This 40-pfennig stamp from East Germany (DDR), issued in 1984, depicts the Steintor, or “Stone Gate,” a historic landmark in the Hanseatic city of Rostock. The gate, dating back to the late 16th century, is one of the city’s most important Renaissance architectural monuments and part of the medieval fortifications. The stamp shows its elegant facade with detailed ornamentation and the tall, pointed spire that crowns it. Designed in minimalist architectural style, the issue highlights DDR’s series on national monuments and cultural heritage.