Where is Petra?
Quick answer
Petra is in southern Jordan, about 240 km (150 miles) south of the capital, Amman. It’s an ancient city carved into rose-red sandstone cliffs by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Key facts
- Country
- Jordan
- Built by
- The Nabataeans
- Peak
- About 1st century BC to 1st century AD
- UNESCO
- World Heritage Site since 1985
Who built Petra?
The Nabataeans were an Arab people who grew rich controlling trade routes for incense, spices and silk between Arabia, Egypt and the Mediterranean. They carved temples, tombs and homes straight into the cliffs and built clever water systems, including dams, channels and cisterns, that let a city of perhaps 20,000 people thrive in the desert.
Petra through the centuries
- c. 4th century BCThe Nabataeans settle in the area
- c. 1st century ADPetra reaches its peak; the Treasury is carved
- AD 106The Roman Empire takes over the Nabataean kingdom
- AD 363A major earthquake damages the city, which slowly declines
- 1812Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt becomes the first European in centuries to describe it
What to see
| Site | Highlights |
|---|---|
| The Siq | A narrow, winding gorge about 1.2 km long that leads into the city |
| Al-Khazneh (The Treasury) | The iconic carved facade, about 40 m tall |
| The Monastery (Ad Deir) | A huge facade reached by about 800 steps |
| Royal Tombs | A row of grand tombs carved into the mountainside |
| Theater | Carved for several thousand spectators |
Petra appeared in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), where the Treasury was the entrance to the Holy Grail’s hiding place.
Visiting tips
- Go early morning or late afternoon to avoid heat and crowds.
- Allow at least one full day; two is better.
- Petra by Night lights the Siq and Treasury with candles on certain evenings.
The Nabataean rock-cut city is one of many world wonders. Another remarkable landscape, shaped by nature, is the Giant’s Causeway.
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