How Petra was built in Jordan. petra jordan ancient temple history. Who built Petra and why

July 7, 2007 legendary cave city Petra in Jordan, along with the Colosseum and the Great Wall of China, was included in the list of "new wonders of the world." Ancient city really worthy of your visit, therefore we are ready to tell you what it is important not to miss during a tour of Petra.

The history of the city of Petra in Jordan

Petra got its name from the Semitic word for "rock", since all the religious buildings of the city were carved from solid red sandstone rocks. Facades were carved from top to bottom, for which special stone steps were arranged on the sides of them. It is interesting that any error in the calculations excluded the possibility of correcting something: if the master turned the column thinner than necessary, there was no way to replace it. In addition, the craftsmen actually worked as climbers. For example, in the construction of any European facade, scaffolding was used in 100% of cases. Here, there were no forests for hundreds of kilometers. Builders, like sculptors and rock climbers, patiently carved the facades of the canopy.

Unusual coloring of red sandstone rocks

It is believed that the city was founded by the Edomites - the distant descendants of Lot, the very one who fled from God's wrath from Sodom and Gomorrah. As is known from the Old Testament history, his daughters, realizing that the entire male population had died, and worrying about the continuation of the family, decided to get their father drunk and, as the Old Testament diplomatically states, “lay down with him.”

In terms of building time, the city as a whole is not homogeneous. Here you can see buildings of the Naboteans from the 18th century. BC, and more "later" buildings of the Romans - some I-II centuries. already AD. It is known that Petra was at the crossroads of two trade routes. One of them went from south to north and connected the coast of the Red Sea with Damascus, the other - from east to west and connected the Persian Gulf with Gaza, which at that time was occupied, presumably, by the Phoenicians. The paths crossed in the Petra region, from which the city only grew richer every year. But with the opening of the sea route to the East by the Romans, everything ended. The city and the city treasury were empty, the buildings fell into disrepair, and then completely lost.

Desert ships

Interestingly, during the Israeli War of Independence, the song "Red Rock" was popular among the people, and young Israeli soldiers considered it a daring ride to go to Petra and back. Daring in most cases ended in death, but those that returned alive gained almost eternal “glory”. The management, of course, was extremely dissatisfied with such antics and categorically did not encourage the song.

Excursion to Petra

You can easily get to Petra on your own. Most convenient way- automobile. To rent a car and drive it yourself or to surrender to the driver is an ambiguous question. On the one hand, if you are driving, then you are responsible for safe driving. On the other hand, probably only local drivers have built-in sensors that allow them to quickly respond to emergency situations, of which there may be several at once for your trip.

Important! If you are in Jordan for more than one day, then the ticket to Petra magically turns from 90 Jordanian dinars into 50. And do not forget to take a map at the entrance to the tourist center - it is calmer and clearer with it.

1. Genie Tanks

The first thing you will meet on your way is a few square stone blocks, which the Bedouins who lived here called "Jin Tanks", naively believing in the demonic origin of the stones. By the way, most of the modern names of Petra came to us from the Bedouins, who gave names to certain monuments to the best of their understanding.

Genie tanks

On the way to the gorge on your right there will be a "Bedouin high-way" - be careful - this road is for Bedouin carts boldly pretending to be chariots. They rush along it at an insane speed, often turning over and scaring tourists to death.

"Bedouin high-way" :)

Typical wagons with tourists in Petra

2. "Obelisk" and Triclinium Bar-As-Sik

Almost opposite the Genie Tanks is located mysterious building- "Obelisk" and triclinium Bar As-Sik. It consists of two levels: the upper one is an early Nabothean burial, marked by four obelisks, and the lower one is a triclinium or, in our case, a commemoration hall. In the Roman tradition, the triclinium consisted of a table and three benches surrounding it in the form of the letter "P". Food was served from the fourth side. This hall has suffered greatly in recent centuries from countless attempts to find the treasures of the Nabothians.

Obelisk Tomb

3. As-Sik Gorge

After walking another 400 meters, we will come to the ancient entrance to the As-Sik gorge. It is also the entrance to the Nabataean city of Petra. The length of the gorge is 1200m, and the bizarre natural coloring of the rocks is due local breed- red sandstone.

Siq Gorge

The play of sunlight gives an additional "zest" to the unusual color of the gorge

To the right of the entrance is a dam. She was built to unfold mountain river and save the city from the spring "floods". Entering the gorge, pay attention to the drain on the right side. The peculiarity of these places is that since ancient times the question of water has been like “to be or not to be”. At best, 15 cm of precipitation fell in these parts per year. But the Nabataeans were very inventive and created a whole drainage system, collecting rainwater within a radius of 25 km. Along the entire gorge on both sides road goes drain for fresh water. Whether this water was intended for animals, ablutions or was drinkable - now it is impossible to know.

Gutter in As-Sik gorge

4. Al-Khazneh

Or the "vault" was built by the Nabataeans in the 1st century BC. AD. The purpose of the complex is still unclear. There is an assumption that the temple was dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, whose bas-relief is barely preserved in the wall between the columns in the central part of the facade. The two-level facade is entirely carved from the rock. On both sides of it - steps - they were used by the ancient builders. The lower tier of the six-column Hellenistic façade is crowned by an atypical, as if divided into three parts, portico. In the piers between the columns were bas-reliefs of gods and goddesses. A round urn is visible at the top in the center. In the 19th century, the Bedouins, thinking that all the treasures of the temple were stored in it, tried to knock it down by shooting it with guns.

