Petra (Ancient City)

A rose-red city carved into desert cliffs by the Nabataean people/Everyday Places

Petra is an ancient city in southern Jordan, carved directly into the rose-red sandstone cliffs of the Sharah Mountains by the Nabataean Arabs beginning around the 4th century BC. At its peak around the 1st century AD, the city was home to roughly 30,000 people and served as the capital of a wealthy trading empire controlling the incense and spice routes. The site covers approximately 264 square kilometers and contains over 800 carved structures, including tombs, temples, and an amphitheater for 4,000 spectators. The famous Treasury (Al-Khazneh) is merely the first of many monumental facades. A sophisticated water management system of dams, cisterns, and channels allowed the city to thrive in the desert.