Petra: pink rock city. The ancient city of Petra in Jordan Petra Jordan where is it located

The trip from Amman, Israel and Egypt to Petra will be much more tiring and expensive. Stops at the border are inevitable, moreover, moving from Egypt requires crossing the Israeli border, and Israeli border guards are famous for their meticulousness and slowness. In addition, recently a border tax has been collected from those traveling through the Israeli border.

In summer, temperatures along the route reach 50 degrees, which is not very conducive to curiosity. The ideal time for a thoughtful visit to Petra is late autumn, winter, spring. It's not hot at this time, you should even stock up on a jumper.

The place is so interesting that it’s worth dedicating more than one day to it, although, of course, you can do it in one day excursion. The fact is that in order to even just get from the entrance to the city to the main interesting places, you need to walk several kilometers along the narrow (about a meter in some places) Siq canyon. Very lazy and rich tourists hire donkeys or a stroller. There are inevitable pauses to take photographs and scratch your head in amazement.

You can stop for a rest in the town of Wadi Musa next to the rock city, or in several hotels directly on the territory of Petra.

City `s history

Petra, despite its unusual appearance, is historically the city - the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, which existed for seven centuries. The city had houses carved into the rock, temples, and tombs. Over these centuries, no one managed to take the city by storm. It's all about the right location and a fantastic communications system.

The city of Petra, “Nakmu” in Nabatean, is located at an altitude of more than six hundred meters above the surrounding area. Climbing the steep cliffs surrounding the city is very difficult. The main resource of the Middle Eastern countries to this day remains water. The nameless builders of the city provided a system for collecting and concentrating all possible precipitation. In the Petra area, the average monthly precipitation in the wettest month, January, is 45 mm; in June there is no precipitation at all. All the water that flowed from the surrounding mountains in the spring months, through canals carved into the rocks, flowed into pools and reservoirs, providing residents with food for the whole year.

The city stood at the crossroads of two trade routes- Mediterranean Sea - Persian Gulf and Damascus - Red Sea. The spice trade brought fantastic income to the Nabataeans. Only the discovery of new trade routes to the east by the Romans led to the decline of Petra.

Walk around Petra

All visitors get off the buses before entering the canyon. They sell souvenirs here (residents of Bedouin settlements process ornamental stone at several factories in the area under a government program), there are several coffee shops, and you can hire a crew for a trip through the canyon.

After passing through a canyon with vertical (thirty meters high) walls, you come out to main square El Ghazneh. Usually, guides deliberately “talk their teeth” in order to predict a spectacular moment of exit to the façade of the Treasury. The canyon makes a turn before entering the square, so all the newcomers are looking in the wrong direction. The effect is enormous.

In the building, made famous by the Indiana Jones series, according to legend, the treasures of the pharaohs and, later, Mediterranean pirates were kept. No one is allowed inside. The dimensions of the Treasury are amazing - 40 meters high and 24 meters wide.

At every step, Bedouin children offer to buy souvenirs, even simple stones. Depending on the time of day, the surrounding rocks change color - from soft pink at dawn to orange at sunset. The territory of the city is gigantic, so you can walk here for several days. Some come with their own tents and mountain equipment to spend a few days in the surrounding mountains. Only the cost of staying in Petra changes.

The places here are harsh, therefore, when planning a trip for several days, you need to provide yourself with a supply of water, food (we strongly do not recommend taking alcohol), strong shoes, warm clothes for the night, learn a few Arabic greetings - no one guarantees that you will be understood in Russian (although in Aqaba, all young people speak Russian fluently).

If you ask any local guide how people could build such grandiose buildings without cranes, without forty-meter scaffolding (after all, there is nowhere to get so much wood), they will answer you - they were lowered from above on ropes. Maybe. But a believer will immediately remember the words from the sixth chapter of the biblical Book of Genesis: “At that time there were giants on the earth.” Maybe they really lived here?

Couldn’t they travel [study the history of past centuries and millennia, and then visit the preserved monuments, capitals of states and civilizations that once flourished and crushed any enemy], having at the same time understanding hearts and hearing ears?!

