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Thewinning
designs chosen by the EMI Council were produced by Robert Kalina of
the Oesterreichische Nationalbank and inspired by the theme Ages
and styles of Europe.
They were chosen because they unite historical developments in technology,
art and communication into one harmonious composition, and they epitomise
the dawn of a new Europe with its shared cultural heritage and the
vision of a joint future in the next millennium.
The banknote designs depict the architectural styles of seven periods
in Europes cultural history classical, Romanesque, Gothic,
Renaissance, baroque and rococo, the age of iron and glass, and modern
20th century architecture and show three main architectural
elements: windows, gateways and bridges.
The windows and gateways on the front of each banknote symbolise the
spirit of openness and co-operation in Europe. The 12 stars of the
European Union are also featured to represent the dynamism and harmony
of contemporary Europe.
These design elements are complemented on the reverse of each banknote,
which features a bridge typical of the respective age of European
cultural development. These bridges range from early constructions
to the sophisticated suspension bridges of the modern era and are
used as a metaphor for communication among the people of Europe and
between Europe and the rest of the world. |
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