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Syria: Scenic Landmarks Series, 1996/2003

Started by <k>, October 15, 2015, 09:23:17 AM

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<k>

Map of Syria.jpg

Map of Syria.


From Wikipedia:

Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It has a population of 23,865,000. Damascus is Syria's capital and largest city. With a population of 24.8 million, it is the 57th most populous country in the world and the 8th most populous in the Arab world. Syria is spread across an area of 185,180 square kilometres (71,500 square miles), making it the 87th largest country in the world.

The modern Syrian state was established in the mid-20th century after centuries of Ottoman rule, as a French Mandate. The newly created state represented the largest Arab state to emerge from the formerly Ottoman-ruled Syrian provinces. It gained de jure independence as a parliamentary republic in 1945 when the new Republic became a founding member of the United Nations, an act which legally ended the former French mandate. French troops departed in April 1946, granting de facto independence.

Since 2011, Syria has been embroiled in a multi-sided civil war, with the involvement of different countries. Three political entities – the Syrian Interim Government, Syrian Salvation Government, and Rojava – have emerged in Syrian territory to challenge President Assad's rule.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Flag of Syria-.jpg

Flag of the Syrian Arab Republic.


The flag of the Syrian Arab Republic consists of four colours: red, white and black, with two green stars, of five angles each. The flag is rectangular, with its width measuring two-thirds of its length. It is divided into three rectangles of identical dimensions. The upper one is red, the middle one is white, and the bottom one is black. Two green stars appear in the middle of the white rectangle.

The flag is based on the Arab Liberation Flag, which had four colours: black, green, white and red. These represent the four major dynasties of Arab history: the Abbasids, the Faṭimids, the Umayyads, and the Hashemites.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Coat of arms of Syria.jpg

The Syrian coat of arms.


The Syrian coat of arms features the Hawk of Quraish.

The hawk supports a shield bearing the national flag of Syria in vertical form.

Beneath the hawk is as a scroll of the words "Syrian Arab Republic".
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

NEW DESIGN SERIES OF 1996
 
Following many years of high inflation, Syria introduced a new series of coins in 1996.

The new coins consisted of denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 25 pounds.


Previously the 1 pound coin had been the highest denomination.

Now it was the lowest denomination of the new series.


The coins were produced by the Paris Mint.

Their attractive reverse designs featured some of Syria's scenic landmarks.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Syria 1 pound 1996-.jpg

Syria, 1 pound, 1996.  Obverse.


The 1 pound coin of 1996 remained almost unchanged from the 1994 version.

It was made of stainless steel, weighed 5 grams and was 25 mm in diameter.


The obverse featured the coat of arms as before.

However, the symbols for the Islamic and Christian years were now included.

These appeared to the left of the respective dates.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Syria 1 pound 1996.jpg

Syria, 1 pound, 1996.  Reverse.


The reverse design of the 1 pound coin remained unchanged.

The coin had been the highest denomination of the previous series.

Now it was the lowest denomination and retained its old reverse design.

It was therefore the only coin that did not feature a building or landmark.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Syria 2 pounds 1996.jpg

Syria, 2 pounds, 1996.  Obverse.


The 2 pounds coin of 1996 was made of nickel-plated steel.

It weighed 6 grams and was 23 mm in diameter.


The coin was round with an polygonal inner rim.

Its inner shape was 13-sided.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

#9
Syria 2 pounds  1996-.jpg

Syria, 2 pounds, 1996.  Reverse.


The reverse design depicted the Roman amphitheatre at Bosra.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>



The Roman theatre at Bosra.


From Wikipedia:

The Roman Theatre at Bosra is an ancient Roman theatre in Bosra, Syria. It was built in the second quarter of the 2nd century CE. It is the largest, most complete and best preserved theatre of all the Roman theatres in the Middle East, and was one of the largest theatres ever constructed in the Roman world.

The theatre was built early in the 2nd century AD after Bosra became the capital of the new Roman province of Arabia. The theatre was built outside the city walls since there was no suitable place for it inside. Nonetheless, it was integrated into the city's street network by a colonnaded street. In the Middle Ages a Muslim fortress was built around the theatre, which explains the excellent state of preservation of the theatre. However, the colonnaded street, along with other structures around the theatre, were destroyed when the fortress was built. The theatre is unusual in that it was not constructed using a natural slope of a hill for support but on completely level ground. The theatre was built facing north.

By the start of the 20th century most of the interior had become filled with sand, which acted as a natural preservative. The theatre was restored to its former glory between 1947 and 1970. The main restoration work was directed at the stage area and the upper rows of seats. Some of that work was done in pink Egyptian granite. The theatre now serves as the main venue for the Bosra Festival, a national music festival.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Syria 5 pounds 1996-.jpg

Syria, 5 pounds, 1996.  Obverse.


The 5 pounds coin of 1996 was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 5 grams and was 24.4 mm in diameter.


The coin was round with an polygonal inner rim.

Its inner shape was 5-sided.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Syria 5 pounds 1996.jpg

Syria, 5 pounds, 1996.  Reverse.


The reverse design depicted the citadel of Aleppo.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Citadel of Aleppo.jpg

Citadel of Aleppo.


From Wikipedia:

The Citadel of Aleppo is a large medieval fortified palace in the centre of the old city of Aleppo, northern Syria. It is considered to be one of the oldest and largest castles in the world. Usage of the Citadel hill dates back at least to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. Subsequently occupied by many civilizations including the Greeks, Byzantines, Ayyubids and Mamluks, the majority of the construction as it stands today is thought to originate from the Ayyubid period. An extensive conservation work has taken place in the 2000s by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with Aleppo Archeological Society. Dominating the city, the Citadel is part of the Ancient City of Aleppo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

<k>

Syria 10 pounds 1996.jpg

Syria, 10 pounds, 1996.  Obverse.


The 10 pounds coin of 1996 was made of copper-nickel.

It weighed 7 grams and was 26.4 mm in diameter.


The coin was round with an inner circle.
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.