Jordan is the country home to the ancient city of Petra.
Petra was established as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, whose people controlled important caravan routes across the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant. Its most famous buildings were carved directly into rose-colored sandstone cliffs, giving Petra its nickname, the “Rose City.”
The city flourished especially from the 1st century BCE into the 1st century CE. Its location helped the Nabataeans manage trade in spices, incense, textiles, and other valuable goods. Petra also had sophisticated systems for collecting, storing, and distributing water in a dry landscape.
The Roman Empire annexed the Nabataean Kingdom in 106 CE. Earthquakes and changing trade routes later reduced Petra’s importance. Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt brought wider Western attention to the site in 1812. Petra became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.