Petra is the ancient city carved into rose-colored rock in Jordan.
Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, whose rulers controlled important caravan routes through the deserts of the southern Levant. The city's monuments were cut into sandstone cliffs, producing the reddish appearance that inspired its popular nickname, the “Rose City.”
Its most famous facade is the Treasury, although archaeologists believe it was probably a monumental tomb rather than a storehouse. Other major features include the Monastery, the Siq entrance gorge, a theatre, and extensive rock-cut tombs. Petra also had sophisticated systems for collecting, storing, and distributing water.
The city flourished especially from the fourth century BCE until the second century CE, when Roman control expanded in the region. Earthquakes, shifting trade routes, and changing political conditions contributed to its decline. Petra was brought to wider Western attention after Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited it in 1812.