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What's the history here?
Petra, which means 'rock', was the capital of the
Nabataeans who ruled the region surrounding the ancient city
in the 6th century BC. They constructed the city, carved entirely
out of the canyons and hills of sandstone of Wadi Araba,
at the cross-roads of the ancient trade routes between the
Far East and Europe. This location meant that they were able
to demand tough taxes from any merchants who wanted to pass
through their territory.
The Nabataeans resisted all attempts to conquer their capital
for almost 500 years. In 31 BC, Emperor Augustus sought
to bring about the re-unification of the Roman Empire but
it wasn't until 106 AD that the Romans finally conquered Petra.
The city fell into decline and for hundreds of years this
incredible feat of architectural engineering was entirely
unknown to the Western World.
In 1812 a Swiss explorer called J.L. Burckhardt heard
about Petra from the local Bedouin tribes. Nowadays it is
considered one of the great wonders of the world and is one
of the most visited archaeological sites in the world.
What's there to see & do?
The best time to arrive at Petra is early in the morning or
late afternoon, when it's almost deserted. The approach to
the city is along the siq, a 1 mile winding fissure through
the cliffs, which leads directly to the breathtaking heart
of the city.
The famous Treasury, Al Khazneh, is carved out of
sandstone and is an impressive 130 ft high and 100 ft wide.
It was probably built in the 1st century AD, as the architecture
bears a strong resemblance to Roman styles from that period.
You can also visit the impressive royal tomb that was
built to resemble a temple, as well as miraculously preserved
Roman temples, theatres, tombs, baths, houses and banqueting
halls.
The museum at Petra houses artifacts bearing testament
to the last 9,000 years of human history, culture, religion,
art and architecture in the region.
Take any one of a number of dramatic walks and hikes in the
valleys and mountains trails around Petra. Some of the more
remote archaeological sites in the area can only be reaches
on foot, or alternatively you can hire a horse to explore
the landscape. |