Treasury of Al-Khazneh in Petra

The temple became a global celebrity thanks to Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where the hero was looking for the holy grail. And that's why there are always a lot of tourists here. You have almost no chance of being photographed alone against the backdrop of Petra. But opposite the facade there is a small cafe, the benches of which you can adapt for a photo podium. This way you will get good pictures, and the crowds of tourists in the background will only add color, and will not spoil the frame with their curious pugs :)

The majestic facade of Al-Khazneh

5. Facade street

At the exit from the gorge, on the right side there will be the so-called "Street of facades" - these are the tombs of noble and wealthy Nabataeans. History has not left us any more significant details.

Street of facades

From the "street of facades" we will climb up to the royal tombs, we will reach the remains of the Byzantine church and through the "street of colonnades" and the ancient theater we will return again to the "street of facades".

6. Royal Tombs

The first on the way you will meet three tombs: the “urn tomb”, the “silk” tomb and the “Corinthian”. The "Tomb of the Urn" was supposedly created in the 70s AD, and in the middle of the 15th century. was converted into a Byzantine church.

Royal Tomb

The scale of construction in Petra is truly amazing!

By the way, if you deviate from the route and go out towards the ancient theater, which was clearly visible even from the “street of facades”, then you will have a stunning view of the gorge and the road. This is where the rare photographic ecstasy comes in. The main thing is that the sun does not let us down.

7. Palace Tomb

You and I go further and go to the Palace tomb. You will recognize it by its wide facade. It is believed that this facade resembled Roman palaces, hence the assumption that only royal or especially noble persons could be buried in such a grandiose building. That, however, is not confirmed by written sources.

Palace Tomb

8. Tomb of Sextius of Florence

Behind the Palace Tomb is the only building that scientists know for sure for whom and when it was built. Sextius was the Roman governor of Arabia and, as sources tell us, he desired to be buried in Petra, for which in 126-130. and this tomb was dug out.

Ad-Deir Monastery

Camels are the safest way to get around Petra. They are difficult to overclock on the local highway

11. Street of colonnades

By the Roman street of the colonnades we return back to the gorge. On your right side there will be the remains of the temple complex, which is called the Great Temple without too much modesty. Pay attention to the columns lying on the ground with a beautifully cut sausage - this is the result of a strong earthquake in the 8th century. Next we go to the ancient theater, now we have a chance to examine it up close.

Among the rocks that are really of value, it is easy to find the mountains of the Bedouin "remake" :)

12. Antique theater

The theater was carved into the rock in the 1st century AD and initially accommodated 3,000 spectators. Later it was expanded by the Romans to 7000. If you look closely, you will see three tiers of spectator seats, divided into sectors by stairs. The front facade of the theater once overlooked the road. On the sides of it there were still black eye sockets of the entrances through which the audience entered the building. Only a few columns remain of the portico, but during its greatness a row of seven small Ionic porticos adorned the stage.

Antique theater in Petra

After completing your tour of the theatre, you will long road back. Of course, you can take advantage of the "Bedouin high-way" and even take part in "chariot races". But is it worth it? Be careful and have a good trip!

When impregnable mountains appeared on the way of Moses, which he had to overcome, the patriarch struck the rocks with his staff - and they parted. Since the staff was curved, the road turned out to be winding. Therefore, in our time, tourists who want to see the unique sights of Petra are forced to descend into deep gorge Siq through a narrow paved tunnel, the width of which in some places does not exceed three meters along the rocks, which almost completely hide the sky. Bas-reliefs are carved on these rocks, and along the way, an ancient water trough was laid, through which water flowed to the ancient city of Petra.

The city of Petra is located in Jordan, 100 km from the Arabian Gulf, in a mountainous area, at an altitude of 900 m above sea level. m., in a valley completely surrounded by rocks, on the eastern side of Mount Horus (on geographical map it can be found at the following coordinates: 30° 19′ 44″ s. sh., 35° 26′ 25″ in. d.).

The city is notable for the fact that many buildings in it - residential buildings, temples, a treasury, tombs, an amphitheater, monasteries are completely carved into the rocks. These buildings are so beautiful and elegant that they are a real work of art.

On this moment more than 800 sights have been discovered on the territory of the ancient settlement - and this despite the fact that scientists claim that the ancient city of Petra was surveyed only by fifteen percent. As a result of a worldwide vote, the city in the rock was included in the list of the new seven wonders of the world.

How the city appeared

History of this unique city began as early as the 4th-3rd millennium BC, when the Nabataeans, representatives of the Semitic people, leading a nomadic lifestyle, decided to settle here. They chose the place for their settlement extremely carefully: accustomed to constant battles and the struggle for life, they decided to build their capital in a remote mountainous area.

They did not think about how to name the city for a long time - and it received the name Sela (stone), and modern name The settlement received "Petra" a little later, when the ancient Greeks translated the word into their own language.

The valley, located in the Siq Canyon, suited them best, since the city could only be reached through a single narrow gorge. In terms of defense, this was an ideal solution: even the famous Roman generals constantly failed here and, unable to penetrate the city, were forced to lift the siege.

