Often known as the eighth wonder of the ancient world, Petra is Jordan's most precious treasure and its most important tourist attraction. Its fame is well deserved and nothing really prepares us for this shocking place. Must be seen to be believed.
The spectacular city of Petra was built by the Nabataeans around the 2.000rd century BC, who excavated temples, tombs, palaces, stables and other outbuildings in the red sandstone cliffs. This people settled in the area more than XNUMX years ago and turned it into an important city of passage that linked the routes of silk, those of spices and others that connected China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt. Syria, Greece and Rome.
Discovery of Petra
For centuries it was a mystery. The local inhabitants of the Jordanian desert surrounded the mythical city of the Nabataeans with legends, probably to preserve their caravan routes and that no one would dare to go there. In fact, the first European capable of infiltrating these routes and reaching Petra had to pose as a sheikh to see this ancient place, since foreigners were prohibited from roaming these areas.
In this way, in 1812 the Swiss Johann Ludwig Burckhardt was the first European able to reach Petra to see what was true in these legends that were told about the red city. With the excuse of wanting to offer a sacrifice at the tomb of the prophet Aaron, he managed to separate with his guide from the caravan in which he was traveling and was able to contemplate with his own eyes the legendary Nabataean treasure. He was the first Westerner to do so in six hundred years.
At his death in 1822, his memories of that extraordinary place dug out of the pink stone of the Jordanian desert were published and in the following years many other European adventurers arrived in Petra, including the famous Scottish cartoonist David Roberts, who brought more news and news to Europe. the first drawings of that place.
Knowing Petra
It will take several days to get to know the city in depth since the rest of the monuments are very scattered and you have to walk a long way to see them all. The most emblematic of them all is the Treasury, which is accessed through the narrow gorge called Siq.
As the Petra Valley is accessed, the visitor will come across its impressive architecture and will be awed by the natural beauty of this place. Just like the adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt did 200 years ago.
Here you can find hundreds of tombs carved out of the rock and decorated with elaborate engravings that were built for posterity. Many of them are in good condition although they are empty. A large Roman-style theater built by the Nabataeans is also preserved, unlike the houses that were destroyed by an earthquake.
There are obelisks, temples, altars, colonnaded streets and, high above the valley, rises the impressive Ad-Deir monastery, an ascent of 800 rock-cut steps leading up to it.
Inside the site you can also visit two fantastic museums that have a large collection of pieces from the Petra region: the Archaeological Museum and the Nabatean Museum.
There is also a shrine to commemorate the death of Aaron, Moses' brother, built by a XNUMXth-century Mamluk sultan.
Inside the compound, various artisans from the city of Wadi Musa and the nearby Bedouin settlement set up their small stalls to sell local crafts, such as Bedouin pottery and jewelry, as well as bottles of colored sand from the area.
What is the best time to get to know Petra?
In case you want to take pictures, the best time to visit the city is from early in the morning until mid-morning or late in the afternoon, when the inclination of the sun's rays highlights the natural colors of the rocks.
However, evening visits to the Treasury of Petra by candlelight are unforgettable, a magical experience that must also be lived there. It is advisable to bring warm clothes since the temperatures are low at night and the light and music show that is projected there can last three hours in the open air.
How to access Petra?
Vehicle access to the site is not allowed but you can rent a horse or carriage to tour the Siq. Disabled or elderly people can obtain a special permit at the Visitor Center for their transfer to the interior of Petra and the visit of the main attractions for an additional price.
Jordan is much more than Petra
Petra is more than enough reason to visit Jordan but not the only one. In addition to its many other monuments, the country offers spectacular desert landscapes, lands full of flowers and small villages that preserve their ancient traditions.
In addition, Jordan is betting on boosting its religious tourism and the Jordan Tourism Board, a public body for the promotion of tourism in the country in collaboration with experts from the Jacobean Route, designed the 'Jordan Trail', which runs through the main Jordanian biblical points: the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River, the ascent of the prophet Elijah to heaven in a chariot of fire from the east bank of the same river, the place from which Moses sighted the Promised Land on Mount Nebo or the city that hides the mosaic map of the Holy Land dated to the XNUMXth century known as Madaba.
These are just some examples of the places that appear in the Bible and that are part of this great project that aims to attract pilgrims from all over the world. In total, more than 600 kilometers spread over 40 days that allow you to discover the entire country by crossing it from north to south.