Ancient petra jordan. City of Petra. Treasure of Jordan. How to get to Petra

Ancient city of Petra. Treasure of Jordan

The ancient city of Petra is rightfully considered the main attraction of Jordan, which made this eastern country famous throughout the globe, and one of the 7 new wonders of the world!

Maybe someone remembers the old film about Indiana Jones, in which he was looking for the Grail - there was a huge temple carved into the rock =) It turns out that this was not scenery, but such a miracle really exists - in Petra!

The ancient Nabatean city was founded in these rocks about 4 thousand years ago (according to other sources - 2 millennia), back in the era of the Edomites - then a small but well-defended fortress was built in the rocks. Later, these lands came into the possession of the Nabatean kingdom, which was just at that time experiencing its heyday. Petra, which served as the capital of the kingdom, gradually acquired enormous influence and unprecedented popularity. The emergence of a city in such an inaccessible place became possible thanks to the ability of the Nabateans to control the flow of water, because in essence Petra is nothing more than an artificial oasis! Flash floods are common in this area, and the Nabataeans successfully controlled them using dams, cisterns and aqueducts, which allowed them not only to survive long periods of drought, but also to successfully trade water

In addition to the fact that the Nabataeans knew how to skillfully collect water, they also learned how to skillfully process stone. The name “Petra” literally translates as “Rock”, and it is not surprising - after all, the entire ancient city consists entirely of stone!

However, the Nabatean kingdom fell under the onslaught of the Roman emperor Trajan, and then the Roman Empire itself disappeared into oblivion... Since the 16th century AD, only the wind has “walked” here, and then infrequently. This pearl among the rocks was forgotten for more than 2 centuries - until the moment in 1812, the Swiss traveler-adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt decided to find in these lands a lost city, about which there were many legends, but which, despite this, no one never saw. As a result, the Swiss finally found the legendary lost city, carefully protected by sands and rocks!

All the buildings of Petra were built mainly in three periods: under the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), the Nabataeans (II century BC - 106 BC) and the Romans (106-395 AD). .). In the 12th century, the ancient city was ruled by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. Monuments built here after the 6th century AD have practically not reached us. Therefore, the appearance of Petra, which is revealed to the eyes of tourists today, is the ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom

An interesting fact is that the territory of Petra is currently only 15% studied, so it is possible that soon the mysteries of the ancient city may amaze the whole world! Now imagine that this 15% is about 800 (!) different historical sites on the territory of Petra!

Because of such a huge number of centuries-old attractions, even tickets here are sold for a three-day period - after all, in a day you can only briefly examine all the currently known “treasures” of Petra, but to get acquainted in detail with all its architectural elements, not even a month is enough!

Petra makes an impression on all tourists who come here - even the most sophisticated ones, and I think this is connected to a greater extent not so much with the ancient city itself, but with the road that leads to it - after all, the city is “hidden” in the very center of the rock! In order to get to Petra, you need to go down into a deep gorge called “Sik” (“Mine”), formed as a result of a prehistoric shift of the earth’s crust, and walk for quite a long time along a narrow path (in some places only 3-4 meters wide) on at its bottom, between steep 80-meter cliffs, on which here and there there are ancient inscriptions carved in stone and even entire niches carved into the limestone for rest. At some point, it begins to seem that you will have to walk along this gorge forever, but suddenly it ends abruptly and the enormous Treasury of Pharaoh (the Arabic name is El-Khazneh, from which the word “Treasury” later came) opens to your eyes - one of the most famous monuments of ancient Petra, in front of which the ant-people froze in surprise...

Gradually, the state of numbness recedes and is replaced by surprise and disbelief that such a huge thing can be carved into the rock. The purpose of Al-Khazneh, carved into the rock around the 2nd century AD, is still unclear, but many historians and archaeologists believe that it was originally a temple to the goddess Isis

In any case, the Treasury is an example of the greatest skill of ancient architects. After all, even today such a structure would be very difficult to create, not to mention how accurate the calculations must be and how it was hollowed out of stone in the first place, if there is not a single tree for scaffolding around for hundreds of kilometers!

It is also surprising that after thousands of years, the facade of the Treasury turned out to be practically untouched - see for yourself!

