Qasr El Nil Bridge Lion and Cleopatra Hotel - 20 millieme
This definitive postage stamp was issued in the early 1960s for use in the Gaza Strip under the administration of the United Arab Republic (UAR). To facilitate regular civilian correspondence and maintain a standardized postal infrastructure for the local Palestinian population, the administration released dedicated definitive series inscribed with "PALESTINE" alongside the UAR designation. By pairing a famous classical monument with a modern mid-century high-rise building, this 20-millieme regular issue visually represented the dialogue between Cairo’s historic past and its contemporary urban development.
The design in the foreground features the silhouette of one of the iconic bronze lions guarding the entrance to the historic Qasr El Nil Bridge in Cairo, originally sculpted by the French artist Henri Alfred Jacquemart in the late 19th century. Looming in the background is the distinct architecture of the Cleopatra Hotel, a landmark of mid-century modernization overlooking Tahrir Square. Circulating widely on standard domestic and regional mail, this stamp projected a sense of architectural advancement, administrative structure, and regional connectivity across the postal network.
The design in the foreground features the silhouette of one of the iconic bronze lions guarding the entrance to the historic Qasr El Nil Bridge in Cairo, originally sculpted by the French artist Henri Alfred Jacquemart in the late 19th century. Looming in the background is the distinct architecture of the Cleopatra Hotel, a landmark of mid-century modernization overlooking Tahrir Square. Circulating widely on standard domestic and regional mail, this stamp projected a sense of architectural advancement, administrative structure, and regional connectivity across the postal network.