Petra is the ancient city famous for its rock-cut monuments in modern Jordan.
Petra was a major Nabataean city carved and built in the sandstone mountains of southern Jordan. Its most recognizable façade is Al-Khazneh, commonly called the Treasury, although the building’s original function was probably a royal tomb rather than a storehouse of treasure. Visitors reach the city through the narrow Siq, a natural gorge that forms its dramatic entrance.
The Nabataeans made Petra prosperous by controlling caravan routes linking Arabia with the Mediterranean world. They developed sophisticated water-management systems, including channels, cisterns, and dams, allowing urban life in an arid environment. The Roman Empire annexed the Nabataean kingdom in AD 106.
Petra’s importance declined as trade routes changed and earthquakes damaged infrastructure. Western awareness grew after the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited in 1812. UNESCO listed Petra as a World Heritage Site in 1985, and it became one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.