Petra is the ancient city carved into cliffs in southern Jordan.
Petra was established as a major settlement by the Nabataeans, an Arab people who controlled trade routes across the deserts of the Near East. Its location in a narrow mountain basin helped protect it, while sophisticated channels and cisterns allowed residents to manage scarce water. The city became especially prosperous from the trade in incense, spices, and other goods.
The most famous entrance is the Siq, a narrow natural gorge leading to the Treasury, whose rose-coloured facade was carved into sandstone. Petra also contains tombs, temples, a theatre, colonnaded streets, and the Monastery. Archaeologists continue to investigate the extensive site beyond the best-known monuments.
Rome annexed the Nabataean kingdom in AD 106, and Petra later declined as trade routes changed and earthquakes damaged the city. Petra was brought to wider European attention in the early nineteenth century. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and is often called the Rose City because of its sandstone.