CROATIAN TOWNS 1992 - KNIN

In the series of postage stamps entitled "Croatian towns", HPT-Croatian Post and Telecommunications issued a regular postage stamp -Knin-. Motif: Panoramic view of Knin with the stronghold. Knin, latest census 12 041 (1991.), town in the Knin plain (Dalmatian Zagora region), a junction of roads and rail lines. Archaeological findings suggest that Knin was inhabited in prehistoric times. The site was first mentioned by Constantine VII Flavius Porphyrogenitus in the 10th century. It was known as Tenen. The stronghold on the southern slopes is the biggest in the Dalmatian Zagora region, errected from the 10th to the 13th centuries. The Turks encircled a citadel by a wall. Knin was the capital of many Croatian kings, dukes, bans, bishops and the comitat governors. The princes Trpimir and Mucimir lived there, the kings Svetislav, Držislav, Zvonimir stayed there, too. The last Croatian king of the Croatian ruling house of Trpimirović chose it as the capital. Knin was also the seat of the Croatian bishopric, which was set up in 1040, and all the lands till the Drava came under its jurisdiction. There is the old Croatian parish of Cetina near Knin. The locality boasts the church of St. Spas dating back to the 11th century, encircled by an enormous necropolis including more than 700 vertical tombstones (stećaks) and about one thousand old Croatian graves. The stamp was issued in sheets of 50 pieces each,and HPT offered FDC as well as commemorative envelope.