Petra was also very well located in terms of trade (this can be seen by looking closely at the map), since it was here that two trade routes intersected: the first connected the Red Sea with Damascus, the second - Gaza with the Persian Gulf.

Thus, Petra was an ideal resting place for caravans loaded with goods that traveled from different parts of the world and were forced to cross the harsh and hot Arabian desert. In the capital of the Nabataeans, tired travelers found shelter, food, water and traded.

It was trade that made the city extremely successful and prosperous for many centuries - until the Romans opened easier sea routes to the east, and the need for caravans disappeared, because of which trade came to naught and the history of the city of Petra gradually came to an end. .

Construction of Petra

Since the city was built both near and in the rock itself, the builders definitely had a hard time. Therefore, there is no doubt that in order to build such structures, they had to have considerable knowledge and skills: the ancient masters managed to create buildings that were absolutely not inferior to Greek and Roman sights either in decor or in architecture.

The water supply system that the builders provided to Peter cannot but surprise: about two hundred reservoirs were equipped here that collected and stored rainwater. Water was supplied here with the help of terracotta pipes from all sources located within a radius of twenty kilometers.

Despite the hot climate and waterless terrain, the inhabitants of Petra did not feel the need for water (if the architects had not managed to think through this moment well, the capital would not have existed for a long time).

What does Petra look like?

One of the amazing features of the ancient city is that the rocks, consisting mainly of red sandstone, constantly change their appearance depending on the light, so Petra looks completely different every time in the same place, trying on all the shades throughout the day. red color (thanks to this, Petra received another name - the Pink City).

Petra was major city: from central square, on which the ruins of various buildings are very well preserved (not carved into the rock, but erected in the usual way) the highway stretches for several more kilometers from west to east. In the west, the road rests on the Ed-Deir Monastery, carved into the rock, the height and width of which are about 50 meters (the fact that it was once a Christian church is indicated by crosses carved on the walls).

Currently, archaeologists have discovered more than eight hundred different attractions in the city, for which tourists from all over the world come here:

Temples, among which the most famous is the "Cathedral", a building decorated with mosaics and decorated with marble slabs. Several administrative records written on papyrus dated to the 6th century BC have been found here. AD;
An amphitheater carved into the rock, designed for more than 6 thousand spectators and located so that you can see the main tombs of the city;
Palaces, tombs and crypts carved into the rocks. Among them was even discovered the tomb of Aaron, which was built in the XIII century. by order of the Mamluk Sultan. He was absolutely not embarrassed that the brother of Moses, in whose honor he built the tomb, lived several millennia before this event;
But the most significant and eye-catching attraction, which is a real wonder of the world, without a doubt, is El Hezne.

El Khazneh

For what purpose in the I century. AD a temple was carved into the rock, the height of which was 40 m, and the width was 25 m, it is not completely clear, although hypotheses, of course, exist. For example, one of the most possible versions says that El Khazneh was the tomb of the Nabatean king Aref IV Philopatra.

There is also another interesting version that it could be the temple of Isis. There are other, more incredible assumptions, for example, according to one of the legends, the pharaoh once kept his treasures in El Khazna, and according to another myth, robbers who attacked caravans hid their booty in the temple.

The architecture of El Khazneh, in any case, testifies to the high level of skill of local architects: a miracle of this magnitude is difficult to create even today. It is surprising not only the greatness of the idea and the accuracy of the calculation, but also how it was possible to knock out such a high building when there are absolutely no trees in the area to make scaffolding from.

The building itself looks great: six columns are installed at the entrance to El Khazneh, and the building itself is decorated with magnificent bas-reliefs. The most mysterious decoration is at the very top: the temple is crowned with a huge stone pot.

Why exactly it had to be created there surprises many, but the Bedouins are convinced that ancient treasures are hidden in it, and if you make a successful shot, the lucky one will be showered with gold and stones (for this purpose they even once shot him, but, of course, to no avail).

When is the best time to go to Petra

Despite the fact that Petra is characterized by a hot and dry climate, before deciding on a trip, you should take an interest in the weather forecast and take into account the time of year. For example, December and January are the coldest and rainiest months, which are characterized by a large temperature difference (it can be + 15 ° C during the day, + 3 ° C at night).

It is worth rescheduling the trip if the forecasters promise showers, because in this case the precipitation is so strong that rescuers often have to evacuate tourists, as a real flood begins in the valley.

If you plan to visit this wonder of the world in the summer, then you should definitely not forget to take a panama hat and sunglasses with you, and do not forget about water. It should be borne in mind that hot and dry air can sometimes cause nosebleeds, therefore, in order to avoid such a nuisance, experts recommend taking petroleum jelly or an ointment based on it with you and lubricating the inner surface of the nostrils with it to prevent bleeding.

Firstly, Petra is still only 15% studied. Secondly, and this small part - continuous riddles. And thirdly - pink city Petra, a fantastic joint creation of nature and human hands. Much more like the scenery for a grandiose fairy tale performance, or like an abandoned capital alien civilization than normal ancient ruins.

Petra Lost and Found.