Monument to the Pyramids at the entrance to the Siq gorge

Before entering Petra, you can purchase a detailed map of the city and decide for yourself whether to wander through the most mysterious nooks and crannies in splendid isolation or hire a guide.

Map of the ancient city

The map shows: 1 - Entrance; 2 - Al-Wuheira; 3 - Beginning of the Siq gorge; 4 — “Treasury of the Pharaohs”; 5 - Place of sacrifices; 6 - Theater; 7 – Urn Tomb or “Cathedral”; 8 - Tomb of Sextus Florentinus; 9 — “Nymphaeum”; 10 - Church; 11 – Temple of Winged Lions; 12 - Great Temple; 13 – Temple of Uzza; 14 - Archaeological Museum; 15 - Lion Triclinium (Roman dining room); 16 – El Deir Monastery

The ancient city stretches for several kilometers. The main street is laid from east to west, decorated on the sides with a colonnade. At its eastern end there is a three-span triumphal arch, and at the western end there is a large temple

Early necropolis of the Nabateans

One of the main architectural elements of Petra, along with the Treasury, is an ancient theater for 6000 spectators, entirely carved out of the rock and located so that from there one can see the most important tombs, including the “Cathedral”, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb, the Urn Tomb and Silk Tomb

The theater was built in Petra at the beginning of the 1st century AD, almost at the same time with the majestic bulk of the El Deir monastery carved into the rock at the top of the cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high, which, judging by the carvings on the walls crosses, for some time served as a Christian church. It may seem familiar to many - most likely this is due to the fact that one of the scenes of the second Transformers film was filmed here =)

Maybe it’s more recognizable this way)

From the slope next to El Deir you can see Mount Jebel Harun with a white mosque on top - this relatively small and modestly decorated tomb of Aaron, the brother of Moses, was erected in the 13th century by the Mamluk Sultan. According to Arab legends, this is exactly the place where Moses hit the stone with his staff and water flowed from it.

To the right of the Theater is the entrance to the “Cathedral”. The inscription indicates that Bishop Jason converted the Doric Tomb into a Eucharistic Hall. The same inscription dates this transformation to 447 AD

Plan of the Church of Papyrus in the western part of the city

1 - Atrium; 2 - Baptistery; 3 - Basilica; 4 - Department; 5 - Altar; 6 - Papyrus's room

View of the church from the altar

In the 90s during excavations. carried out by the American Center for Oriental Research, a vast building was discovered, decorated with beautiful mosaics. A number of administrative records written on papyrus and dating back to the sixth century AD were also discovered. The papyri are part of a private archive including contracts, leases, exchanges, wills, and various kinds of agreements. In the photo there is a medallion with an image of Neptune

The floors of the nave and chancel are made of multi-colored marble tiles. Both passages are decorated with mosaics. The mosaic style belongs to the Gaza School, which is very different from the school of the Madaba School, mosaic examples of which were found in previous days. The photo shows the atrium of the church. The basilica was divided into three parts by two rows of columns

The Baptistery is located in a room adjacent to the atrium of the Church

Interior of the Temple of the Winged Lions

A Roman inscription from 114 AD on this monumental gate praises Emperor Trajan. The gate leads to the large courtyard of the Temple of Uzza (Qazr al-Bint)

Inner courtyard of the Great Temple of Petra. The floor is made of hexagonal marble slabs

Panoramic view of Qazr al-Bint and Umm al-Biyara peak. The Temple of Uzza was built at the beginning of the 2nd century AD

Arch in the facade of Qazr al-Bint

The Lion Triclinium got its name thanks to the lions “guarding” the entrance

It is also worth paying attention to the monumental tombstone structure in the Roman style, which received the simple name of the Tombstone Palace. Another interesting place is the Archaeological Museum of Petra, which contains the shadow of the history of the development, formation and decline of these lands. In the photo there are a couple of exhibits from the museum - a fragment of a capital carved in the shape of an elephant found in the Great Temple, and the head of an eagle

And this is one of the reddish rocks with many shades, because of which Petra was often called the “Red City” or “City of Roses”

On December 6, 1985, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - the ancient city was called “one of the most precious elements of the cultural heritage of mankind,” and on July 7, 2007, Petra was named among the “Seven New Wonders of the World.”

