While many kids of today’s generation will never understand the importance of a post
office, most of us know the excitement that came with the arrival of the postman.
It was always a sign of news.
Sometimes it was sad, sometimes happy but it was always a much looked forward to event.
These days, with the advent of mail and instant messaging, writing letters might not be all
that important but thankfully, post offices are still around, and some of them are simply
amazing.
Let us take a look at some of the most unusual post offices in the world.
13.
Molossia.
While many of you may not have heard of it, Molossia is actually a claimed country.
It is in fact a micro nation within the United States and is supposed to be the world’s
smallest sovereign republic.
And its population?
12!
This small country is located in the Nevada region and has its own post office!
The Molossian postal service connects it with the rest of the world and it is a quaint little
sight.
The entire postal office of the country is basically one small booth which is manned
by a single person.
And well, you may call them understaffed given that they serve an entire country, but well,
it is just 12 people after all!
12.
Vanuatu.
So posting letters used to be a good deal of fun.
But someone thought of a way to make sending a postcard even more fun!
If you want to post anything here, you have to actually don a diving costume and then
go 9 feet under the water!
This really interesting underwater post office can be found off the coast of the Hideaway
island in Vanuatu.
This strange post office is manned by a scuba diver and if you want to post something, you
have to make sure that it is water proof.
Of course, there are water proof postcards available here which you can get embossed
with a waterproof stamp before sending it off!
And you can do this while being surrounded by coral and fish.
That is truly one amazing way to send mail!
11.
Everest Base Camp.
We have all heard of mount Everest being the tallest mountain in the world.
But did you know that it also housed the highest post office in the world?
That’s right!
Known as Qomolangma, there is a post office that is present at the base camp in the Tibet
Autonomous region.
And if you think about it, it is really not that weird a place after all, is it?
Climbing the Everest is a tall and risky task and those attempting it would definitely want
to leave behind letters for their loved ones.
And since the Qomolangma is the last post office available, it would be busier than
expected.
Which is why there are about 30 people on average who visit here every day and is open
for use from April to October.
10.
Susami Post Box.
So obviously, if there is a post office that is highest in the world, there has to be something
which will be the lowest in the world right?
That distinction belongs to the Susami post box which is actually 33 feet below the surface
of the sea.
Susami is a fishing town essentially but it holds the distinction of having the world’s
deepest post office.
It was placed there in 1999 as a part of the marine sports festival and can be used to
send actual mails!
All that the divers have to do is purchase a plastic postcard and then mail it.
And it has a pretty regular service as well with the post getting picked up once a day!
9.
Pirate Post Office.
So in the olden times when airplanes were not really that common, or invented yet, people
still had to stay in touch even though they were on different continents.
And since the sea and the ocean was the only thing connecting them, it was but natural
that ships would be used to carry letters back and forth.
That was why in the Galapagos islands in Ecuador was a very informal postal office that originated
in times of the whalers and the pirates.
The post office bay served as a point from where ships heading home picked up the letters
left here and delivered it as far as the European and US lands.
This unique post office is located on the Floreana islands and has been around for 200
years!
8.
Ochopee Post Office.
Ok, so some things become famous because of their size.
And while it is usually a better idea to be as big as possible, in some cases being the
smallest also helps.
That is exactly what happened with the Ochopee post office which serves an unincorporated
community in Collier county with a population of less than 15.
It has the distinction of being the smallest post office in the US.
Not just because it serves a tiny number of people, but because it is tiny in itself.
Measuring 7 feet by 8 feet, this post office can only hold one person at a time!
Not bad though considering that they only have to go and make deliveries in two or three
counties daily!
7.
Monumental Post Office.
There are post offices and then there are pieces of history and architectural marvel.
And if you have nothing to post, and still end up in the latter, it will definitely be
worth your time.
That is exactly the case with the Post Office of Mardin in Turkey.
It is housed in a building that was commissioned by the Satana family and is one of the prime
examples of Mardin civil architecture.
Of course, the post office is not still operational but it was up to some time back and it was
really a breathtaking post office.
So if you do visit this erstwhile post office, don’t look for stamps but do carry a camera
as it is a really picture worthy place!
6.
World War II Post Office.
During the 20th century, the postal service was one of the most crucial set ups any country
had.
They played an important part in getting communications to and fro and it became even more crucial
during the Second World War.
And if you want any proof of that, just visit the Polish Post Museum in Gdansk, Poland.
This museum was once a post office and has a lot of historical value.
Of course, you will not learn much about the postal service here because it houses artefacts
mostly from the German assault on the building.
But there are some pretty interesting exhibits here and they are definitely worth a visit.
Just don’t expect to send a post though!
5.
Old Post Office.
Whenever you are in Washington, do make some time for a visit to the old post office building
because it is a grand old structure steeped in history.
It functioned as the general post office till the beginning of the first world war.
What is interesting is that it is the third tallest building in Washington and offers
a panoramic view of the city.
Oh, and you should also combine that with a trip to the national postal museum where
you can view some really old and interesting stamps along with getting an idea of the history
of the US postal service and some of the strangest things used to deliver the post!
4.
Texarkana.
One of the most interesting post offices in the world is the Texarkana post office.
What makes it so interesting is that it is located bang on the borders of Texas and Arkansas.
Which is where it derives its name from.
The Texarkana post office is a half and half post office.
Which basically means that it is split right down the middle between the borders of the
2 states.
It was also once a courthouse along with a post office, though the courthouse is no longer
operational!
It is one of the most interesting places to visit as you can be in 2 states at one time,
just like the Texarkana post office.
3.
Kiev Post Office.
If you ever had dreams of post offices being grand and really impressive, perhaps you should
take a trip to Kiev, Ukraine.
The main post office there is located at the Independence square and is a grand old structure
that might remind you of the Stalin era.
Molded ceilings, marble floors, chandeliers and a gallery with images of the landmarks
of the city and some of the things that you will find inside apart from a fully functional
post office and a 24 hour internet café as well!
In 2003, the Kiev post office gained some extra prominence as it was the place where
the Orange revolution took place and in 2014 it was occupied by protestors during an anti-government
demonstration!
Quit some history right!
2.
Grand Post Office.
Ok, so don’t get confused.
That is not the actual name for this post office, nor would anyone know it by that name,
but it just kind of fit!
It is officially known as the La Grande Post D’Alger and is an amazing example of Moorish
revival architecture.
The post office was built in the early 20th century and it is fantastic feeling as you
enter through the arched doors to step on to cool mosaic tiles right beneath an ornate
rotunda which boasts of intricate geometrical designs!
It really stands out among the other buildings in the region and its white façade is really
something one should witness first hand.
1.
Artistic Post Office.
If you ever have the good fortune to be in Sicily, you might just happen to pass one
of the most interesting post offices in the world without even giving it a second look.
The reason is that the exterior of the post office is actually pretty normal but when
you do step inside, it is like you have stepped into another world.
The insides of the post office are truly amazing though and is decorated with many murals.
These murals were done by a futurist artist Benedetta Cappa in 1933 and they add a very
different touch to the post office!
Interestingly though, the building has seen its share of damages as the Palermo flood
occurred during its construction and caused a crane to topple over and destroy a building
nearby while there was also a fire in 1988 which caused some destruction, but the post
office was restored later on!
A pretty fascinating building, right?
Do you feel like going out and purchasing a few postcards and stamps?
WE are sure that you do.
And if you do happen to visit your post office, let us know in the comments section below
what you think of these grand old methods of communication and if the digital age is
killing this service.
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