Petra is the Jordanian landmark that forms an ancient city famous for its rock-cut Treasury façade.
The Nabataeans established Petra as their capital in the southern Levant. Its position between Arabia, the Mediterranean, Egypt, and Syria helped it prosper as a trading centre, especially through the movement of incense and other valuable goods.
The Treasury, or Al-Khazneh, is carved into rose-coloured sandstone and is one of Petra’s best-known monuments. Despite its name, it was not necessarily a treasury; its original function is commonly interpreted as a monumental tomb or related funerary structure.
Petra also contains tombs, temples, streets, water channels, and a large theatre. The city declined after changes in trade routes and damaging earthquakes, although local communities continued to know the area. Petra’s nickname, the “Rose City,” refers to the colour of its stone, not to a formal ancient name.