The stamp shows the Åland Lyceum, one of the iconic landmarks of Mariehamn and a beautiful example of early 20th century schoolhouse architecture.
Erected in 1903, the schoolhouse was the first large stone building in Mariehamn. Architecturally, the Åland Lyceum represents Swedish manor house style with tall, wide windows and small panes. From the outset, the building had bright yellow plasterwork, white mouldings, and a red roof. The decorative main entrance at the foot of the tower is framed by a soapstone portal adorned with the town’s coat of arms and water lily motifs, a tribute to the Art Nouveau ideals of the time.
The building was designed by Finnish architects Johan Jakob ”Jac” Ahrenberg (1847–1914) and Sebastian Gripenberg (1850–1925). Excerpts from the original school drawings can be seen on the gutter of the stamp sheet.
Today, Åland Lyceum is a preparatory upper secondary school from which over 100 students graduate each year. Student caps, a symbol of completed studies, can be seen in the corners of the stamp sheet.
The stamp is an issue in the Sepac stamp series issued by the small postal administrations in Europe. Sepac, the Small European Postal Administrations' Cooperation, has 12 members. The members of the Sepac group annually issue stamps on a common theme that highlight unique motifs from the various regions. The theme for 2025 is architecture.
