Jordan Off The Beaten Path Tips by o00o

Petra was first established...

Petra was first established sometime around the 6th century BC, by the Nabataean Arabs, a nomadic tribe who settled in the area and laid the foundations of a commercial empire that extended into Syria.

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Petra lies about 3-5 hours south of modern Amman, about 2 hours north of Aqaba, on the edges of the mountainous desert of the Wadi Araba. The city is surrounded by towering hills of rust-coloured sandstone which gave the city some natural protection against invaders.


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Petra is entered via The Siq ...

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The best-known of the monuments at Petra, the Khazneh is also the first to greet the visitor arriving via the Siq. The facade, carved out from the sandstone cliff wall, is 40m high, and is remarkably well-preserved, probably because the confined space in which it was built has protected it somewhat from the effects of erosion.

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The name Khazneh, which means 'treasury' comes from the legend that it was used as a hiding place for treasure.

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In practice, it seems to have been something between a temple and a tomb, possibly both at once.

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Surrounding the open space dominated by the Khazneh are other tombs and halls mostly little more than man-made caves carved out from the rock.

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To the right, the path continues between more widely-spaced rock walls studded with smaller tombs, which are visible as black holes in the rock. A little further on, on the left is the giant semicircle of the amphitheatre, which had seats for eight thousand people. Behind it, the rock wall is pitted with tombs.

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The heart of Petra lies about the open ground of the Wadi Musa.

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A broad track from the Khazneh leads to the main street of Roman Petra, which is paved with cut stone and lined with columns.

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Towards the amphitheatre is an open marketplace and a nymphaeum or public fountain.

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At the opposite end is the Temenos Gateway, which marked the entrance to the courtyard of the Temple of Dushara.

At the opposite end is the...

At the opposite end is the Temenos Gateway, which marked the entrance to the courtyard of the Temple of Dushara.

Towards the amphitheatre is an...

Towards the amphitheatre is an open marketplace and a nymphaeum or public fountain.

A broad track from the Khazneh...

A broad track from the Khazneh leads to the main street of Roman Petra, which is paved with cut stone and lined with columns.

The heart of Petra lies about...

The heart of Petra lies about the open ground of the Wadi Musa.

To the right, the path...

To the right, the path continues between more widely-spaced rock walls studded with smaller tombs, which are visible as black holes in the rock. A little further on, on the left is the giant semicircle of the amphitheatre, which had seats for eight thousand people. Behind it, the rock wall is pitted with tombs.

Surrounding the open space...

Surrounding the open space dominated by the Khazneh are other tombs and halls mostly little more than man-made caves carved out from the rock.

The name Khazneh, which means...

The name Khazneh, which means 'treasury' comes from the legend that it was used as a hiding place for treasure. In practice, it seems to have been something between a temple and a tomb, possibly both at once.

The best-known of the...

The best-known of the monuments at Petra, the Khazneh is also the first to greet the visitor arriving via the Siq. The facade, carved out from the sandstone cliff wall, is 40m high, and is remarkably well-preserved, probably because the confined space in which it was built has protected it somewhat from the effects of erosion.