Courtyard of Azem Palace
This commemorative stamp was issued by the Syrian Republic in 1947 to celebrate the 3rd Congress of Arab Engineers (3ᵉ Congrès des Ingénieurs Arabes 1947 / المؤتمر الهندسي الثالث في البلاد العربية). It features a face value of 12.50 piastres, indicated as "12P50" in Western numerals on the upper left and "١٢.٥ ق" in Arabic script on the upper right. The stamp's artwork was designed by the prominent artist Paul Koroleff (signed as P. Koroleff at the bottom left) and printed by the Imprimerie Catholique in Beirut (I.C. Beyrouth).
The central vignette showcases an illustrated view of the courtyard of the famous Azem Palace (Cour du Palais Azem / صحن بيت العظم) in Damascus, an 18th-century masterpiece of Ottoman-era Damascene architecture. The engraving highlights the tranquil inner courtyard, flanked by traditional alternating light-and-dark stone masonry (ablaq), intricate arcades, and lush courtyard greenery surrounding the central fountain area. Framed by decorative vertical leaf motifs on both flanks, this design beautifully bridges Syria's architectural heritage with the mid-20th-century gathering of regional engineering minds.
The central vignette showcases an illustrated view of the courtyard of the famous Azem Palace (Cour du Palais Azem / صحن بيت العظم) in Damascus, an 18th-century masterpiece of Ottoman-era Damascene architecture. The engraving highlights the tranquil inner courtyard, flanked by traditional alternating light-and-dark stone masonry (ablaq), intricate arcades, and lush courtyard greenery surrounding the central fountain area. Framed by decorative vertical leaf motifs on both flanks, this design beautifully bridges Syria's architectural heritage with the mid-20th-century gathering of regional engineering minds.