Petra

Visit the unique 'pink' civilisation of the elusive Nabataeans

Petra is one of the most mysterious places in the world. It is truly a unique city in the middle of the desert of Jordan, built by a relatively unknown people from ancient times: the Nabataeans. This rock city is an absolute must to visit.

It's an absolute showpieces of unique architecture and sculpture. The city is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, but would have fitted in the old list as well.

Siq

The famous entrance to Petra: Siq.

The entrance to the city is impressive. El Siq is a narrow, winding path of eight kilometers, through a narrow gorge, sometimes no more than 2 meters wide. At the end of it, a sudden, mesmerizing view of the famous Treasury.

The Treasury

The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) is a temple carved out in the red stones in classic Greek style. It is about 39.6 meters high, 28 meters wide and was built in 56 BC. The Treasury is one of the most famous masterpieces of the Nabataeans. This highlight of Petra is the subject of decade-long discussions, but recent research seems to have discovered its purpose.

It’s not a temple, as was the popular belief, but a royal burial site. They have discovered four graves, expected to be a king and his family. Scientists date the site to between the last century BC and the first century AC. This means it could be the grave of Aretas IV Philopatris. It’s also believed the building only took a few months to complete, that’s how skilled its creators were.

The Treasury from above.

If you wish to see a different side to the most extraordinary monument of Petra you will be required to climb. There are several options, including a short climb starting on the right, across from the building. Once you’re up you will have a view of the entire Treasury and all the tourists. A perfect spot to let everything you see sink in, especially at daybreak.

You will sometimes hear that it is not possible. Which is not true. It can get busy at this small vantage point, so plan your visit well.

The Monastery

Despite its name, this was probably a temple, and not a monastery. It’s the largest monument in Petra and is located a little further away on a mountain, north-west of the centre of Petra. It is expected to have served as a temple for king Obodas I, who took the throne in the last century BC. It’s famous for its location and the style of building.

The Nabataeans interpreted Greek building elements in a unique way. What’s most remarkable is the mixture of curved and straight lines. Its current name comes from the Byzantine time when Christians used the building for their sacred masses. Its most interesting feature is the almost 10-metre-high circular building (also called at tholos) on its upper level in the facade.

Great Temple

This temple is one of the biggest mysteries of Petra. Mostly because there is very little left of this building. Years of research has shown that this building is architecturally different to most of the other buildings in Petra. It’s one of the few buildings that wasn’t hewn out of rock. It was once around 35 by 42 metres, and contained a mixture of different building styles.

The Church of Petra

Mosaic in the Church of Petra.

The church is one of the more recent discoveries in Petra. It’s likely to be a Byzantine or Roman church. It’s interesting that this building was not hewn out of rock. The ruins of this church were only discovered in 1990. Researchers believe that the first building on this site was built around 450 AC, but most of the remains date back to 500 AC.

It is expected that an earthquake caused its collapse. What’s interesting are the mosaics discovered on the floor of this building, depicting exotic and mythical animals, as well as human figures. In 1993, 152 papyrus scrolls (the Petra Papyri) were discovered that seem to have belonged to the deacon of the church, a certain Theodoros.

Amphitheatre

The Amphitheatre of Petra.

The Greek were known to build their open-air theatres on the slope of a hill, but the Nabataeans chose to hew them out of the rocks. This theatre could initially seat around 3.000 people. Then the romans renovated it so it could house 8.000 spectators.

Royal Tombs

This series of tombs was probably made for the Nabataean kings and are practically in a line. They are relatively large, but unfortunately quite damaged. Due to wind and rain erosion, the facades have crumbled and pillars have fallen down. These are the graves:

  • Urn Tomb: dates back to the 1st cenutry.
  • Silk Tomb: named after the many colours of its sandstone.
  • Corinthian Tomb: this tomb looks like a replica (or is it the original?) of the Treasury.
  • Palace Tomb: this tomb is higher than the rest and very ornately decorated.
  • Sextius Florentinus Tomb: thanks to the roman script engraved, this is the only tomb that can be identified with certainty. Sextius was the roman governor of the province of Arabia around the first century.

The Colonnade

This was the main street of Petra. The buildings along this road date back to the roman era. This is where the important buildings were, including palaces, bath houses and temples. It’s not entirely clear which buildings stood her exactly, because they are nearly entirely in ruins and covered by sand. Scientists are still researching this area.

Obelisk Tomb and Bab as-Siq Triclinium

The Obelisk Tomb is the best (and pretty much only) proof that the Nabataeans traded with the Egyptians. There are four 7-metre-high obelisks, a signature Egyptian shape, hewn out of the rocks. The tomb dates back to the 1st century BC, but not much else is known about it.

Underneath, though not directly, lies Bab el Siq Triclinium. This is not a crypt so much as a hall for mourning as well as celebrating the deceased. Both these structures are on the Siq, the path to the entry into Petra.

Temple of Dushares

Temple of Dushares (Qasr Al-Bint) is the ‘palace of the daughter of the pharaoh’. Scientists believe it was once the most important building of the city. These days, only the walls remain. It’s close to the High Place of Sacrifice, where an altar can be clearly recognised, as well as small channels used to drain away the animals blood. You can also still see the small, circular cistern cut into the rock, where the priests would cleanse their hands.

Djinn Blocks

For many tourists, it is the first impression of Petra sculpture. Near the entrance you will see three conspicuous, uniquely shaped monuments on the right-hand side. These are called the Djinn Blocks.

The Bedouins long believed they housed evil spirits, but the blocks were probably built for burial. However, who was buried at the spot and when this happened is unknown. It is presumed that the buildings date back to the first century BC. They may be the oldest tombs in Petra.

