sea, part of the Arctic Ocean.

In addition to the globe, several other monuments are scattered around Nordkapp. An obelisk honoring King Oscar II sits at one end of the plateau, and the Milestone Monument points out to sea at the other end. Artist Eva Rybakken’s sculpture “Mother and Child” is encircled by the Children of the Earth monument. Children of the Earth was created in 1988 by seven children from different parts of the world who gathered at Nordkapp to illustrate symbols of cooperation, friendship, hope and joy.

 

Stamp:

Domesticated Animals
(Issued 11-06-2021)

North Cape is accessible from the small town of Honningsvåg.