Described as a “rose-red city, half as old as time,” Petra, Jordan – tucked in the mountains south of the Dead Sea – was the capital of the Nabataean Empire of King Eretas IV, who reigned from 9 BC to 40 AD. Considered to be the most spectacular ancient city remaining in the modern world, Petra was missing from maps for more than a millennia, finally rediscovered in 1812 by a Swiss traveler. He quickly told the world about Petra. The old city’s amazingly preserved structures and the evidence of engineering marvels located throughout this rose-red city has recently earned it a spot on the list of the New 7 Wonders of the World and brought it to the attention of many who never even knew it existed. Petra was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
Believed to have been settled around the 6th century, Petra is decidedly one of the oldest settlements in the Middle East, located about four hours from modern-day Amman. It was settled by the Nabataean Arabs, a nomadic tribe whose empire eventually extended into Syria. One enters the amazing city of Petra through an area known as the Siq, a twisting and turning high-walled valley sometimes no more than about 16 feet in width. The trip can be tiring and a little daunting, but the prize at the end is worth the trouble. Petra was surrounded by sandstone hills, which served to protect the city from scores of potential invaders. The texture of this semi-arid sandstone allowed it to be easily carved, and the Nabataeans fashioned it into magnificent temples and tombs in colors ranging from white and pale yellow to deep reds and browns. Most of all, however, the Nabataean people were, by all accounts, masters of water technology. They were able to construct tunnels and water chambers that carried drinking water into the desert city and were able to control flash flooding in this area, which was prone to such natural disasters. Evidence shows that there was also a great theater at Petra, which held 4,000 spectators. Other buildings include the Palace Tombs, the “Treasury” (al-Khazneh) – supposedly the place where pirates hid their treasures, and a monastery. A black rectangular stone marks the spot where Dushara, the main god of Petra was worshipped. Other worship sites have been cited as well.
When Petra was rediscovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812, who disguised himself as a Muslim to gain entrance to the city, the whole world wanted to see it. However, in the beginning, visitors weren’t always welcome. Today, however, Jordan views Petra not only as a national treasure but also as a tourist boon. Recently, a Visitor Center was constructed at the site and visits to Petra are showing up on more and more itineraries. However, the political instability of the area has kept the number of visitors to less than might be expected for such a marvel of engineering.
