The ancient city carved into red sandstone at Petra in Jordan is called Petra.
Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, an Arab trading state that flourished in the region during antiquity. Its buildings, tombs, and temples were cut into cliffs and reached through the narrow Siq, a dramatic natural gorge. The Treasury is the site’s most famous façade, although it was probably a monumental tomb rather than a treasury.
The Nabataeans prospered by controlling caravan routes linking Arabia, the Levant, and the Mediterranean world. They developed sophisticated systems for collecting, storing, and transporting water in a dry environment.
Rome annexed the Nabataean Kingdom in 106 CE, and Petra’s importance later declined as trade routes changed. The city became widely known in Europe after Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited it in 1812. UNESCO listed Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985.