Petra is the ancient city in Jordan famous for buildings carved into pink sandstone. The archaeological site lies in a basin surrounded by mountains and is especially known for the rock-cut façade called Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury.
Petra was developed by the Nabataeans, an Arab people whose kingdom flourished from about the fourth century BCE. Its position between Arabia, the Levant, Egypt, and the Mediterranean helped it become an important center for trade in frankincense, spices, textiles, and other goods. Water channels, cisterns, and dams allowed the settlement to thrive in a dry environment.
The Roman Empire annexed the Nabataean kingdom in 106 CE. Petra later declined as trade routes changed and earthquakes damaged infrastructure, although local communities continued to know the site. A Swiss traveler, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, brought it to wider European attention in 1812. Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and one of the New Seven Wonders in 2007.