Petra

View of the Treasury from the Siq. N Creatures.

Petra is a spectacular Nabatean city in western Jordan. With massive façades that have been carved entirely out of the existing red sandstone, Petra's magnificent temples and tombs are like no other religious buildings in the world, and the surrounding rugged landscape dotted with historical sites are a hiker's paradise.

Petra has been a city of great religious significance since ancient times. First, it has a number of connections with the Old Testament: the nearby Ain Mousa (Spring of Moses) is believed to be where Moses struck a rock with his staff to extract water; and Aaron is said to have died in the Petra area and been buried atop Jabal Haroun (Mount Aaron).

Later, the Nabateans built a city packed with tombs, temples, sanctuaries and altars to their gods. Finally, in its last years, Petra was the home of at least one Byzantine church. This section explores the many wonders of Petra in articles and pictures, from its dramatic history to its fascinating sights that awe modern visitors - up to 3,000 of whom visit Petra each day.

City Guide & Trip Planning

Petra Map
Our own detailed, interactive satellite map of Petra, plus links to more Petra maps.

Petra Photo Gallery
Explore all of Petra's major tombs, temples and sacred sites, from satellite views and the visitor's center to far-off Jebel Haroun, in this gallery of 129 quality, captioned photos.

History of Petra
An overview of the rise and fall of Petra.

Who Were the Nabateans?
Get to know the people who built this extraordinary rock-carved city.

Petra Hotel Reviews
Unbiased reviews, ratings and price comparisons on hotels in Petra from fellow travelers.

Petra Travel Forum
Practical travel advice and insider tips on Petra from those in the know.

Petra Guided Tours
Book a tour with a knowledgeable guide ahead of time in your own currency.

Sacred Sites & Religious Places

	Siq Visitors to Petra begin their exploration with a walk (or donkey ride) through this dramatic sandstone canyon dotted with Nabatean carvings and monuments like the Obelisk Tomb.
	Treasury (al-Khazneh) Believed by the Bedouin to contain a pharoah's treasure, the Treasury is a beautiful tomb or temple carved entirely out of the living rock.
	The Monastery (al-Deir) Misleadingly named based on crosses scratched on the wall, this is a huge, rock-carved Nabatean temple built around the 1st century BC.
	Petra Church Among Petra's ancient temples is a Byzantine church dating from the 5th and 6th centuries. Still being excavated, Petra Church contains some extraordinary Byzantine mosaics.
	Great Temple This temple ruin in the city center is one of the largest structures in Petra at 7,000 square meters. It was built in the late 1st century BC and is still being excavated.
	High Place of Sacrifice This is one of the easiest accessible high points in Petra. A platform served as a venue for religious ceremonies and an altar held sacrifices of incense, libations - and perhaps children.
	Jebel Haroun An important sacred site believed to mark the tomb of Aaron, Jebel Haroun is a small church atop a mountain several hours' walk from Petra. The trek is rugged and requires a guide.
	Qasr el-Bint The "Palace of the Pharaoh's Daughter" (another fanciful Bedouin name) is a large, square Nabatean temple dating from the late 1st century BC in Petra's city center.
	Theater Quite a bit remains of this grand Hellenistic-Roman theater carved out of the side of a mountain near the city center, including stage buildings and side tunnels.