Travel Tips

Seeing the Al Khazneh after walking through the narrow gorge of the Siq for 20 minutes...thinking that I'll see the first signs of the city just around the corner only to find yet another narrow tunnel area....well, it took my breath away when the Treasury finally did peek out from around the last protective rock formation.

The Al Khazneh is an interesting building because it's not really a "Treasury" - it was originally built as a tomb for one of the Nabataean kings and possibly served as a temple later on. The name "Treasury" stuck I guess because marauders centuries later, assumed there was gold and silver hidden within the confines (most especially the turrets) and so they shot at the building in the hopes of blowing out the treasure.

In effect, the building is now riddled with bullet holes....but no treasure was ever found.

I recall during my first visit (in June), how hot it was outside and how cool it was inside this building. The acoustics were fantastic, too. Nowadays the inside is cordoned off and visitors are no longer permitted to venture inside.

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Once you've made it past Al Khazneh, you'll find yourself looking at rows of "houses". These houses are actually TOMBS, thought to be of Assyrian origin.

In fact at first, Petra was considered as a possible necropolis because of so many tombs - until archaeologists discovered the irrigation system and water channels and other evidence indicating a thriving city was indeed alive inside the protective sandstone cliffs.

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The Street of Facades leads into the theatre. Built originally by the Nabataeans, the 7,000 seat (that's right! Seven THOUSAND seats!!) theatre was later enlarged and used by the Romans.

Note: The hellenistic influence is evident throughout Petra, starting with the Al Khazneh (Treasury) building and ending with the Al Deir (Monastery) at the top of one of the last cliffs within the park.

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The Urn Tomb is thought to have been carved around 70 A.D. - although the main chamber inside was altered mid 5th century and used as a Byzantine church.

There are about 500 tombs throughout Petra, and Urn Tomb is the largest (competing in size with the Al Kahzneh-Treasury and the Al Deir- Monastery). It most likely served as the tomb of someone important.

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In my opinion, one of the greatest highlights of visiting Petra is the 800 step climb to the top of a cliff where the Al Deir (The Monastery) sits in silent majesty, overlooking the mountains, wadis and of course, the city of Petra.

You don't have to be in tip top physical shape to take on the climb - it's relatively easy...just a lot of steps, twists and turns. The views are fantastic however, and if you're lucky, you'll meet up with a beaudoin who is making his or her way back to Wadi Mousa.

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Again, I have to emphasize how rewarding this climb is. I even insisted taking it on while 4 months pregnant (on this last visit). As long as you remain hydrated, you'll be fine. Or - you can choose to be transported by donkey going up or coming down - or both.

I've opted to tackle it on foot both visits.

You will find yourself growing tired as you near the top, though...so many twists and turns and steps and more steps...at one point, my husband announced that he was turning around to head back down. The sun was starting to set and he didn't want to be stuck up at the top, trying to navigate his way down in the waning sun.

"Oh no you're NOT!" was my response to that, remembering that it takes around 45 minutes to reach the top and it is SO worth it...

Seconds later as we rounded the next turn, there was our reward....

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Ahhhh, the sweet reward.....the Al Deir, or Monastery as it later became known.

I'm not sure what its original purpose was, but it was probably a tomb. Centuries afterwards, priests used it as a monastery and pilgrims congregated in front of it to worship.

The view from atop is magnificent....if you walk a bit further, you'll be treated to a vista crossing large expanses of wadis in the distance - Israel even further.....rugged mountains and arid valleys....the wind gently blowing...the occasional bleating of a bedouin sheep....

Conveniently (and even tastefully) located across from the Al Deir is a small bedouin-like tent area where refreshments and crafts are available. It's amazing to think the people that run the shop make this climb every day.

In the distance, if you look hard enough, you can see Aaron's Tomb (Moses' brother who actually led the Israelites into the promised land).

Aaron's Tomb is for another visit....

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