Jordan is home to Petra, the ancient city known as the Rose City.
Petra lies in a basin surrounded by mountains in southern Jordan. Its buildings and tombs were carved into rose-coloured sandstone, inspiring the nickname “Rose City.” The most famous façade is Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury, which visitors reach through the narrow Siq gorge.
Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, an Arab state that prospered by controlling caravan routes linking Arabia, the Levant, and the Mediterranean. The Nabataeans developed sophisticated water systems, including channels, cisterns, and dams, allowing the city to flourish in a dry environment.
Rome annexed the Nabataean kingdom in AD 106, and Petra later declined as trade routes changed and earthquakes damaged its infrastructure. The city became widely known in the West after its rediscovery by Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. Petra joined the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.