Petra is the ancient city in Jordan famous for its rock-cut Treasury.
The Nabataeans established Petra as a major centre in the region's sandstone mountains. Its buildings, tombs and temples were carved into cliffs or constructed from local stone. The site became wealthy partly because it controlled trade routes connecting Arabia, the Levant and the Mediterranean world.
The Treasury, known locally as Al-Khazneh, is Petra's most recognisable façade. Despite its name, archaeologists believe it was probably a royal tomb or ceremonial monument rather than a storehouse of treasure. Visitors reach it through the Siq, a narrow natural gorge leading into the city.
Petra was annexed by Rome in 106 CE. Earthquakes and changing trade routes contributed to its decline, and the city became less prominent before being brought to wider Western attention in 1812 by Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.