Throughout its long history Petra in Jordan changed several owners. It began as the capital of Idumea. Then it was absorbed by the Nabataean kingdom, under it it experienced an unprecedented flourishing. There is a legend that the Siq gorge, leading to Petra through the rocks, is a trace of the impact of the staff of Moses. That is why it is winding - the staff was crooked. Another legend exposes the Nabataeans as very cruel people. Allegedly, they did not let the Jews into their city, which did not lack water, whom Moses led through the desert. The Nabataeans really could not stand the Jews. Sometimes they ransomed them from captivity in order to personally mock them.

The Diadochi, the heirs of the empire of Alexander the Great, argued for Nabatea. But she managed to maintain her independence - until 105 AD, when the Roman emperor-warrior Mark Ulpius Trajan came here. It was useless to argue with Rome about independence, and Nabatea became Arabia of Petraea.

In the XII century the crusaders visited here. And after the 16th century, the city of Petra seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth, it was abandoned and unknown to anyone.

In 1812, a certain sheikh-theologian Ibrahim ibn Abdullah traveled around the Middle East. At first he studied Sharia in Syrian Aleppo, and then went on a journey. Thanks to him, the Europeans learned where the city of Petra is located.

The real name of the "Arab theologian" was Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. He was a passionate scientist-researcher and a desperate adventurer. Its history is similar to that of Columbus. Both were looking for one thing, but found another, and this "other" glorified their names. Burckhardt was looking for the sources of the Niger River, this was the main goal of his dangerous journey in the Muslim East. To do this, he learned Arabic and converted to Islam! But he was so lucky - to find a forgotten passage between the rocks of the Arava plain.

On the way to the city of Petra.

At the entrance to the gorge Sik ("Mine") - mysterious stone cubes. One of which is allegedly dotted with bird tracks - the remains of the Nabatean ornament. Cubes are considered tombs. They are also called "genie gravestones".

Further along the main path there will be a strange, as if two-story building. The upper floor is adorned with pyramidal obelisks and seems older than the lower one. For on the lower one you can see quite classical columns and niches for statues, stone beds on three sides, as in the Roman triclinium. This is a monument of the 1st century. AD - the time of the reign of the last kings of Nabatea, two tombs built one above the other.

The fantastic Siq Gorge is winding and compressed by reddish-brown folded rocks. So, in some places its width is only 2 m. It has preserved the remains of ancient Nabataean water pipes: dams, canals carved into the rocks, and even ceramic pipes.

The Nabatean population knew the value of water in the desert, and during seasonal downpours they skillfully collected and preserved it. And even traded it.

Petra and her "fabulous" stonemasons.

The brightest (and biggest!) Petra attractions in Jordan are Al Khazneh and Ad Deir.

El Khazne - she is the Treasury, an ancient temple in the rock. Ad-Deir - still bewilder researchers: it is difficult to imagine how they were built.

The colossal Al Khazneh and the 45-meter facade of Ad-Deira are not just roughly cut in stone - they are carved with great skill. But how?

How did these ancient masons work? Having neither the tools of modern builders, nor, most importantly, scaffolding? In the Arava Valley, there is nothing to build the simplest wooden scaffolding from. There are no trees! What did these Nabataean builders hold on to, how did they strengthen themselves on the rock during their work?

If you even imagine that some kind of cunning system of rope and belt fastenings was used, then it becomes clear why Petra became a great city. Even the craftsmen-builders in it were very brave people. The builders knew how to work, hanging at such a height above the dangerous stone surface, when the fall in happy occasion may result in injury.

However, most of researchers believe that during the construction of El Khazne, a significant part of the builders could be foreigners. Both architecture and decoration are a bizarre mixture of various stylistic elements.

The large obelisks are clearly created by the Egyptians or under strong Egyptian influence.
Statue of a goddess (presumably Isis or Tihe). Very Alexandrian.
And the origin of the columns is beyond doubt - the capitals. Finished with flexibly curved branches and leaves, even a schoolboy will recognize how the Corinthian columns belong.
The facade of the building is decorated with figures of winged sphinxes (Egypt again!), a lion (Isis? Cybele?). Serpents - who just did not depict these in ancient times! And dancing maidens like Amazons.

Curiously, El Khazne was nicknamed the Treasury from its 4-meter height by the urn above the portico. In which the treasury of the pharaohs was allegedly kept (yes, the word "treasury" comes from "khazneh"). But there is also an urn above the facade of the "monastery" Ad Deir, and its height is as much as 10 m.

Until now, it has not been established for what purposes the building, now bearing the name of Ad Deir, the largest building in the city of Petra, was used. Temple? But what kind of deity, if there are no signs of deity worship here - no altar, no statues. The tomb of one of the last kings of Nabatea? It seems that the king was the spiritual heir of the Egyptian pharaohs. They also tried to build themselves tombs even more than the pyramids of those who ruled before them.

But the “monastery” Ad Deir is nicknamed for the numerous crosses carved on the back wall. Maybe the first Christians, persecuted for their faith, once hid here.

Other ancient "pearls" of Petra.

If you are planning to hire an Arab guide and wander around Petra on your own. Buy a map and plan your route in advance to see what is interesting for you.

