postkantoor

Postkantoor is the Dutch term for a post office, the public facility where mail and parcels are sent, sorted, and delivered, and where customers can purchase postage and access related services. In Dutch-speaking regions, a postkantoor typically operates as the local branch of the national postal operator and serves as the point of contact between citizens and the postal system.

Typical services include selling stamps, accepting letters and parcels, weighing and pricing mail, registering items, providing P.O. boxes, and handling address changes. Many post offices also offer counter services for government or financial services and may act as pickup points for online orders or returns, depending on the country.

Post offices are usually part of a national postal organization, sometimes operated through franchised networks or automated kiosks and parcel lockers. They function as access points for both everyday postal needs and broader logistical or retail services.

Historically, the post office emerged with formal postal systems in the 18th and 19th centuries, often under universal service obligations to deliver mail nationwide. In the digital era, letter volumes have declined in many places, prompting post operators to diversify into parcel logistics, retail offerings, and financial services, while maintaining public mail delivery responsibilities.

Although the term is Dutch, analogous institutions exist worldwide under various names, reflecting the same function: a reliable, publicly accessible network for mail, parcels, and related services.