The Arab Middle Eastern state of Jordan is small in area and does not have its own natural resources, so it largely depends on the help of other countries, in particular the United States. The country lies on the coast of the Dead Sea, which it shares with Israel and Palestine, and partly on the coast of the Gulf of Aqqaba. Not far from the capital of Jordan, Amman, stands the ancient rock city of Petra, recognized as one of the seven wonders of the world. Petra, carved into the pink rock, is a priceless treasure that glorified the Kingdom of Jordan throughout the planet. UNESCO included Petra in the list of masterpieces of world human heritage.

The city where Moses drew water from the rock

Pink Petra delights with its rare color - the color of the rock, from the stone flesh of which buildings and tombs are skillfully carved. To preserve the unique attraction, the entire infrastructure is not located in Petra, but at the entrance, in the village of Wadi Musa, which spoils the anticipation of meeting the beautiful with its shops, markets and hotels.

Petra was created by the ancient Arab tribe of the Nabataeans, who inhabited Jordan two thousand years ago. From inaccessible cliffs, warlike aborigines controlled, for a small fee, trade caravans traveling along the ancient Arabian “road of incense” and protected them from raids. Slow processions with expensive fabrics and rare spices, skins of wild animals, gold and precious ivory continuously flowed from India and Arabia to the west. Using the proceeds, the Nabateans tirelessly improved their Petra. In those centuries, it was a highly developed technological city with dams and canals, an absolute masterpiece of architecture.

The Temple of Petra in Jordan is even mentioned in the Bible - it was here that Moses extracted water from the rock and, with his staff, made a road through the Siq gorge, where tourists now go to see the city.

Road to Petra

A rocky road, carved near the Siq gorge, leads to the ancient settlement and is more than a kilometer long. The path is laid along a strange, anomalous-looking plateau consisting of sandstone of different shades. On both sides there are 80-meter cliffs. The shrine is located at an altitude of 660 m above the Arava Valley, and you can approach it only by passing through the gorge, which is an adventure in itself, full of anticipation. The view of magnificent Petra at the end of a dark passage leaves travelers speechless. Rocks of pinkish shades and a majestic necropolis are ingenious creations created by nature and an ancient tribe.

The Arabs are making money from their shrine with all their might, every step is paid. Entrance to the Siq gorge also costs money, and if you haven’t enjoyed Petra in a day, you’ll have to pay again the next day. Enterprising locals offer live transport for passage through the corridor - horses, mules, donkeys and even camels. Until recently, the fee for the opportunity to see the seventh wonder of the world, Petra, was 20 euros. But it is much more interesting to travel the entire kilometer-long journey on foot, lagging behind the group - the traveler finds himself in a fantasy world. Overhanging blocks of sandstone, a path, sometimes extremely narrow, sometimes unexpectedly wide, like an avenue. And only high above your head you can barely see the blue sky between the almost closed stones. In ancient times, Petra was unapproachable, because the Nabataeans hid their city well. Below you can see how Petra is located on the map.

Treasures of the ancient city

Unfortunately, not all of Petra has been preserved; many sights and masterpieces have not reached us, especially free-standing buildings. But the Treasury and the High Altar, carved into the rock, still look beautiful today.

Treasury

Each traveler, approaching Petra along a winding corridor cut into the rock, experiences a cultural shock from the unexpectedly opened city, pink, glowing from within. It is impossible to forget this. The ancient capital is forever shackled by a rock, from whose shackles it seems to be trying to free itself. And the first thing that the tourist, numb with amazement, looks at is the “Treasury” monument. Its facade, famous throughout the world thanks to the Indiana Jones film, rose into the brilliant blue of the Jordanian sky.

The portico of the Treasury is crowned with a 4-meter urn; according to legend, the jewels of the pharaohs are hidden in it. The urn is dotted with bullet marks; in previous centuries barbarians tried to get what was hidden in it from human eyes. Modern scholars have approximated the age of the building and determined that it was carved during the reign of Aretas IV, who died in 40 AD. The architectural style of the Treasury can be described as a kind of fusion, since it combines Corinthian, Egyptian and Alexandrian motifs. Historians are inclined to believe that foreign workers, possibly slaves, and not just Nabataeans, were involved in the construction. In contrast to the elaborate facade with its snakes, dancing Amazons and sphinxes, the inside of the building is completely empty and ascetic.

