The rose-red city carved out of solid sandstone — half as old as time, and twice as breathtaking.
Carved into pink sandstone cliffs by the Nabataean civilization more than 2,000 years ago, Petra was the capital of an Arab kingdom that grew rich on the trade routes between the Red Sea and Damascus. The city sits hidden in a valley reached only through the Siq — a narrow, twisting canyon that suddenly opens onto Al-Khazneh, the famous Treasury façade.
Lost to the West for centuries after the Crusades, Petra was rediscovered in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Today around 800 carved tombs, temples and dwellings remain — a city sculpted, not built.
The site is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Tickets are sold at the visitor centre in Wadi Musa; a multi-day pass is recommended.
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