The ancient archaeological city of Petra is in Jordan.
Petra lies in southern Jordan, between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The city was established by the Nabataeans, an Arab people who made it their capital and developed it into a major trading centre. Its buildings were carved into rose-coloured sandstone cliffs, giving Petra the nickname “Rose City.”
The Nabataeans controlled routes carrying incense, spices, textiles, and other goods between Arabia, the Levant, Egypt, and the Mediterranean. Petra’s engineers created channels, cisterns, and dams that helped manage scarce water in the dry landscape. The famous Siq, a narrow natural gorge, forms the main approach to the city.
The Treasury is Petra’s most recognizable facade, but it was probably a monumental tomb rather than a treasury. Other major remains include the Monastery, the Great Temple, and a Roman-style theatre. Rome annexed the Nabataean kingdom in 106 CE. Petra later declined as trade routes shifted and was largely unknown to Western audiences until Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited in 1812.