Tombs of Petra

But the Treasury is only one of the amazing wonders of ancient Petra. Upon approaching the city, travelers will see many magnificent tombs, 107 to be exact, which are carved directly into the rocks and intricately decorated with exquisite carvings. Tombs are designed to protect the deceased in their afterlife. Inside some of them there were benches preserved; apparently, people ate and even slept in them.

Amphitheater and High Altar

The Roman Amphitheater is another majestic landmark of Petra. It accommodated 3,000 Nabateans and its arena is well preserved. The ancient city of Petra in Jordan is full of shrines. One of them is located 200 m from the Treasury. This is the high Altar, the sacred place of the Nabataeans. Here, on a high rock, an altar was built, and grooves were cut on the sides to drain the blood of animals sacrificed to the gods. The picture below shows a long staircase along which the priests led doomed animals to the altar.

Practical information

Petra is open to visitors all daylight hours, although officially it is from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The most comfortable months for the tour are from March to May and from September to November, since it is very hot and dusty in summer and cold in winter. If possible, it is better to choose a beautiful weekday for a meeting; on weekends and holidays there is crowds, 3,000 people a day are considered the norm. Mostly tourists come on a one-day excursion in an organized group. To fully enjoy Petra, you can stay for a couple of days in Wadi Musa, in one of the small hotels.

How to get to Petra

Pink Petra is located 260 km from the capital of Jordan – Amman. There are two highways leading to it: Royal (6 hours drive) and Desert (3.5 hours drive). You can take an organized tour on the Jetta bus, which leaves Amman at 6 am and arrives back at 3:30 pm. The price of the excursion includes lunch in Petra, other expenses are at the expense of the tourist.

How to prepare for your trip

Jordan is a very hot country, where desert winds almost always blow, carrying sand, so the correct selection of clothing and especially shoes is extremely important:

to protect from the aggressive sun, it would be wise to wear a thin T-shirt with sleeves and long pants;
you will have to walk a lot on hot stones and various unevenness of the mountain, so put on high socks on your feet that will protect your ankle from impacts on sharp stones, and light, breathable sneakers with a special thickened sole;
Be sure to take a small backpack with you, in which you put a bottle of water and sunburn cream with a high degree of ultraviolet protection;
to reinforce your strength during the hike, buy light but nutritious food - nuts, energy bars, fruits;
change money and change will also come in handy.

You can go to the meeting, Petra is waiting for you, the city map will help you navigate the area.

Video about the rock city of Petra

In this short article, beautiful Petra will appear before you, a brief description of its main shrines and a little history. We will be glad if you, dear reader, share your impressions of visiting the capital of the ancient Nabatean people in Jordan, because real reviews from tourists are priceless. They say that Petra is the city of the dead. But it has been living for many centuries, sheltered from centuries-old dust by the reliable protection of the pink rock.

The ancient city of Petra is rightfully considered the main attraction of Jordan, which made this eastern country famous throughout the globe, and one of the 7 new wonders of the world! In this article, you will learn in detail why this place is so popular with hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting Jordan every year.

Maybe someone remembers the old film about Indiana Jones, in which he was looking for the Grail - there was a huge temple carved into the rock =) It turns out that it was not scenery, but such a miracle really exists - in Petra!

Ancient Nabataean city Petra was founded in these rocks about 4 thousand years ago (according to other sources - 2 millennia), back in the era of the Edomites - then a small but well-defended fortress was built in the rocks. Later, these lands came into the possession of the Nabatean kingdom, which was just at that time experiencing its heyday. Petra, which served as the capital of the kingdom, gradually acquired enormous influence and unprecedented popularity. The emergence of a city in such an inaccessible place became possible thanks to the ability of the Nabateans to control the flow of water, because in essence Petra is nothing more than an artificial oasis! Flash floods are common in this area, and the Nabataeans successfully controlled them using dams, cisterns and aqueducts, which allowed them not only to survive long periods of drought, but also to successfully trade water

In addition to the fact that the Nabateans knew how to skillfully collect water, they also learned how to skillfully process stone. The name “Petra” literally translates as “Rock”, and it is not surprising - after all, the entire ancient city consists entirely of stone!