Interesting sights of the city:

Theater. It is located 300 m to the left of the exit from the Siq to Petra. Theater built in the 1st century AD. during the reign of King Aretas IV, similar to Greek and Roman theaters. 40 rows of sloping seats carved into stone. It accommodated from 6,000 to 8,000 thousand spectators. One can only guess what kind of spectacles the Nabatean king enjoyed here.
Palace of the Maiden, aka Qasr Al-Bint. Erected in the 1st century. BC. like a sanctuary. who lived with him royal daughter allegedly suffered from a lack of water and declared that she would connect her life only with those who could bring precious moisture to her dwelling. No matter what, a modern, practical girl who does not want to marry someone who “doesn’t know how to fix a tap”! Judging by the channels and drains found during the excavations of Qasr al-Bint, the royal daughter still waited for her “plumber”.
High altar. 200 m from El Khazneh there is a sign according to which you need to go. This attraction is for the stubborn and hardy. You will have to climb the rocky stairs to the altar, and this “procession” will take a little more than half an hour. You will feel like an ancient priest - they regularly overcame this climb. True, we still do not know to which deity and what sacrifices were made here.

Petra today: a city of tourists.

Sightseeing tours in Petra are always popular, despite the fact that traveling through the ancient city requires a fair amount of stamina. Good shoes, sunscreen, a hat and a bottle of water.

The cost of rooms in the hotels of Wadi Musa depends on the "star". You can find a place for 15 JD per night. You can stay at a hotel where an overnight stay will cost 80 JOD and more.

The approximate price of an excursion to Petra, Jordan is $60-200. This private tour with a guide for a group of 6 people, duration from 6 to 9 hours.

The city of Petra is a world cultural heritage, so no car trips within it. locals they offer horse-drawn transport (carts), and for climbing mountains - camels and donkeys. Do not overpay locals more than 10 JOD. They like to bargain with naive tourists.

Overnight in Petra.

There is an opportunity to visit amazing city Petra at night. From 20.30 to 22.00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

You will see Petra lit by many candles, hear the music of the Bedouins, sit on a rug inside El Khazneh and drink fragrant local tea. You can imagine at that time the expression on the face of one of the Nabatean kings, who saw some nomads sitting in his treasury.

Petra in miniature.

You can climb to Little Petra along a concrete road from the Arab village of Wadi Musa. Somewhere after 2 km along the road there will be the ruins of the main castle of the Crusaders of Petra, Al-Vuaira. The soldiers of Christ themselves called him in French - Le Vaux Moise. Translated - Moses Valley. That's what it's called now, but in Arabic it's a village near Petra.

In Malaya Petra, you can also see the remains of the Nabatean water pipeline, as well as explore the system of paths and stairs connecting three gorges.

Jordan. Petra - ancient capital Nabataean kingdom, carved right into the rocks more than 2 thousand years ago. Thanks to its rich history, bewitching, almost mystical beauty and excellent preservation of monuments at the end of the last century, it was included in the List world heritage UNESCO, and in 2007 was elected one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Once prosperous and luxurious, after the conquest of the Middle East by Saladin in the 12th century, Petra was abandoned, and the memory of her in the West was erased. The dilapidated city remained a hidden gem until 1812, when the Swiss explorer Broekhardt found himself here. His stories inspired many other travelers, but serious excavations in Petra did not begin until 1929. Steven Spielberg played an important role in popularizing the city as a world tourism destination with his "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade": the film showed Petra on wide screens in 1989 G.

How to get to Petra

Petra is 3 hours drive from Amman if you drive along the modern "Desert Highway", or 5 hours if you follow the picturesque "Royal Road".

By bus

Jett organizes daily flights Amman - Petra from Abdali bus station. Departure - at 6:30, travel time - about 3.5 hours, ticket price - 18 JOD one way. return bus departs from Petra at 17:00. Prices on the page are for November 2018.

If you are vacationing in one of Jordan's neighboring countries, you also have a chance to visit Petra. Numerous travel companies organize day trips from Eilat, Taba, Sharm el-Sheikh and other resorts in the Sinai Peninsula.

By minibus

A minibus ride from Wadi Rum takes about 1.5 hours and costs 8 JOD. The minibus usually leaves at 8:30, but the schedule is subject to change on any day. Therefore, you need to agree in advance: ask the hotel employee to contact the minibus driver and clarify the time and place of departure.

Shuttle buses from Amman depart from the Wihdat bus station. On the road - about 3 hours, ticket price - 5 JOD. In some cases, the driver may ask you to pay separately for luggage.

By taxi

Taxis are more expensive, but much more comfortable. The trip from Amman to Petra and back will cost approximately 75-85 JOD including waiting for the driver. Travel from Aqaba - 55 JOD one way.

On the way from Petra to Aqaba, you can visit the Wadi Rum desert to enjoy unique landscapes like nowhere else on the planet. And the village of Dana on the top of the mountain resembles a bird's nest.

You should always agree on the cost of the trip in advance, if you wish, you can save a lot: bargain with the driver or find fellow travelers and share all the expenses with them.

Transport

The only vehicles allowed in Petra are horses, donkeys, camels and horse-drawn carts. The choice of means of transportation depends on which section of the path you are overcoming. From the entrance to the city, the Siq Gorge can be reached either on foot (in just 15 minutes), or on a horse or a light horse-drawn carriage. The cost of travel depends only on your ability to bargain. Local grooms often claim that the trip is free, but at the end of the journey you will most likely be in for an unpleasant surprise: you will have to pay generous tips to the drovers (up to 20 JOD per person). Do not believe promises and clearly stipulate the price in advance.

