Publication Date
AD 1900-1908
Publication Place
-
Al-Khalili Family Trust - Nasser D. Collection. Al-Khalili Islamic Art
Subject
card
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
ARC.pc 459 : 8.8 × 14.1 سم، ARC.pc 460 : 9 × 14.2 سمARC.pc 461 : 9 × 14.1 سم
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Library Asset ID
ARC.pc 459ARC.pc 460ARC.pc 461
Record ID
object;EPM;uk;Mus22;17;ar
Library Location
Al-Khalili Family Trust - Nasser D. Collection. Al-Khalili Islamic Art
Date
AD 1900-1908
Notes
In 1900, the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II (reigned 1876-1909) began constructing a railway linking Damascus with the holy cities in the Hijaz, such as Medina and Mecca. This line was established with the participation of public authorities and an invitation to the Islamic world for financial support. The railway reached Medina in 1908, but did not reach Mecca. Funding for the Hejazi Railway was initially intended to come entirely from charitable donations, and in May 1900, Sultan Abdul Hamid began the operation with a generous donation of his own funds. Despite national and foreign generosity towards campaign donations, it quickly became clear that this alone was insufficient to secure the necessary funding for construction. The government therefore sought to secure financing in several other ways, including issuing postcards, among other German-made products, in order to generate greater returns. Under the title (View of the Hamidiya-Hejazi Railway) and in phrases written in French and Turkish, the postcards depicted the construction of the railway, as well as general views and the inauguration/opening celebrations. These were available for purchase at local post offices.
Sample Text
"Official postcards of the Hejazi Railway" from Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum Without Borders, 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;uk;Mus22;17;ar
