Jordan - Petra

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On the road to Petra

Petra is an archaeological site in Jordan. It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture.

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. Make sure to visit the Khazneh in the morning around 9am (the way the morning sun hits the building is marvelous).

The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812. It was famously described as "a rose-red city half as old as time." In 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site.

Excavations have demonstrated that it was the ability of the Nabataeans to control the water supply that led to the rise of the desert city, in effect creating an artificial oasis. The area is visited by flash floods and archaeological evidence demonstrates the Nabataeans controlled these floods by the use of dams, cisterns and water conduits. These innovations stored water for prolonged periods of drought, and enabled the city to prosper from its sale.

The impressive eastern entrance leads steeply down through a dark, narrow gorge (in places only 3-4 metres wide) called the Siq ("the shaft"), a natural geological feature formed from a deep split in the sandstone rocks. At the end of the narrow gorge stands Petra's most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh ("the Treasury"), hewn into the sandstone cliff.

Petra declined rapidly under Roman rule, in large part due to the revision of sea-based trade routes. In 363 an earthquake destroyed many buildings, and crippled the vital water management system.

The picturesque site is a popular sight and featured in various works of art such as the movies "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". 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.

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Photos

Almost there - Final turn of the corner of the Siq
After this last turn of the long siq you see The Khazneh (Treasury Building). Ancient Nabatean rock city carved completly out of sides of mountains.

Entry into the city of Petra - the Siq
Siq is a narrow passageway carved out of rock (by nature and man) that leads to the city of Petra.

The Khazneh (Treasury) @ sunrise.
Bedouins believed there was gold coins hidden inside the urn at the top of the Treasury...it is poked with bullets in attempt to break the urn.

So does my room come in latex or satin finish paint?
a room (cave) in one of the nabatean petra structures.

Entryway into a room/ cave
temperature is soo cool inside these rooms even during mid-day!

The Monastery (Al Deir)
The biggest structure carved out of rock in Petra. Its far removed from the rest of Petra; 1 hour hike away on the other side of the mountain (if you crave to avoid the crowd).

Traditional Bedouin Women
Rosa and her mama sold me two bedouin necklaces made of turquoise and coral for cheap. Then invited me to enjoy SWEET jordanian tea. (Everyone wants you to have tea with them).

Beauty of the Beast (of Burden)
These cuties were all over Petra carrying fat foreigners up and down the hills and steps to all over the city of Petra to all the structures. I'm proud to say i walked the WHOLE city, even in the midday heat!