Previously, horses were treated so badly here that a veterinary clinic had to be opened near the entrance. Today, wounds are still visible on the bodies of many animals, and horses harnessed to wagons are forced to gallop even in unbearable heat. Therefore, caring tourists often prefer to spare the animals and overcome the first section of the path on foot.

Once at the Treasury, get ready for a decisive onslaught of numerous owners of camels and donkeys, vying with each other offering their services to tourists. Feel free to bargain and in no case pay more than 10 JOD per trip. The optimal price is 3 JOD per person.

Sometimes drovers cut the price by almost half, just by hearing at least a couple of phrases in Arabic.

Camels are perhaps the only animals in Petra that are respected by their owners, which means that they are kept in relatively good condition. The reason for this is their high cost and obstinate character. Camels are less docile than donkeys or horses, but riding them is one of the most memorable local pastimes.

To move around mountain slopes it is better to choose donkeys: it is on them that it is most convenient to get to the High Place or the monastery of Ad-Dair. However, conservationists are unlikely to be satisfied with the trip: all the way, Bedouin teenagers drive the unfortunate animals with cruel blows with a long piece of electric wire. If patience is running out, shout "Bass!" (“Enough”): The hitting is likely to stop.

If you are in good physical shape, take a walk to the monastery. After 15:00, the path leading up is almost completely hidden in the shade, so the ascent at this time is as comfortable as possible.

Weather in Petra

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Petra Hotels

For maximum safety of the city, all tourism infrastructure taken to the nearby town of Wadi Musa, which is just a few minutes walk from Petra. There are many hotels in the city different levels, including 4-5 "stars".

The cost of living in guest houses and small three-star hotels is from 15-20 JOD per night. Almost all rooms are equipped with modern furniture and a private bathroom, as well as free Wi-Fi.

It is best to go to Petra with an overnight stay: one day may not be enough for an inspection. Due to the constant influx of tourists, it is better to book a hotel in advance.

The most expensive hotel in the city is Movenpick Resort Petra, located just 50 meters from the main entrance to Petra. It offers several on-site restaurants, a fitness center and a rooftop garden, and room rates start at JOD 100 per night. The best view of the mountains opens from the windows of the Rocky Mountain family hotel (from 27 JOD per day).

What to bring

One of the most popular souvenirs is decorative bottles filled with colorful sand. You can find these at almost any resort. The difference between the local ones is that they are filled with natural (and not artificially colored) colored sand mined in the canyons of Petra. Inside, a camel is most often depicted against the background of the desert, but skilled artists can make any name out of grains of sand in just a couple of minutes. The cost of such souvenirs is 1-12 JOD depending on the size.

There are a lot of jewelery dealers in Petra: they walk literally everywhere and offer all kinds of rings, bracelets and necklaces. A fair price for most jewelry is 1-5 JOD, even if the seller stubbornly claims that they are made of pure silver.

What to try

There are food vending machines and small shops all over Petra where you can grab a quick bite and buy hot or cold drinks. By the way, it is better to stock up on drinks in advance: in hot summer days a traveler may need up to 4 liters of water. The cost of a 1.5 liter bottle is 1-1.50 JOD.

There are few restaurants on the territory of Petra, mainly they serve dishes of oriental, Mediterranean and international cuisine. The average score in Petra Magic or Silk Road is 18-36 JOD. In a more modest Sun City with an open terrace and hookahs, it is much cheaper: 4-18 JOD per person.

Much more cafes and restaurants in the nearby village of Wadi Musa. Be sure to try Arabic unleavened bread "hobz", bean paste "fuul" and the famous falafel - deep-fried bean balls.

For the most desperate gourmets - the Bedouin dish "mansaf": a lamb served whole (with a head) with a side dish of rice and nuts.

The best photos of Petra

Guides in Petra

Entertainment and attractions of Petra

Petra is not just a city, but a unique archaeological park with many attractions, so at the entrance you will have to buy a ticket for 55 JOD (for 1 day) or for 60 JOD (for 2 days). An important nuance: tourists arriving in Jordan for just a day must pay almost twice as much for entry, 90 JOD. You can hire a guide at the Tourist Center (from 50 JOD), large hotels offer rental of a portable audio guide for 10 JOD per day. If you wish, you can download it to your mobile, but for this you will need to purchase a Jordanian SIM card.

The cost of the entrance ticket to Petra is 55 JOD.

The Petra Gate is a winding Siq, a sandstone canyon about 2 km long. scenic road decorate whimsical stone statues and carved rock bas-reliefs, on the sides you can see the remains of terracotta pipes used for water supply since the time of the ancient Romans.

At the exit of the gorge is located majestic palace El-Khazneh (Treasury, or Treasury) is 42 m high. It was carved into a solid rock in the 1st century, an urn is installed on its top, in which, according to legend, countless treasures were once kept. According to one version, they belonged Egyptian pharaoh, on the other - to the robbers who attacked the caravans. One way or another, traces of bullets are still visible on the urn: many wanted to test the theory.

The next stop is the Square of Facades, where one after another there are temples and tombs carved into the rocks. At the end of the street is the Roman amphitheater, which can accommodate about 7 thousand spectators. It was built by the Nabateans and later expanded by the Romans. Performances are held here today, but, of course, much less frequently than in ancient times.