It is not people’s eyes that go blind, but their hearts that are in their chests [they do not heed the lessons of the past in the present, they do not try to understand them. Their whole life is a run from nowhere to nowhere along a narrow path of stereotypes and personal interpretations, subjective conclusions].*

Holy Koran 22:46

Impressed?

Then let's reveal our cards a little.

So, Petra (Arabic: البتراء‎‎) - ancient city, capital Edomites (Edom), later the capital of the Nabataean kingdom. Located on the territory of modern Jordan, at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level and 660 m above the surrounding area, the Arava Valley, in the narrow Siq canyon.

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or Jordan - an Arab state in the Middle East. It borders with Syria in the north, Iraq in the northeast, Saudi Arabia in the east and south, and Israel and Palestine in the west. Jordan shares the coastlines of the Dead Sea with Israel and Palestine and the Gulf of Aqaba with Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

About 90% of the kingdom's territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts.

Jordan's most famous landmark is , the city we are interested in Petra , located 262 kilometers south of Amman, and 133 kilometers north of Aqaba in the Wadi Musa valley.

Ancient city is the property of the Bedouins, who are engaged in the manufacture and sale of souvenirs on the territory of the museum, and also offer rides on horses or camels. In place of the current one Petra was the first fortified settlement, called " Sela" — "stone, rock". Later this name was translated into Greek - Petra ("stone").

Petra - the capital of the Nabatean kingdom and one of the most beautiful and well-preserved ancient cities. Petra is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the new wonders of the world. In ancient times, Petra was located on the trade route connecting the Middle East, Arabia and India.

Historians believe that the city was built by the Nabateans, Arab tribes of nomads who settled on these lands in the 3rd millennium BC. Appearance Petra owes much to Greco-Roman culture, which the Nabataeans adapted to their needs. Beginning with a few easily defended caves in the rocks, Petra gradually grew into an impregnable fortress city. The lands of the former Nabatean kingdom and Peter were completely forgotten in the West.

The first modern European to see and describe Petra was the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.

The very location of Petra is surprising, namely the mountains, which, depending on the time of day, change their color from dark red to pink and even orange.

Getting to the ancient city is not so easy; you will have to cover several kilometers on foot: first go down and then climb back through Siq gorge. From the east and west the cliffs drop steeply, forming natural walls up to 80 m in height.

Here is a description of this path, made in the 70s: “The path to the city lies through this passage. Its length is about 1.2 km, and its width is from 4 to 10 meters or more. The spectacle is truly unforgettable: reddish and brownish rocks up to 80 m high hang on both sides; A strip of sky is blue above, coarse gravel and sand rustle underfoot, and it smells of dampness and mold. The Romans failed to take Petra for several years; its inhabitants, blocking the only narrow passage leading to the fortified city, could hold back an entire army with small forces...

Walking down the aisle- both on the right and on the left above my head are these cut up, gnawed stones of red color. During the rainy season, this gorge turns into a rapid, turbulent stream. The road is decorated with the remains of an ancient pavement and rock bas-reliefs, and along the edges, like a railing, a water trench meanders, delivering water to Petra.

The beginning of the gorge through which you can get to Petra itself

Already approaching the exit from the gorge, we freeze in amazement: through the hole in the dark corridor, about fifty meters from its end, a pink building illuminated by the sun with columns and an elegant pediment is clearly visible. A few more minutes of patience and in front of us is one of the monumental tombs of Petra... What is most striking is that it is a solid stone mass without any additions.

It opens around the corner El Khazneh- a majestic building with a facade carved from a huge rock. It is one of the best preserved structures from the first century. The building is crowned by a huge stone urn, which supposedly contained gold and precious stones - hence the name of the temple (translated from Arabic as “treasury”).

The interior of one of the “rooms” of El Khazneh.

Here you can clearly see that all this was carved out of a solid stone mass.

