Jordan is home to Petra, the ancient Nabataean city famed for its rock-cut Treasury. Petra lies in southern Jordan, where sandstone cliffs shelter monuments, tombs, and temples carved directly into the rock.
The Nabataeans established Petra as their capital by at least the fourth century BCE. Its position beside routes linking Arabia, the Levant, and the Mediterranean helped the city prosper from caravan trade in incense, spices, and textiles. Sophisticated channels and cisterns supplied water in the arid landscape.
The Roman annexation of the Nabataean kingdom in 106 CE changed Petra’s political status, while earthquakes and shifting trade routes contributed to its decline. Local communities continued to know the site, but European awareness grew after Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited in 1812. Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.