The Minaret of the Al-Mnara Mosque in Mogadishu - 20 centesimo

The Minaret of the Al-Mnara Mosque in Mogadishu - 20 centesimo

Year
1932
Face Value
20
Mint Value
-
Used Value
-
Print Run
-
Themes
Sites and landscapes

Catalogs References

Michel
IT-SO 175A
Yvert & Tellier
IT-SO 166B
Stanley Gibbons
SO 165

Technical Details

Colors
Carmine
Perforation
12
Printing
Photogravure
This carmine-rose 20-centesimi definitive stamp belongs to the iconic 1932 pictorial series issued natively for the territory ("SOMALIA"). The vertical vignette features a striking architectural rendering of the ancient Mnara Minaret (Al-Mnara), located in the historic Abdulaziz district of Mogadishu. Believed to have been constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries during the peak of the Ajuran Sultanate or under early local sultanates, this unique cylindrical watchtower and minaret stands as one of the oldest Islamic coastal landmarks along the Horn of Africa. The stylized frame integrates geometric tribal patterns with native ornamental side columns, pairing a monumental piece of local medieval engineering with a bilingual denomination panel ("Cent. 20" / "بيسات ٢٠").