Just a few minutes walk from the amphitheater (up the hill) are the Royal Tombs, impressive in their size. For whom they were intended - has not been clarified so far.

Another famous attraction of Petra is the monastery of Ad-Dair, a Nabataean rock temple built in the 1st century AD. e. To see this monumental building 45 meters high with your own eyes, you will have to overcome more than 800 steps. Hiking takes a little more than an hour, but you can also get there on a donkey (although this is not much faster and more convenient).

The building of Ad-Dair can be seen in the blockbuster Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

There are more than 800 historical objects in Petra. Among them - high place with altars for sacrifices, Mount Jebel Haroun, Palace of the daughter of the pharaoh and others majestic monuments nature and architecture.

A special pleasure for tourists is a night visit to Petra. Tours run from 20:30 to 22:00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. At night, Petra appears before travelers in the light of hundreds of candles, accompanied by traditional Bedouin music.

7 things to do in Petra

Climb 800 steps to Ad-Dair Temple.
Count the bullet holes in the urn on top of Al-Khazneh Palace.

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December and January are the coldest and rainiest months. This period is also characterized by a large temperature difference: during the day it is very warm, in the evening and at night it is cold. So, if you are planning a trip during this time, bring warm clothes with you. And be sure to check the weather forecast: if showers are predicted, it is better to postpone the trip, because there is so much precipitation in winter here that rescuers have to evacuate tourists due to floods.

The best time to visit Petra is in the summer, but even then there are a few things to consider. important nuances. First, stock up on water beforehand to avoid dehydration. Secondly, do not forget a panama hat, which will save you from heat stroke, and vaseline ointment, which will help stop nosebleeds (which can be provoked by the hot and dry air of the valley).

This post about the ancient city of Petra in Jordan is not exactly common, because it will not have the traditional “look” at Petra, as tourists usually see it. I will show you a backstage view of this ancient city and tell you about it. all sorts of ways visits - in particular, and how to get to Petra for free, entering, so to speak, from the back door. I will share my impressions of what we have seen, passing in this way. Unfortunately, for some reason, I didn’t photograph much at that time, so most of the photographic material of Pasha Vorobyov, for which many thanks to him.

By the way, we went to Petra after visiting Mount Nebo and visiting an ostrich farm. I wrote about it: read it if you're interested.

The ancient city of Petra in Jordan - what is it

I think it is worth talking very briefly about this attraction. Petra is the national treasure of the country, it is not for nothing that this ancient city is depicted on the stamps that are pasted at the border for a visa.

In fact, Petra is an ancient city, surrounded on all sides by mountains, which can be reached through a two-kilometer narrow passage. This passage is called the sik. Many buildings of the city are carved into the rock, roughly speaking, they are made from one piece of stone. The city was founded before our era and in different time it was hosted by different peoples. Petra was the capital for the Nabataean kingdom and for some more ancient state. Then there were the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders. All of them left something of their own in the architecture of the city, which is why it is especially interesting here.

The ancient city of Petra in Jordan, among other things, is the Eighth Wonder of the World and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Most famous building Petra is El-Khazneh or the treasury. It is completely carved into the rock. Feel the similarity of the words "treasury" and "khazne". It turns out that the word "treasury" is not ours, and its progenitor is the Arabic language. Well, so, this building is also well known from the film about Indiana Jones: it’s true that according to the script it collapses there.

We did not manage to visit inside it: we, accompanied by a security guard, were taken out of this city for ticketlessness. But more about that below. Only got a couple of photos. Pasha reproached me for a long time for taking a bad picture of him against the background of this most important historicity. Duc. Well, yes, guilty. But in general, isn't it impudence to stand and pose when you are being led under escort.

How much does a ticket cost and how to visit the ancient city of Petra in Jordan: different options

Visiting Petra is very expensive, but there are various ways.

To buy a ticket. Trite and expensive. Since you cannot see Petra in one hour, tickets are sold for one, two, three days. Accordingly, the price is different. When we were there, the ticket cost about 35 dinars per person. And now, they say, it costs about 90 dinars. A nightmare, of course, because the dinar is even more expensive than the euro. If you buy a ticket for three days, then on the fourth day you go for free. Named tickets. In short, an expensive pleasure.

Ask for a ticket from those leaving. The point is this. Let's say someone bought a ticket for three days to visit the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, but used it only twice and decided that on the third and fourth day he would not go there. This means that such a citizen needs a ticket only for a souvenir. He can simply give it to the needy and the poor, that is, to us. Once a generous visitor to Petra gives you a ticket, he will surely meet his fortune. This method requires patience and good knowledge of English. It is necessary to pick up those leaving Petra and ask them for such a ticket. We tried, but somehow inactive and timid, besides, the complete lack of knowledge of English led us to think that this was not our option.

Buy a used ticket. The same way. The difference lies in the fact that you should not ask to give you a ticket for free, but buy it at half price from the same citizens. By the way, this is more realistic if you stay in a hostel: there is more communication with people and a low-budget traveler will easily agree to return part of the resources spent back. And in hostels there may be advertisements for the sale of such tickets. Although the ticket is nominal, the identity of the name on it and your body is rarely checked: many visitors go to Petra and there is no time to do this.

Enter Petra through the back door. Free and the most interesting way. We succeeded: read more about this option of hitting Petra below.