Once around the rock and the Al-Khazneh Palace, you will find yourself surrounded by hundreds of rock-cut buildings, temples, tombs, small and large residential buildings, tombs and festive halls, long staircases, arches and cobbled streets. A little lower, a huge Roman amphitheater carved from stone, which once accommodated more than 4 thousand spectators.

High in the mountains above the city there is sacred place worship of the gods, from where a stunning panorama of Petra opens - an amphitheater, a Byzantine church and tombs of the kings, Roman colonnades, the mausoleum of Aaron, and main temple Nabateans - Qazr al-Bint.

Here is a list of the most interesting of them: El-Khazneh ("Treasury", the tomb of one of the Nabataean kings), Ad-Deir ("Monastery"), Sakhrij ("Djinn's Blocks"), "Obelisk Tomb", "Facade Square", sacred Mount Jebel Al-Madbah ("Mountain of Sacrifice"), "Royal Tombs", Mugar An-Nasar ("Caves of the Christians"), Theatre, Byzantine church behind the ruins of the Nymphaeum, Al-Uzza Atargatis ("Temple of the Winged Lions"), Qasr Al -Bint (“Palace of the Pharaoh’s Daughter”, although the pharaohs, naturally, have nothing to do with this building), etc.

There are two in the city archaeological museum: old (in Mount Jebel Al-Habis) and new, with excellent collections, as well as many monuments identified with biblical chronicles - the valley of Wadi Musa itself ("Valley of Moses"), Mount Jebel Harun (Mount of Aaron, on which, according to according to legend, the high priest Aaron died), the source of Ain Musa (“The Source of Moses”), etc.

Petra was called a “nest of robbers”, “bloody stones”, “cursed place”, “city of evil spirits”, “ghost city”, “city of bloody altars”, “city of the dead”.

The territory of Petra occupies a large area. From the center, where the ruins of numerous buildings are well preserved, no longer rock-built, but built in the traditional way, made of stone, it extends for several kilometers.

The main street, stretching from east to west through the entire city, was laid during Roman rule. A majestic colonnade stretches on both sides of it. The western end of the street abutted a large temple, and the eastern end ended with a three-span triumphal arch.

Ed-Deir is a monastery carved into the rock at the top of a cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high. Judging by the crosses carved on the walls, the temple served as a Christian church for some time.

Later, after researchers excavated the space under the monastery, they discovered the tomb of one of the Nabatean kings.

Here is a very informative video - channel program National Geographic:

The remains of this cities of the dead"are an edification for us who live after them. In the SacredIn the Koran, the Almighty tells us in several verses about the destroyed peoples and villages:

How many settlements We destroyed along with their sinful, godless inhabitants: the [old] houses collapsed and became empty, the wells [water supply systems] became useless and fell into disrepair, and the [solid] ones built [by last word science and technology] palaces [if they remained standing, they were empty and deserted].*

Holy Quran, 22:45

Each of the human communities has its own term [nothing lasts forever in this world, everything (people, peoples, cities, states, eras, civilizations) has an earthly beginning and end]. If it comes, then nothing can be changed (it is impossible to delay it or speed it up).*

Holy Quran, 7:34

Haven’t you seen what your Lord did to the ‘adites?! [With their tribe] Iram, who had [majestic] buildings supported by columns. There were no people like them [powerful and strong, smart] anywhere until that moment.

Holy Quran 89:6-8

Don’t they see [don’t know] how many civilizations were destroyed by Us earlier! Truly, they will not return to them [to the existing ones]!*

Holy Quran 36:31

In conclusion, I will quote the words of a Muslim scholar-sage who was asked:

“Why do we hear edifications and instructions, but cannot benefit from them, they are not reflected in our lives?

The sage replied: “For five reasons:

First: Allah has endowed you with many bounties, granted you countless blessings, but you have lost your sense of gratitude towards Him

Second: having committed a sin, you stopped feeling the fear of God’s wrath, you stopped asking for mercy with deeds and words

Third: You don't follow what you know.

Fourth: There are righteous, well-behaved people in your environment, but you don’t even think of emulating them.

