Petra; Jordan

Petra; Jordan

Petra is the treasure of ancient world, hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, boasting incomparable scenes that make it the most majestic and imposing ancient site still-standing nowadays.. It has been said "perhaps there is nothing in the world that resembles it", actually, for sure, there is nothing in the world that resembles it. The rock-carved rose-red city of Petra is full of mysterious charm, it was "designed to strike wonder into all who entered it".

Petra is considered the most famous and gorgeous site in Jordan located about 262 km south of Amman and 133 km north of Aqaba. It is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, Petra is now a UNESCO world heritage site and one of The New 7 Wonders of the World that enchants visitors from all corners of the globe.
The approach through a kilometer long, cool, and gloom chasm (or Siq) a long narrow gorge whose steeply rising sides all but obliterate the sun, provides a dramatic contrast with the magic to come. Suddenly the gorge opens into a natural square dominated by Petra's most famous monument, The Treasury (El-Khazneh), whose intricately carved facade glows in the dazzling sun.

More facades beckon the visitor on until the ancient city gradually unfolds, one monument leading to the next for kilometer after kilometer. The sheer size of the city and the quality of beautifully carved facades is staggering and leads one to reflect on the creativity and industry of the Nabataeans who made Petra their capital.
Petra is always breathtaking, and never to be forgotten. It flourished for over 400 years around the time of Rome and Christ (pbuh), until it was occupied by the Roman legions of the Emperor Trajan in 106 AD.

The Petra basin boasts over 800 individual monuments, including buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, and colonnaded streets, that were mostly carved from the kaleidoscopic sandstone by the technical and artistic genius of its inhabitants.
Petra sights are at their best in early morning and late afternoon, when the sun warms the multicolored stones, you can view the majesty of Petra as it was seen first when discovered in 1812 after being lost by the 16th century for almost 300 years!

The Discovery of Petra

Petra the "rose-red city" of the ancient Nabataean civilization is situated in the south of Jordan. It lies to the east of Wadi Araba, a part of the Great Rift Valley, approximately 133 kilometers as the crow flies from the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba.
Hidden away amidst the folds of spectacular hills, this unique site was lost to Europeans until it was rediscovered in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. After spending several years learning Arabic and studying the tenets of Islam, Burckhardt, who passed himself off as a Muslim from India, set out on his journey under the auspices of the London-based "Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior parts of Africa".
En route to Cairo, through the area of what is now Jordan, his fluent Arabic enabled him to understand stories of a wondrous ancient city hidden away amongst impenetrable mountains. However, he needed a plausible excuse to gain access to the city without arousing any suspicion as to his real intentions. By claiming he wished to make a sacrifice at the tomb of the Prophet Aaron (pbuh), which was nearby, he gained entry to the forgotten city of Petra.
One can imagine the impression the ruins made upon him, for he was fully able to appreciate the importance of his discovery and correctly identify the city as ancient Petra. In spite of the fact that he was obliged to conceal his interest and excitement from his guides, Burckhardt recorded what he had seen, and his account, published in 1822 was to excite great interest in Europe and inspire a long line of travelers to visit the site.
Today, the dangers of such an expedition have disappeared and the visitor is able to explore the city in comfort. One can share the excitement Burckhardt would have felt on his first visit in 1812 as one enters the narrow gorge of Al-Siq - the secret entrance to Petra. After winding down this great natural cleft for over a kilometer, the sudden impact of the view of the Treasury is as strong every time.
This unique site never fails to enchant visitors; the setting of the monumental Nabataean remains against a background of rugged mountain scenery is spectacular and its colors, equally thrilling.
Petra, once described by a poet as a "rose-red city" is in fact dusky pink, broken at times by swirls of yellow, mauve, gray and white. No two colors remain the same, for the colors constantly change according to the time of day and the quality of the light. The rock is further set off by the bright green and pink of oleanders or the orange of cactus flowers.