The Ludoviceum was an institution providing the highest level of military training and higher education in Hungary prior to 1945. Its purpose was to train young volunteers under the age for military service and to turn them into active officers, as well as to provide the opportunity for officers to pursue higher education military studies. Its establishment was announced by the Diet in 1808 and the Academy was named after Queen Mária Ludovika, the third wife of King Francis I. After the Second World War, the building was regrettably allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. Today the attractively restored southern wing houses a school. The former covered stables and the main building are now the Hungarian Natural History Museum. The stamp design shows a detail of the deed of foundation for the Academy, its coat-of-arms and a contemporary drawing of the building. The first day cover depicts a group of statues in a park behind the former Academy building. The special postmark is a stylized drawing of an ornamental sword.