And the last one“: you bury the dead, see off many of your loved ones and acquaintances to another world, but cannot learn an instructive lesson from this”

As-Samarkandi N. Tanbih al-gafilin.P.292

O Allah, fill our hearts with timidity before Your greatness and power. Awaken in us this feeling, which will manifest itself in our tears, which will be filled in the future life with heavenly springs in the highest degrees of Firdavs! Amine.

Radia Zavdetovna,

Mahalla No. 1

*With comments by Sh. Alyautdinov

Materials used when writing this article:

Wikipedia

Sh. Alyautdinov “The Holy Quran. Meanings"

I. Alyautdinov “Know. Believe. Honor"

I already wrote about this miracle, but then I found more photos and material. I collected it in a pile and posted it again. Admire it.

About 2,500 years ago it was built in Jordan beautiful city, named Petra.

It was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, which flourished for 200 years and was conquered by the Romans, after which the city sank into oblivion.

Civilization disappeared, and the Nabatean treasures were never found. Where did they disappear to?

Treasury of Petra

The Nabateans built the mysterious Petra, and now tourists gasp in admiration when they meet the city in the rock. Information about the Nabatean state came through the works of Diodorus, Strabo and Josephus, and is mentioned in ancient Chinese sources about the Great Silk Road.

But there is no information about the origin of the Nabateans themselves. Only guesses are left. They may be descendants of Ishmael (he had a son, Nabayoth), son of Abraham, or the lost tribe of Israel from the time of the destruction of the First Temple. Or maybe they are a sect (the Nabataeans, who founded the city of Babylon after the Flood, or, according to E. Blavatsky, a mystical caste dedicated to the god of Secret Wisdom?

The early Nabataeans were ruled by a pagan cult. The main deities of their pantheon were Dushara and his female parallel Allat, the mother of all gods. The finale of the tombstone inscription that has come down to us reads: “and this mausoleum will be sacred and reserved in accordance with the custom of the sacred and reserved, which is dedicated to Dushara and declared reserved by the Nabateans and Salamis.”

During Roman rule, Allat was identified with Athena, Venus, Dushara - with Zeus and Dionysus. And the late Greek narrative of Epiphanius draws an analogy between the Nativity of Christ and Dushara, celebrated on the same day.

The future Nabatean state covered the central and southern parts of modern Jordan, the southern and southeastern part of Israel (the Arabian Basin), the central and southern Negev, which was closely adjacent to the Kingdom of Judah. In the 2nd century BC. a powerful leap takes place in the history of the Nabateans. Over the course of a century, this people turns from nomadic to sedentary.

The Nabateans became famous as skilled architects. In addition, they mastered the science of irrigation better than other nations. The Arabian desert bloomed with gardens only under the Nabataeans.

Most of the kingdom's inhabitants became traders. Now they set their own prices and collected duties. They made Petra their capital, located at the intersection of three main trade routes, where, according to legend, they store untold wealth.

Speaking a pro-Arabic language, the Nabateans created a writing system in Aramaic, which would later significantly influence Arabic. The Nabataeans themselves switched to the Greek language towards the end of the kingdom.

The sheikhs who reign at first are replaced by kings who strive for complete deified power. Arethas IV titles himself as “he who loved his people.” The Nabatean elite is related to the Jewish one. King Herod's mother was a Nabataean queen.

The capital of the kingdom of Petra was a key transit hub where all the caravan routes of the ancient world converged. The Egyptians carried their goods to the Roman Empire and Arabia. The Arabians spread frankincense and myrrh throughout the world through Petra. And in those days they were valued higher than gold.

The Nabatean city was not just a caravanserai on the route of merchants. He played the role of the exchange. Many merchants did not dare to go further through the desert and handed over the goods to the residents of Petra, who then sold it. Coins of their own mintage circulated here.

For two hundred years Nabatea flourished. In 106 AD the end is coming independent state. The Roman Emperor Troyan achieved a difficult victory. From the 4th century AD. Nabatea gradually dissolves into Christian Byzantium and disappears without a trace in the Middle Ages.

