Petra
Sign in to savePetra (; ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu ( or ), is an ancient city and archaeological site in southern Jordan. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit systems, Petra is also called the "Rose City" because of the colour of the sandstone from which it is carved. The city is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
AI overview
Petra is an ancient city in southern Jordan carved directly from rose-colored sandstone, famous for its distinctive rock-cut architecture and sophisticated water systems. It is recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it one of the most significant archaeological sites in the world.
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Key facts
- Historic site.name
- Petra ()
- Historic site.location
- Ma'an Governorate, Jordan
- Historic site.locmapin
- Jordan
- Historic site.map_relief
- 1
- Historic site.built
- Possibly as early as the 5th century BC
- Historic site.visitation_num
- 1,135,300
- Historic site.visitation_year
- 2019
- Historic site.governing_body
- Petra Region Authority
- UNESCO World Heritage Site.child
- yes
- UNESCO World Heritage Site.ID
- 326
- UNESCO World Heritage Site.Year
- 1985
- UNESCO World Heritage Site.Criteria
- Cultural: i, iii, iv
Article
31 sectionsContents
- History
- Neolithic
- Bronze Age
- Iron Age Edom
- Emergence of Petra
- Roman period
- Byzantine period
- Crusaders and Mamluks
- 19th and 20th centuries
- 21st century
- Layout
- Hellenistic architecture
- City centre
- High Place of Sacrifice
- Royal Tombs
- Exterior platform
- Geostrategic importance
- Religious importance
- Nabataean religion
- Late Roman and Byzantine-period Christianity
- Early Muslim and Crusader periods
- Traditional connection to Moses, Aaron and Miriam
- Climate
- Conservation
- Popular culture
- "Rite of passage" of the Israeli youth
- Gallery
- See also
- Notes
- Bibliography
- External links
Petra (; ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu ( or ), is an ancient city and archaeological site in southern Jordan. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit systems, Petra is also called the "Rose City" because of the colour of the sandstone from which it is carved. The city is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The area around Petra has been inhabited from as early as 7000 BC, and was settled by the Nabataeans, a nomadic Arab people, in the 4th century BC. Petra would later become the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom in the second century BC. The Nabataeans invested in Petra's proximity to the incense trade routes by establishing it as a major regional trading hub, which gained them considerable revenue. Unlike their enemies, the Nabataeans were accustomed to living in the barren deserts and thus were able to defend their kingdom. They were particularly skillful in agriculture, stone carving, and rainwater harvesting.