History of Petra
The gigantic red mountains and the immense mausoleums of a lost time have little to do with our modern civilization, and they ask only to be appreciated for their true value: as one of the greatest wonders ever created by Nature and Man.
Although rivers of ink have run over Petra, nothing really prepares us for this shocking place. Must be seen to be believed.
Often referred to as the eighth wonder of the ancient world, Petra is, without a doubt, Jordan's most precious treasure and its most important tourist attraction. It is a huge city completely excavated in the rocks by the Nabateans, a very hard-working Arab tribe that was established in the area more than 2,000 years ago and turned it into an important passing city that linked the silk routes, those of the spices and others that connected China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.
The entrance to the city is made through the Siq, a narrow canyon, one kilometer long, surrounded by cliffs that rise up to 80 meters high. The simple act of walking through the Siq is an unforgettable experience. The colors and formations of the rocks are dazzling. When you reach the end of the Siq you will glimpse for the first time the facade called Al-Khazneh (the Treasury).
The entrance to the city is made through the Siq, a narrow canyon, one kilometer long, surrounded by cliffs that rise up to 80 meters high. The simple act of walking through the Siq is an unforgettable experience. The colors and formations of the rocks are dazzling. When you reach the end of the Siq you will glimpse for the first time the facade called Al-Khazneh (the Treasury).
It is an awesome experience. An immense facade, 30 m wide and 43 m high, dug into the rocky face of pale pink outshines everything around it. It was built in the first century as the tomb of an important Nabatean king and is a sample of the engineering talent of this ancient town.
The Treasury is the first of the many wonders found in Petra. You will need at least four or five days to get to know the city thoroughly. As you access the Petra Valley, the visitor will be overwhelmed by the natural beauty of this place and its impressive architecture. There are hundreds of elaborate tombs carved into the rock with complicated engravings that, unlike the houses, which were destroyed by the earthquake, were built to last forever and 500 have survived, empty, but hopelessly captivating as they pass through their dark entrances . There is also a great theater built by the Nabateans.
Roman style, with capacity for 3,000 people. There are obelisks, temples, altars for sacrifices, streets with columns and, at high altitude, dominating the valley, the impressive Ad-Deir monastery rises, an ascent of 800 steps carved into the rock leads to it.
Inside the site you can also find two great museums; the Archaeological Museum of Petra and the Nabatean Museum of Petra. Both have a large background of pieces from the Petra region and offer an overview of Petra's colorful past.
A 13th-century sanctuary, built by Mamluk Sultan Al Nasir Mohammad to commemorate the death of Aaron, brother of Moses, can be seen today at the summit of Mount Aaron in the Sharah area.
Within the enclosure, several artisans from the city of Wadi Musa and the nearby Bedouin settlement set up their small stalls to sell local handicrafts, such as ceramics and Bedouin jewelry, as well as colored sand bottles in the area.
A 13th-century sanctuary, built by Mamluk Sultan Al Nasir Mohammad to commemorate the death of Aaron, brother of Moses, can be seen today at the summit of Mount Aaron in the Sharah area.
Within the enclosure, several artisans from the city of Wadi Musa and the nearby Bedouin settlement set up their small stalls to sell local handicrafts, such as ceramics and Bedouin jewelry, as well as colored sand bottles in the area.
Motorized vehicles are not allowed access to the enclosure. If you don't feel like walking, rent a horse or horse-drawn carriage to travel the Siq, 1 kilometer long. For the elderly or disabled, the Visitor Center, located near the entrance to the Siq, grants a special permit (for an additional price) for its transfer to the interior of Petra and the visit of the main attractions. Once inside the enclosure, you can rent a donkey or, if you are looking for a little adventure, a camel. The two options include the accompaniment of a caregiver and tour the site's routes.
Petra was founded around the 6th century BC, by Nabatean Arabs, a nomadic tribe that settled in the area and laid the principles of a commercial empire that reached Syria.
Despite the successive attempts by the Seleucid king Antigonus, the Roman emperor Pompey and Herod the Great to take Petra for their respective empires, the city remained in Nabatean power until approximately AD 100, when the Romans took over it . It remained uninhabited during the Byzantine period, when the former Roman Empire set its interest in the East, in Constantinople, but later, its importance declined.
Petra was founded around the 6th century BC, by Nabatean Arabs, a nomadic tribe that settled in the area and laid the principles of a commercial empire that reached Syria.
Despite the successive attempts by the Seleucid king Antigonus, the Roman emperor Pompey and Herod the Great to take Petra for their respective empires, the city remained in Nabatean power until approximately AD 100, when the Romans took over it . It remained uninhabited during the Byzantine period, when the former Roman Empire set its interest in the East, in Constantinople, but later, its importance declined.
The Crusaders erected a fort here in the 12th century, but soon withdrew, leaving Petra under the control of the local population until the 19th century, when Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it in 1812.
Petra Archaeological ParkThe Petra Archaeological Park (PAP) covers a 264 dunum (264,000 square meters) area within Wadi Musa, which is considered a tourism and archaeological site, and a World Heritage Site registered on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1985. The area encompasses a breathtaking landscape of pink-hued rock mountains, the focus of which is the amazing ancient Nabataean city of Petra, which was carved into the rock more than 2,000 years ago.
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