Only Bedouins have the right to live in Petra

The Mystery of the Holy Grail

For a year and a half now, an expedition of Russian archaeologists has been working in hot Jordan, in the ancient city of Petra. Our experts are exploring the dungeons of the legendary city. It is in them, according to some sources, that the untold wealth of the Nabataeans may be hidden.

The city was built at a high architectural level: the skill of the ancient engineers, who managed to carve caves in the sandy rocks so that they would not be filled up or washed out, is admirable. Arab art historians still do not believe that Petra could have been built by people at all. They do not understand what methods were used by the nomadic Nabataeans in such high-tech construction. The city was built very quickly and was also quickly populated. Its heyday occurred in the 1st century BC, and the last mention dates back to the 7th century after the Nativity of Christ.

There are residential apartments and apartments in the rocks. Almost everywhere there are places for prayer: on one side there are recesses in the stone to make it more convenient to stand, and on the opposite side there are icons. There is a grand amphitheater that seats about 3,000 people and served as a place for lavish funerals.

According to one version, part of the treasures of the pharaohs is kept in Petra. According to another, a spiritual treasure is hidden there - the Holy Grail, in search of which the crusaders came here. Historians claim that the Nabateans themselves could well have accumulated enough gold and jewelry.

Today, the main occupation of the local Bedouin residents is trade. They sell mainly handicraft souvenirs for tourists that have no artistic or other value. And their ancestors did not waste their time on trading trinkets and homemade consumer goods, preferring goods made of gold, silver, and precious stones.

In the city, here and there small jars with treasures are dug up. In souvenir shops you can buy jewelry - bracelets, necklaces - with stylized antique coins. And tourists always find something antique in the sands - fragments of pottery, funeral urns. Those with a serious interest in numismatics are referred to black archaeologists, despite the fact that illegal archeology is severely punished in Jordan. However, it’s hard to resist when caches are hidden somewhere nearby, and no one wants to believe that there are no real treasures left in such a rich city.

City of dead

The main place that has long been favored by treasure hunters is Al Khazneh. Translated from Arabic - treasury or treasury. In search of gold, the Bedouins even shot down the front of the building with guns. Interestingly, the top of this building is crowned with a large stone pot. Locals They cannot understand why it was necessary to decorate a majestic building with an ordinary pot, which belongs in a pottery workshop. There is a legend among the Bedouins that ancient treasures are hidden in it. They say that if you hit the pot successfully, then the well-aimed shooter will literally be showered with gold and precious stones. But this is just a legend.

But where then are the treasures that, despite all attempts, cannot be found, and were they there at all? Deputy Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences for scientific affairs, Doctor of Economics Vladimir Isaev, believes that given Petra’s position in the ancient world, by definition it should have stored untold wealth. However, the scientist suggested that they had been plundered long ago. Art critic Lev Maciel Sanchez adheres to the same version. He is confident that the valuables were gradually carried away by the inhabitants of Petra themselves, leaving the dying city, after in the 3rd century the main trade routes began to shift north, to Palmyra.

Royal Tombs in Petra

Jordanian guides claim that the legacy of the great Nabateans has not disappeared from Petra. They say that under the visible part of the city there is a whole complex of caves, in which the Nabatean treasury is hidden.

To date, scientists have explored only a small part of the stone city. Those buildings that are close to the surface of the earth have been excavated. Only recently, literally last years, archaeologists began to make their way deeper. And they were immediately rewarded: having laid an excavation in front of Al Khazneh, the scientists found hitherto unknown burials. It seems that Petra is only now beginning to reveal her main secrets.

Petra Caves

People still live in the caves of Petra

Monastery in Petra, Jordan

Petra at night

Access to the valley is possible through gorges located in the north and south, while in the east and west the cliffs drop sheer, forming natural walls up to 60 m in height. In 2007, Petra was recognized as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

These days, about half a million tourists come to Jordan every year to see Petra, whose buildings testify to its glorious past. As tourists walk through the cool kilometer-long Siq Canyon, around a bend they discover the Treasury, a majestic building with a facade carved from a huge rock.

