The City of Petra was hidden in the mountains of Jordan for thousands of years when a young Swiss explorer Johan Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it in 1812.Temples, tombs, monasteries and other buildings are all carved out of the sandstone cliffs, which also gives it the name the “rose red city.” UNESCO has described it as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage.”
stone houses in Petra by: Zé Eduardo
You reach the ancient city of Petra by going through a narrow corridor in a mountain of rocks.This corridor is about a mile long and just wide enough to fit a small truck – although most people go through on horseback or on foot. When you emerge, you enter a little hidden valley, which is mountain-locked.
It was famous around the time of Christ for being the only way through those mountains, and traders bringing back silk from China to Europe often traveled through there. Back then, the people of Petra charged a fee-and of course became quite rich.The valley is a mile long, and more than thirty temples line the canyon sides.
View of the Royal Tombs at Petra by: Olopez
Many of these temples or tombs go back to about 600 B.C., but the particular one they used was built around the time of Christ. Nobody knows for sure what it was used for. Behind the temple face are a few small, square rooms, which are completely empty. Whatever they held was stolen long ago. It’s quite an incredible place – like a tenth wonder of the world.”
Detail of the Tresure of Petra by: Zé Eduardo
Photo by: MarceloRuiz
Inside a nabatean tomb by: MarceloRuiz
One of the most elaborate buildings in the ancient city of Petra by: ZbigD
Petra by night by: sonofwalrus
Inside the Treasury by: MarceloRuiz
Petra sandstone by: ladigue_99
Petra sandstone layers by: ladigue_99
the first view of the Tresure at the end of Al Siq by: Zé Eduardo
Photo by: Kenny Maths
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Isn’t this the temple that was used in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?
I would love to go there and explore.
Yes Sir, That’s the exact Location:
I’ve been to Petra twice in the past 5 years … taken several hundreds of photos … but the ones displayed here are by far the best I’ve ever seen.
Thanks for sharing!
One thing that your admittedly lovely pictures cannot capture is the overpowering odour of horse urine and dung that sticks to your lungs as you walk down the trail through the high rock corridor on your way to the ‘Treasury’.
One of my abiding memories of Petra…
Meh… I think the Grand Canyon is a helluva lot
more majestic than this. And yes, I’ve been to both.
Having a vocation as an architect and an avocation as an archeological groupie, gives me some insight to say that Petra by far is one of the most unique in the ancient built world. Why? Because it it was literally carved out of rock unlike almost all other ancient sites with habitable or monumental structures that were constructed by stacking pieces of materials be it wood, stone etc. Furthermore, the intricacy and facade details that were “carved out” surpasses those simplistic abodes of the Anazasi Indians or the almost natural abodes of Cappodocia, Turkey albeit some there have carved facades with details.
When saw the petra i m speechless.excellent carving with perfect measurment from the whole mountain which is impossible in todays world with the tools of ancient world. Amezing.
thank you.
Thanks for the beautiful video and photos. Spectacular! Anyone want to take me there? this is an awesome place with interesting history.
Marvin……If you have nothing nice to say etc!!!!!!! If you like the Grand Canyon that much then bugger off back there and leave all of us to appreciate Petra together