Petra makes an impression on all tourists who come here - even the most sophisticated ones, and I think this is connected to a greater extent not so much with the ancient city itself, but with the road that leads to it - after all, the city is “hidden” in the very center of the rock! In order to get to Petra, you need to go down into a deep gorge called “Sik” (“Mine”), formed as a result of a prehistoric shift of the earth’s crust, and walk for a long time along a narrow path (in some places only 3-4 meters wide) on at its bottom, between steep 80-meter cliffs, on which here and there there are ancient inscriptions carved in stone and even entire niches carved into the limestone for rest. At some point, it begins to seem that you will have to walk along this gorge forever, but suddenly it ends abruptly and the enormous Treasury of Pharaoh (the Arabic name is El-Khazneh, from which the word “Treasury” later came) opens to your eyes - one of the most famous monuments of ancient Petra, in front of which the ant-people froze in surprise...

It is also surprising that after thousands of years, the facade of the Treasury turned out to be practically untouched - see for yourself!

Monument to the Pyramids at the entrance to the Siq gorge

Before entering Petra, you can purchase a detailed map of the city and decide for yourself whether to wander through the most mysterious nooks and crannies in splendid isolation or hire a guide

Map of the ancient city

The map shows: 1 - Entrance; 2 - Al-Wuheira; 3 - Beginning of the Siq gorge; 4 - “Treasury of the Pharaohs”; 5 - Place of sacrifices; 6 - Theater; 7 - Urn Tomb or “Cathedral”; 8 - Tomb of Sextus Florentinus; 9 - “Nympheum”; 10 - Church; 11 - Temple of Winged Lions; 12 - Great Temple; 13 - Temple of Uzza; 14 - Archaeological Museum; 15 - Lion Triclinium (Roman dining room); 16 - El Deir Monastery

Early necropolis of the Nabateans

Maybe it’s more recognizable this way)

From the slope next to El Deir you can see Mount Jebel Harun with a white mosque on top - this relatively small and modestly decorated tomb of Aaron, the brother of Moses, was erected in the 13th century by the Mamluk Sultan. According to Arabic legends, Petra- exactly the place where Moses struck the stone with his staff and water flowed from it

Plan of the Church of Papyrus in the western part of the city

1 - Atrium; 2 - Baptistery; 3 - Basilica; 4 - Department; 5 - Altar; 6 - Papyrus's Room

View of the church from the altar

The Baptistery is located in a room adjacent to the atrium of the Church

Interior of the Temple of the Winged Lions

A Roman inscription from 114 AD on this monumental gate praises Emperor Trajan. The gate leads to the large courtyard of the Temple of Uzza (Qazr al-Bint)

Inner courtyard of the Great Temple of Petra. The floor is made of hexagonal marble slabs

Panoramic view of Qazr al-Bint and Umm al-Biyara peak. The Temple of Uzza was built at the beginning of the 2nd century AD

Arch in the facade of Qazr al-Bint

The Lion Triclinium got its name thanks to the lions “guarding” the entrance

It is also worth paying attention to the monumental tombstone structure in the Roman style, which received the simple name of the Tombstone Palace. Another interesting place is the Archaeological Museum of Petra, which contains the shadow of the history of the development, formation and decline of these lands. In the photo there are a couple of exhibits from the museum - a fragment of a capital sculptured in the shape of an elephant found in the Great Temple, and the head of an eagle

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A mysterious and unusual rock city, about which the sages of antiquity found time to write, and which was even mentioned in the Bible. It was here that Moses extracted water from the rock, and the local river is still called Wadi Musa, which means “river of Moses.” We are talking about the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. Let's take a closer look at this attraction, included in the list of new wonders of the world.

History of the city of Petra in Jordan

Petra is located in a rocky area on the road to the resort of Aqaba from the Dead Sea. In the old days, the route of the “road of incense” ran here. Later, with the formation of the state of Edom, the biblical enemy of Israel, the first settlement appeared here. In the local language it was called Sela, which means stone. Later, the Greeks translated “stone” into “Petra”, and in this form the name of the city has survived to this day.

On the border of the 4th -3rd millennium BC, the Nabatean Arab nomads decided to settle in this area, who built their capital, the city of Petra, in a remote place. It was indeed difficult to get into the city, since there was only one entrance through a narrow gorge. Even the famous Roman generals who decided to conquer the Nabateans had to lift the siege due to constant failures. But still, from the 1st century AD, the Nabataeans voluntarily joined the Roman Empire, which generally had a positive effect on the development of the city.

