Christopher Colombus

  Christopher Columbus (Cristoforo Colombo) was a sailor born in Genoa (Italy) around 1451.

He was very passionate about sea voyages and left for Portugal in 1476 and made numerous trips to the Atlantic.

He later decided to reach the Indies by crossing the Atlantic and for that found the funds with the Queen of Spain Isabella.

He left Spain on August 3, 1492. The expedition, consisting of a little more than 90 crew members, consisted of 3 ships, 2 caravels (the Pinta and the Nina) and a caraque (the Santa Maria).

After about 2 months of navigation, they discovered on 12 October 1492 an island of the Antilles then Cuba and Haiti. It should be noted that Christopher Columbus still thinks he has reached the East Indies.

Then Christopher Columbus made three more trips, discovering in 1498 the coastline of the American continent.

From a philatelic point of view, Christopher Columbus has often been honored on stamps or block-sheets.

It will be noted in 1893, the series issued by the United States during the 400 years of the discovery of America. A series of 16 stamps depicting Columbus' epic and called "La colombus". This is the first commemorative series in the world.

A hundred years later, in 1992, many countries also commemorated this event. It can be noted that the Europa stamp series of 1992 had as its theme Christopher Columbus and thus no less than 90 values and 14 block-sheets that were issued.