Azem Palace – Ottoman Heritage in Damascus

 

Country: Syria

Issue: Palais Azem – Damascus (Orange 1 Piastre Stamp, 1937 Issue)

Date of Issue: 1937

Postmark: Circular Date Stamp (CDS) – “DAMAS 1” with Arabic characters and date in the Islamic calendar “8.1237” (corresponding to 1937 in the Gregorian calendar). The mark indicates origin in Damascus, ensuring geographic authenticity.

Postcard: Monochrome sepia, showing the interior of the Azem Palace in Damascus, with traditional arcades, a central fountain, and a minaret in the background. Printed text at the top: “DAMAS — Intérieur du Palais Azem.”

Justification of Maximum Concordance:

This maximum card shows strong thematic concordance: both the 1937 Syrian stamp and the postcard image represent the Azem Palace, an architectural icon of Damascus. The “DAMAS 1” cancellation reinforces geographic appropriateness, as it corresponds to the depicted city and the location associated with the stamp’s theme. The dating in Arabic characters confirms the contemporaneity of the issue, ensuring temporal concordance.