Due to the rocky location of the city, the inhabitants of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan had to contrive to erect residential and other buildings. These ancient craftsmen could build them right in the rock, while in decoration and architecture they were not inferior to the great Greek and Roman architects. The earthquake that occurred in 363 severely damaged Petra, the inhabitants left this city, and only nomads became its inhabitants.

The laurels of the discovery of the forgotten ancient Nabatean capital belong to Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Pretending to be a merchant, in 1812 he learns from local Bedouins that the legendary ancient city of Petra exists and is located nearby. Later, accompanied by a guide, he finally reaches the Wadi Musa valley and finds the Nabataean ruins of Petra in Jordan.

City of Petra. Short description

The road to the rock city of Petra begins with a narrow gorge, along which rocks rise hundreds of meters on both sides. The movement takes place in the dark, the sun cannot get here. Then it gradually begins to get lighter, and niches for statues carved into the rock become noticeable.

Entrance to Petra

At the exit from the tunnel, the sun hits unaccustomed eyes with a bright light, and a huge and beautiful building appears before them. The building is called El Khazneh or the Pharaoh's Treasury. This temple and mausoleum was probably built here in the 2nd century AD. The exact purpose of the building is now difficult to establish, and researchers have many guesses on this matter, so all that remains is to enjoy its beauty and the skill of the ancient stonemasons.

Al Khazneh

It remains a mystery how the builders carved out the building in the temple. Typically, in such cases, scaffolding needs to be erected, but there were no trees in the area. All that remained was to use the ruins in the rock to climb up and start working from there. At the same time, it is unknown how the workers managed to work at high altitudes “on weight”; it is also unknown how they assessed the size and scale of the future construction.

Behind this mausoleum, the tunnel widens, and viewers are presented with a view of the old city in the rock with many ordinary stone houses, markets, administrative and entertainment establishments. There are also traces of Roman influence - a street runs through the city, decorated with a traditional colonnade.

Petra Street with Colonnade

But here, too, the facades of buildings can be seen in the red-pink rocks. For example, Ed-Deir is a huge monastery located on the top of a cliff. The walls of this monumental structure, 50 meters high and wide, have cutouts of crosses. Probably in the past the monastery housed a Christian church.

Ed-Deir

Not far from here you can see another famous building - a three-story Roman palace called the Palace Tomb. Nearby there is another building that stands out from the general background - the Urn Tomb.

Palace tomb

Of course, not all rock structures were created for important rituals. Ordinary living quarters and even burial grounds were also built here. On the contrary, among the buildings on the land, not all were classified as economic. So among them stands out the temple of Qasr el-Bint, dating back to the 1st century BC, erected in honor of the Arab goddess Al-Uzza - the Great Mother Goddess.

Qasr el-Bint

In total, several hundred rock chambers have been preserved in stone Petra. Their facades reflect the entire history of the city's construction - from the roughest to the most skillfully made with borrowed ancient construction traditions.

In any case, the buildings of Petra by the Nabataean masters are distinguished by their originality, but it is also worth remembering that before their great construction the Nabataeans were just nomads. Currently, this place attracts thousands of tourists who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of ancient rock architecture and witness great works of art.

Today I will tell you about the main attraction of Jordan - the ancient city of Petra. It is located in the territory of modern Jordan, at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level and 660 m above the surrounding area, the Arava Valley, in the narrow Siq canyon. The passage to the valley is through gorges located in the north and south, while from the east and west the rocks drop vertically, forming natural walls up to 60 m in height. In 2007, Petra was chosen as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Petra was located at the crossroads of two important trade routes: one connecting the Red Sea with Damascus, the other connecting the Persian Gulf with Gaza off the Mediterranean coast. Caravans departing from the Persian Gulf, loaded with precious spices, had to courageously endure the harsh conditions of the Arabian desert for weeks until they reached the coolness of the narrow Siq canyon, leading to the long-awaited Petra. There travelers found food, shelter and cool, life-giving water.