It is one of the best preserved structures from the first century. The building is crowned by a huge urn made of stone, which supposedly contained gold and precious stones - hence the name “Treasury”.

The canyon gradually widens, and tourists find themselves in a natural amphitheater, in the sandstone walls of which there are many caves. But the main thing that catches your eye is the crypts carved into the rocks. The colonnade and amphitheater testify to the presence of the Romans in the city in the first and second centuries. Bedouins offer camel rides to tired tourists, sell souvenirs and water their herds of goats at city springs, the waters of which quench the thirst of people and animals.

When Moses got in the way inaccessible mountains which he had to overcome, the patriarch hit the rocks with his staff - and they parted. Since the staff was crooked, the road turned out to be winding. Therefore, in our time, tourists who want to see the unique sights of Petra are forced to descend into the deep Siq gorge through a narrow paved tunnel, the width of which in some places does not exceed three meters along the rocks that almost completely hide the sky. Bas-reliefs are carved on these rocks, and along the path there is an ancient water trench through which water flowed to the ancient city of Petra.

The city of Petra is located in Jordan, 100 km from the Arabian Gulf, in a mountainous area, at an altitude of 900 m above sea level. m., in a valley completely surrounded by rocks, on the eastern side of Mount Gor (on the geographical map it can be found at the following coordinates: 30° 19′ 44″ N, 35° 26′ 25″ E).

The city is notable for the fact that many of the buildings in it - residential buildings, temples, treasury, tombs, amphitheater, monasteries - are completely carved into the rocks. These buildings are so beautiful and elegant that they represent a real work of art.

At the moment, more than 800 attractions have been discovered on the territory of the ancient settlement - and this despite the fact that scientists claim that only fifteen percent of the ancient city of Petra has been surveyed. As a result of a worldwide vote, the city in the rock was included in the list of the new seven wonders of the world.

How the city appeared

The history of this unique city began back in the 4th-3rd millennium BC, when the Nabateans, representatives of the Semitic people leading a nomadic lifestyle, decided to settle here. They chose the place for their settlement extremely carefully: accustomed to constant battles and the struggle for life, they decided to build their capital in a remote mountainous area.

They didn’t think for a long time about what to name the city - and it received the name Sela (stone), and modern name The settlement received “Petra” a little later, when the ancient Greeks translated the word into their language.

The valley located in the Siq Canyon suited them the best way, since the city could only be reached through one single narrow gorge. From a defensive point of view, this was an ideal solution: even famous Roman commanders constantly failed here and, unable to penetrate the city, were forced to lift the siege.

Petra also turned out to be very well located from the point of view of trade (this can be seen by carefully looking at the map), since it was here that two trade routes intersected: the first connected the Red Sea with Damascus, the second - Gaza with the Persian Gulf.

Thus, Petra was ideal place for the rest of caravans loaded with goods, which traveled from different parts of the world and were forced to cross the harsh and hot Arabian desert. In the capital of the Nabateans, tired travelers found shelter, food, water and trade.

It was trade that made the city extremely successful and prosperous for many centuries - until the Romans discovered easier routes to the east. sea ​​routes, and the need for caravans disappeared, because of which trade came to naught and the history of the city of Petra gradually came to an end.

Construction of Petra

Since the city was built both near and in the rock itself, the builders definitely had a hard time. Therefore, there is no doubt that in order to build such structures, they had to have considerable knowledge and skills: the ancient masters managed to create buildings that were absolutely not inferior in either decoration or architecture to Greek and Roman landmarks.

One cannot help but be surprised by the water supply system that the builders provided Peter with: about two hundred tanks were installed here that collected and stored rainwater. Water was supplied here using terracotta pipes from all sources located within a radius of twenty kilometers.

Despite the hot climate and waterless terrain, the inhabitants of Petra did not feel the need for water (if the architects had not managed to think through this point well, the capital would not have existed for long).

What does Petra look like?

