| What is it? |
Petra is an ancient Nabatean capital city, carved into the stone of southern Jordan! |
| What makes it wonderful? |
For most folks, the wonder begins at the mouth of the Siq, a narrow slot canyon leading to the first of Petra’s incredible sandstone temples, al-Khazneh! It’s the scene memorialized in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade, and indeed, this crossroads of cultures, formerly known as Raqmu, has memories of the Crusades among many!
Within the great valley of Petra are the remains of temples built to honor pre-Islamic gods with elements of Roman mythology and east Asian symbolism! The inscriptions are in a dialect of Aramaic, which predated both Hebrew and Arabic! In many ways, the city of Petra is a collage of major cultures that have come together, clashed, and blended in Jordan and beyond! |
| How can I Help the Helpers? |
HERE’S HOW:
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Volunteer with the World Heritage Volunteers!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
|
| Where is this place? |
Tourist Street, Pink City Entrance
Wadi Musa
Jordan
From Amman: ~145mi (234km) — 2.5hrs
From Aqaba: ~78mi (126km) — 1.3hrs
From Irbid: ~192mi (309km) — 3.2hrs
From Kerak: ~96mi (155km) — 1.6hrs |
| When should I go? |
Petra is open from 6:00 AM until 6:00 PM during the summer, and 6:00 AM until 4:00 PM in the winter! |
|