Petra in the evening or night

Lights in the evening at Petra.

Petra is almost creepy at night. The moon and the stars illuminate the surroundings a little, causing only the outlines to be visible. However, when you walk through Siq, the lanterns are the only lights in the gorge. Then suddenly, you are in front of the Treasury illuminated by many lanterns, just as the Nabataeans had once illuminated their city. In the background you can hear the sounds of Bedouin music.

Take a good look around and take in the surroundings, as this is an entirely different experience than during the day. It’s great for those who want to see Petra in a different light, or if you want to take photos that stand out among all the standard pictures. Bring a tripod.

Sunset at Petra

The wonderful sunset at Petra.

Petra is op zijn mooist tijdens de zonsondergang. Alle rotsen kleuren dan langzaam rood, waardoor het landschap weer wat van zijn oude uitstraling terug krijgt. Ook al omdat de meeste toeristen dan allang weer naar huis zijn. Ideaal voor wie sfeervolle foto’s van de vele monumenten wil maken. Of voor mensen die simpelweg willen genieten van het kleurenspel. Wie dit wil meemaken kan wel het beste een hotel in de buurt hebben van Petra.

History of Petra

Research shows that the area was already inhabited in the Iron Age. From 1,200 BC, the Edomites lived in the mountains surrounding Petra. Edom means ‘red’, which probably refers to the colour of the mountains. Recently it was discovered that the Edomites were skilled at pottery. Various kilns were found near Petra.

But the builders of the current Petra (meaning ‘stone’ or ‘rock’ in Greek) are the Nabataeans. Not much is known about these people. They were nomads who moved from the Arabian peninsula to Jordan in the sixth century BC, and they probably drove out the Edomites with force, and learnt the art of pottery.

The Nabataeans were true art lovers and they were bold enough to mix their own culture with others. They were inspired by Greek architecture, and later on by the Roman and Egyptian arts of construction, so Petra’s more than 1,000 buildings have a unique mixture of styles. This is just one of the amazing feats the Nabataeans pulled off here.

The colours of the rock give Petra an extra dimension. ©Corno van den Berg

Discussion among archaeologists

Even now, scientists are still discussing the purpose of the city. Was it just a holy site where the most important inhabitants were buried? Or was it a thriving trade center? What is certain is that the Nabataeans used the natural ravines and gorges to create temples, houses, arches of triumph, bridges and tombs.

They worked with unprecedented precision, which can still be clearly seen today. The material they used was the porous sandstone present in the area, which lights up and changes colour in different light. Not many people are aware that the Nabataeans also built various buildings that were destroyed by natural disasters.

The Nabataeans chose a spot that was hard to reach, but in a strategic location. Even now, connecting roads to the Red Sea remain, which enabled trade with Arabia and Mesopotamia. The road through the Negev Desert leads to Gaza, and provides access to the Mediterranean (Greece) and Syria. The base is a rocky mountain with some of the rocks reaching up to 300 meters in height. The deep gorges are the remains of a huge river.

The Romans

Scientists have discovered that the city was taken over by the Romans in 106 AD, but initially this did not slow down its development. However, Petra started to lose some of its importance in the centuries that followed, and gradually attention shifted to other cities like Palmyra (in Syria) and Jerash (in Jordan).

In the following centuries Petra is still used, for instance by Roman emperor Diocletian, who appointed the city as capitol of the province Paelestina Tertia. The crusaders also built a fortress just outside the city for their crusades. However after this, things fell silent around Petra, and the city sank into oblivion.

This grave proves that the Nabataeans have met the ancient Egyptians.

But in 1812 it was ‘rediscovered’ by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. He was chased away by the Bedouins that lived in the region. Scottish artist David Roberts was the one who told the world of the city. In 1839 he spent five days painting the various structures, and gradually the world became aware of Petra.

The increasing research in the area also led to the discovery of ‘Little Petra’ (also known as ‘Siq al-Barid’), a village just a couple of kilometers away. It is presumed that there was not enough room in Petra for all the merchants (and the camels and camel drivers) so extra living space was required.

There are significant similarities between the two places. Little Petra is also hidden between the rocks and a small pathway (more narrow than the one at Petra) leads up to the entrance. Remarkably, there are remainders of some type of protective measures made of stone, to seal off the village in case of an attack. As there was no water source, rain water was collected and channeled to shaded places. They used cement for these because the sandstone was too porous.

In the 21st century Roberts’ drawings of the area became increasingly important, as wind and rain erosion is slowly destroying the buildings in Petra and Little Petra. On the other hand, it gives Petra an illustrious character, one befitting this strange place, built by a relatively unknown tribe that nevertheless managed to create one of the wonders of the world.

Best time to visit Petra

Spring

Spring is ideal, because of the mild temperatures. However, keep in mind that there will be many tourists.

Summer

Summer, on the other hand, is extremely warm and crowded. It will not be easy to take pictures; the light is very bright and the colours will be harsh. Go out in in the morning, but you’ll need lots of time.

Autumn

Autumn is a fine period to visit Petra, because of the mild weather.

Winter

Winter is relatively quiet (as far as tourism is concerned). There may be rain between November until March.

Be aware!

It can be extremely hot on many days, especially around noon. Prepare yourself for the sun and make sure you bring along drinks or purchase some at the stalls.

Petra is very popular and attracts a lot of people, especially at the entrance and at the famous Treasury. If you prefer to avoid the crowds and the heat, you should visit Petra in the early hours of the morning. If you like taking photos you should return in the afternoon, when the soft light accentuates the colours of the rocks just a little bit more.

Vendors selling old coins (and jewellery, etc.) may become a nuisance if there are not many tourists around. You are discouraged from buying such things, because they are often stolen from graves or fakes.