3th Arab Engineers Congress at Damascus - 12.5 piastre
This commemorative stamp belongs to a dedicated postal set issued by the Syrian Republic in September 1947 to mark the 3rd Congress of Arab Engineers (المؤتمر الهندسي الثالث في البلاد العربية). This historic gathering took place in Damascus under the official patronage of the Syrian president, bringing together technical minds, architects, and engineering delegations from across the Arab world—including notable delegations from Egypt and Iraq—to coordinate regional development and cross-border scientific advancement in the early post-independence era.
The design, elegantly framed by stylized ivy-leaf patterns on both sides, portrays the inner courtyard (Haramlik) of the Azem Palace, a striking monument of 18th-century Ottoman-Damascene architecture. This aesthetic choice directly mirrored the theme of the congress: honoring ancestral Arab architectural mastery and ingenuity while looking toward modern engineering solutions. Masterfully drafted by artist Paul Koroleff and printed in maroon ink by Beirut’s Imprimerie Catholique, this specific 12.50-piastre denomination beautifully captures a moment where nascent Arab national identity and infrastructure planning intersected with historical preservation.
The design, elegantly framed by stylized ivy-leaf patterns on both sides, portrays the inner courtyard (Haramlik) of the Azem Palace, a striking monument of 18th-century Ottoman-Damascene architecture. This aesthetic choice directly mirrored the theme of the congress: honoring ancestral Arab architectural mastery and ingenuity while looking toward modern engineering solutions. Masterfully drafted by artist Paul Koroleff and printed in maroon ink by Beirut’s Imprimerie Catholique, this specific 12.50-piastre denomination beautifully captures a moment where nascent Arab national identity and infrastructure planning intersected with historical preservation.