“Petra- A city of red roses and half as old as time.”
Petra, the lost city of stone, is a treasure of the ancient world, hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains. The rock-carved, rose-red city is full of mysterious charm and so holds a position as one among the new wonders of the world.
It is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious group of Arabs who settled in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago. The spectacular ruins of Petra, chiseled by hand into the sandstone cliffs of southern Jordan, are a testimony to Nabataean engineering and artistry – seen in the form of temples and nearly 3,000 rock-cut tombs, dwellings and altars.
The only modes of transport allowed within Petra are on two feet or four (camel, donkey, or horse). The entrance to Petra is a long, winding sandstone canyon known as the Siq (about 2km). The most impressive sights here are the colorful and unusual sandstone patterns in the rock walls. Suddenly the gorge opens into Petra‘s most famous monument, The Treasury, whose intricately carved façade glows in the dazzling sun. There is a souvenir shop near the treasury where they sell sand art in glass bottles. These are unique, due to the fact that the sand used to create the art is the naturally colored sand, scraped from the rock walls of the various Petra canyons.
Past the next bend is the outer Siq or Street of Facades, a large canyon lined with the facades of various tombs. At the end of the Street of Facades is the 7000-seat Roman Theater. The theater was created by the Nabateans but later enlarged by the Romans. It is still used for occasional performances.
The Monastery, the largest carved monument in Petra, dates back to the 1st century AD. There are more than 800 steps up to the Monastery, which can take over an hour to reach.
The Petra sights are at their best in the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun shines on the multicolored stones, turning from orange-red to rose-red.
Petra has featured in many movies and books. It’s featured in the movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and also in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen where the Dynasty of Primes hid the Matrix of Leadership there a long time ago.
A visit to Petra is sure to leave you spellbound.
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