Hidden behind an impenetrable barrier of sandstone mountains, 262 km of Amman, the capital of Jordan, Petra is one of the most beautiful ancient sites that is still in existence, in the entire world.

Petra Monastery

What makes Petra unique and the main reason it was added to the New Seven Wonders of the World list, is its rock-cut architecture. There are over 800 monuments carved into kaleidoscopic rock, including temples, monasteries, tombs, funeral halls, colonnaded streets and baths, all featuring intricate facades. The layers of rock differs in color, from orange to cream and from red to dark-brown and they add to the beauty of Petra.

Petra Treasury

No one really when knows when the history of Petra began and there are yet no means to determine when this ancient wonder was founded. The name Petra means rock in Greek but it is not the original name of the settlement. It was known as Rekem in ancient times and controlled the many commercial routes that linked it to cities like Gaza, Damascus, Bosra and Aqaba. The rock-carved city was created by the Nabataeans, an evolved Arabic people that settled in the southern part of Jordan more than 2000 years ago. Their technical and artistic genius can be observed in the architectural legacy they left for posterity, but they were also great traders and they managed to raise the city’s population to 30,000, a great number for those times.

Petra buildings

The flourishing era of Petra ended when the Romans, led by Pompey, arrived in the area and started exercising their influence. They attacked the Nabataean Kingdom which was part of the Roman province Arabia and greatly influenced the local culture and way of life. The rock-carved amphitheater able to accommodate 8,000 people is a clear mark of Roman influence. Eventually the power-hungry Romans took control of the precious trade routes and diverted them away from Petra, a move that started its decline.

Petra Tombs

After Petra slowly lost its wealth and power, it became lost to the western world until 1812, when Johan Ludwig Burckhardt, a Swiss student fluent in Arabic, that pretended to be an Indian Muslim, learned of a wondrous ancient city hidden among the mountains. He traveled through the harsh terrain and claimed he wanted to place a sacrifice at the tomb of the prophet Aaron. He recorded what he had seen and published his findings, raising great interest on an international level. Petra had been rediscovered.

Petra amphitheatre

By far Jordan’s most important tourist attraction, the rock-carved city of Petra gathers tourists from all over the world, but experts say it would draw even larger crowds if not for the political instability in the area and travel safety issues.

Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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