For hundreds of years, trade brought great wealth to Petra. But when the Romans opened sea routes to the East, the land trade in spices came to naught and Petra gradually became empty, lost in the sands. Many buildings of Petra were erected in different eras and under different owners of the city, including the Edomites (18-2 centuries BC), Nabataeans (2nd century BC - 106 AD), Romans (106-395 AD), Byzantines and Arabs. In the 12th century AD e. it was owned by the crusaders.

The first of the modern Europeans to see and describe Petra was the Swiss Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who was traveling incognito. Next to the ancient theater you can see a building from the Edomite or Nabataean era. Monuments built after the 6th century AD. e. practically not, because in that era the city had already lost its significance.

01. Now Petra is visited annually by about half a million tourists. Admission for a day is approximately 55 euros, for 60 euros you can buy a ticket for 2 days. View of the road to Petra.

02. The gorge begins from here. There is a main road - flat, quite wide, almost all tourists get to Petra along it. But you can turn off and take the unimproved road. To do this, turn right at the post into the tunnel. Walking there is quite difficult, but you can feel like you are in the shoes of the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who discovered Petra in 1812.

03. a few more videos from above.

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05. This is what the main road looks like. Before entering, they will actively push you to get a horse to get to the city, don’t agree, the road there is very easy. But you can return back by cart. This pleasure costs 20 euros, you cannot bargain, since the tariff is official.

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09. Using terracotta pipes, the architects of Petra created a complex water supply system and despite the arid climate, the city's residents never needed water. There were about 200 reservoirs throughout the city that collected and stored rainwater. In addition to connecting the reservoirs, terracotta pipes collected water from all sources within a radius of 25 kilometers. Annual rainfall in Petra is only about 15 centimeters. To conserve water, local residents carved canals and reservoirs directly into the rocks.

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11. As tourists walk through the cool kilometer-long Siq canyon, around the bend they discover the Treasury - a majestic building with a facade carved from a huge rock. It is one of the best preserved structures from the first century.

12. The building is crowned by a huge urn made of stone, in which gold and precious stones were supposedly kept - hence the name “Treasury”. The official name of this structure is El Khazneh. The architects planned the construction of this temple in the former river bed. For its construction, the river bed was changed, a grandiose project for that time. A tunnel was cut into the rock to divert the flow of water and a series of dams were built.

13. According to the popular etymological version, the word “Treasury” subsequently came from the word “El-Khazneh”. In fact, there is no direct connection between these words. El-Khazneh literally means "storehouse" from khazan - to store, store. The Russian word “treasury” goes back to the same Arabic word, but was directly borrowed in the 12th-14th centuries from the Polovtsian language. Famous cat.

14. A few more photos of local cats, but I don’t like them so much)))

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18. The canyon gradually expands, and tourists find themselves in a natural amphitheater, in the sandstone walls of which there are many caves. But the main thing that catches your eye is the crypts carved into the rocks. The colonnade and amphitheater testify to the presence of the Romans in the city in the first and second centuries.

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20. The name itself is “Petra”, which means “rock”. And Petra, indeed, was a city of stone; there was no such thing in the Roman Empire. The Nabateans, who built the city, patiently carved houses, crypts and temples from stone blocks. Petra is nestled among red sandstones that lend themselves well to building, and by the first century AD a monumental city had grown up in the heart of the desert.

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30. The final point of the route is the Ed-Deir monastery. To get to it you need to climb the mountain for quite a long time, but you can take a donkey for 5 euros and walk back down.

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38. Ed-Deir, a monastery carved into the rock at the top of a cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high. Judging by the crosses carved on the walls, the temple served as a Christian church for some time.

39. Not far from the monastery there are observation platforms where you can admire the view of the valley.

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42. All the viewpoints have been taken over by Bedouins who will extort money from you.

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45. Be prepared for a lot of small extortionists and souvenir sellers. There is not much to buy there; prices in Petra are approximately 2 times higher.

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49. Some tourists try to save money and enter the mountain trails without a ticket. For them, guards were posted at the far approaches to check tickets and chase away violators.

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54. And this is what an alternative gorge looks like, along which you can get to Petra. It’s very beautiful, although the walk takes much longer, but it’s worth it.

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58. The entrance to Petra is open from 6 am to 5 pm. Sometimes the city opens at night, you need to buy an additional ticket. The entire road to the Treasury is decorated with paper lanterns.

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60. A small performance takes place in the square near the Treasury itself.

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64. View of Petra from the neighboring mountain.