The Other Spot

Petra is an archaeological site in Jordan. They are the remains of the Nabatean capital of ancient kingdom, founded c. 300 BC. His most famous remains are the buildings carved out of solid stone walls of the narrow rocky valley of the Arava.

The name means stone in Greek, and this is precisely because the city is entirely built with pink sandstone. The most famous buildings are the Temple of the Winged Lions and the Treasury. Since 1985 is recognized as World Heritage by UNESCO.

Abandoned for some time, was revealed to the world’s knowledge by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. Petra also remained inaccessible to most people until after the First World War.

A highway reaches Petra since 2004. In Wiki Travel recommend that you hire a Bedouin at the entrance of the archaeological park in the Visitors Center, as one can well take advantage of the knowledge they have these guidelines that sometimes even lived his entire life in Petra. And rent a donkey or a camel, will tell the history of the site.

The entrance to Petra is a long narrow canyon called the Siq. Just exits the Siq, visitors can see the grandeur of the building known as the Treasury, without a doubt the most impressive of all. Used in filming Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Then begins the street of Facades, a long canyon whose sides are aligned the facades of several tombs. At the end of the call street, you can see a theater carved into the rock, widened at the time of Roman rule for seven thousand spectators. It is still used in some performances. Front of the theater are so-called royal tombs, which are larger and grander than those of the Street of Facades. And finally the Monastery or Temple, the largest monument in Petra, which was carved in stone in 100 BC. Has 800 steps to climb it, which may take an hour to navigate. Some visitors prefer to climb on the back of a donkey.