How to get to Petra for free, long, hard, but interesting

Actually, we did not come up with this method. We just found it on the internet. Its essence lies in the fact that the ancient city of Petra in Jordan has several ways-entrances, and they are located quite far from the main guarded entrance. In fact, we had a handwritten map of how to wander between the mountains in order to reach these passes. True, the map was with a big mistake, because of which I would have either broken my neck or simply returned back if we had not figured out this mistake and corrected it.

So, I give the same description that we had, with comments on how to get to Petra.

A handwritten map of the passage to the Ancient City of Petra in Jordan, with a corrected error.

We go down the road leading to the siq (the main ticket entrance). Near the bourgeois hotel Movenpick, we turn right and move along the paved road. We walk about 3 km and come to the village of Umm Seykhun, everyone knows it simply as the “Bedouin Village”. Souvenir merchants live there, who trade in Petra. Near the village there is a secret entrance number 1 to Petra. But he is of little use, because he is known to the police. Souvenirs are brought into Petra through this entrance.

There is a campsite 3 km from the village. It is a platform of sand, fenced with a grid, and around - mountains. Officially, you can’t spend the night near Petra: they can catch the cops. The ancient city of Petra in Jordan has security both inside and outside: patrols go around the perimeter with some periodicity and catch people like us. We spent a little time with the owner - drank tea, watched how he cooks food from tomatoes and canned beans. We sat with him for a bit and went to look for a place to spend the night, as things were going on towards the night.

And the night there is wonderful: thick, thick darkness, like ink, and the wind is also thick. In general, we climbed in the dark and found a passage between two rocks into some kind of stone "well". He represented enough large area surrounded by rocks. The most interesting thing about this place was that there was no wind exactly in the middle of this area. You step aside a little - there is a whirlwind, and you go into the middle - it is quiet. In this place they set up a tent.

I woke up at night from the fact that someone was shining a lantern from above on our tent. I was even a little taken aback, and then I realized that it was just a full moon in an absolutely cloudless sky. Remembered for a lifetime!
In the morning we took a picture of our place to spend the night, ate something like halva for breakfast and then went towards the flow of events.

We go further to the Ancient city of Petra in Jordan. After 2 km we come to an asphalted crossroads. The road leads directly to the valley of the Rift, not far to the right is the village of Beida, and to the left is the little-known interesting sight of Little Petra. It is free, also contains a sik and a mini-temple like El-Khazneh in Greater Petra.

Attention: an error in the handwritten map! We go straight along the small sik and come to the riverbed between the rocks. In our case, the river was dry. We go downstream and come to a sharp descent. Oddly enough, you can go down there, but be very careful and not after the rain. We turn right and pass through the Bedouin camp.

Here in the map - a severe inaccuracy. It makes no sense to follow the river and go down. Pasha, for example, descended into the first ravine in the rock, and further, he says, even steeper and with heavy backpacks is a problem. I didn’t even climb the first descent: I’m not sure - don’t poke your head. We regretted that we did not have a rope. In general, we decided to return to the entrance to Little Petra. By the way, here is a photo of Pasha with the skull of some animal, which he found below. How this skull got there is unclear, probably also a stowaway.

So it is not necessary to go along the river bed and go down too. You can see Little Petra and return to the entrance. Then you need to walk about 300-400 meters along a dirt road that goes to the left of the entrance, and then you will find yourself in a Bedouin village - the one about which it is written on the map and which supposedly can be reached only if you crawl down the river bed.

In the village, children came to us. Here's a picture of the girl. In general, they are quite enterprising there. We took a picture of her, and she says: “Give me one dollar,” and we shish her. They also saw how sheep graze on the slopes of the mountains: it is not clear what they eat there, only thorns among the stones. Several spent shell casings were also found near the village. The village is actually one name, it is not clear whether it is sheds or huts. The ancient city of Petra in Jordan was already very close.

The attitude towards free riders there is calm, but it’s better not to go at night: angry dogs (as at the entrance to Malaya Petra). You can go straight down the road, but there may be cops there. You should turn right and go across the field to the cliff. Then we turn left and carefully walk along the terrace along the cliff. As a result, we will certainly get to the monastery, which is located in Bolshaya Petra.

On the way to the village, we came across two guys: apparently, they were walking from Petra to the village. They tried to intimidate us: they say, you can’t walk here, and all that. In general, they talked a little impudently, but then they got rid of it and went their own way, carrying some kind of bundle.

That's all, you are in the city of Petra. When we descended from the last cliff to finally get into the city, some foreign tourist was looking at us. He stands and stares as two citizens climb over the "fence".

I remember one more thing: the descent was complicated by the fact that Pasha carried everything fragile with him in his backpack: smuggled coral from Egypt, a hookah and an ostrich egg, which was presented to him on an ostrich farm about. In short, he zadolbal with his backpack. My backpack was simply thrown off, and it was lowered so gently. In general, Pasha, hello to you, if you read these lines, and health to the family and the child. Come visit.

We walked along Petra for only two hours at the most. The stowaways in us were given backpacks, they just had to be hidden and sightseeing light. And if it took another day to explore, then you just had to hide in some cave, hollowed out in the rock, and spend the night.

Well, this is what we had an unforgettable acquaintance with the city of Petra in Jordan.