Petra, the ancient city carved into rose-red rock, is in Jordan.
Petra lies in southern Jordan, between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The Nabataeans developed it as their capital from about the 4th century BCE, using its position beside major caravan routes to control trade in incense, spices, and other goods. The city’s famous monuments include the Treasury, the Monastery, and the Siq, a narrow sandstone gorge leading into the site.
Petra’s architecture was cut directly into cliffs as well as built from stone. The Romans annexed the Nabataean kingdom in 106 CE, after which Petra remained important but gradually declined as trade routes changed. Local communities continued to know the site, while it became widely known in Europe after Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited in 1812. UNESCO listed Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985.