One of the amazing features of the ancient city is that the rocks, consisting mainly of red sandstone, constantly change their appearance depending on the light, so Petra looks completely different every time in the same place, trying on all the shades throughout the day red (thanks to this, Petra received another name - the Pink City).

Petra was big city: from the central square, where the ruins of various buildings (not carved into the rock, but built in the usual way) are very well preserved, the highway stretches for several more kilometers from west to east. In the west, the road ends at the Ed-Deir monastery, carved into the rock, the height and width of which are about 50 meters (the fact that it was once a Christian church is indicated by the crosses carved on the walls).

Currently, archaeologists have discovered more than eight hundred different attractions in the city, for which tourists from all over the world come here:

• Temples, among which the most famous is the “Cathedral”, a building decorated with mosaics and decorated with marble slabs. Several administrative reports written on papyrus dating back to the 6th century were discovered here. AD;
• An amphitheater carved into the rock, seating more than 6 thousand spectators and located so that the main tombs of the city can be seen;
• Palaces, tombs and crypts carved into the rocks. Among them, the tomb of Aaron was even discovered, which was built in the 13th century. by order of the Mamluk Sultan. He was not at all embarrassed by the fact that Moses’ brother, in whose honor he was building the tomb, lived several thousand years before this event;
• But the most significant and eye-catching attraction, which is a real wonder of the world, is without a doubt El Hezneh.

El Khazneh

For what purpose exactly in the 1st century. AD a temple was carved into the rock, the height of which was 40 m and the width - 25 m, it is not completely clear, although hypotheses, of course, exist. For example, one of the most likely versions says that El Khazneh was the tomb of the Nabatean king Aref IV Philopatra.

There is also another interesting version that this could be the temple of Isis. There are other, more incredible assumptions, for example, according to one legend, the pharaoh once kept his treasures in El Khazn, and according to another myth, robbers who attacked caravans hid loot in the temple.

The architecture of Al Khazneh in any case indicates high level the skill of local architects: a miracle of this magnitude is difficult to create even today. What is surprising is not only the greatness of the idea and the accuracy of the calculation, but also how they managed to knock out such a thing in the rock. high building, when there are absolutely no trees in the area from which scaffolding could be made.

The building itself looks magnificent: there are six columns at the entrance to Al Khazneh, and the building itself is decorated with magnificent bas-reliefs. The most mysterious decoration is at the very top: the temple is crowned with a huge stone pot.

Why exactly it needed to be created there surprises many, but the Bedouins are convinced that ancient treasures are hidden in it, and if a successful shot is made, the lucky one will be showered with gold and stones (for this purpose they even once shot him, but, of course, to no avail).

When is the best time to go to Petra?

Despite the fact that Petra is characterized by a hot and dry climate, before deciding to travel you should check the weather forecast and take into account the time of year. For example, December and January are the coldest and rainiest months, which are characterized by a large temperature difference (during the day it can be +15°C, at night +3°C).

It is worth rescheduling the trip if weather forecasters promise showers, because in this case the precipitation is so heavy that rescuers often have to evacuate tourists, as a real flood begins in the valley.

If you plan to visit this wonder of the world in the summer, then you should definitely remember to take a Panama hat and sunglasses with you, and don’t forget about water. It should be borne in mind that hot and dry air can sometimes cause bleeding from the nose, so to avoid such a nuisance, experts recommend taking petroleum jelly or an ointment based on it with you and lubricating the inner surface of the nostrils with it to prevent bleeding.

On the hottest days, such as Fridays or holidays, Petra receives up to 3,000 visitors. On a normal day - 1500 people. If there are less than 1000 tourists, the day is considered quiet. So try not to come on a Friday or a weekend if you don't like crowds. However, it must be said that the city is so large that you will always find a less crowded place.

How long to spend here

The village of Wadi Musa, which serves Petra, has no more than 1,200 beds, so many come on a day trip from Aqaba or Amman. For a thorough inspection, it makes sense to spend at least two nights in the city, or even better, three, in order to devote two days entirely to exploring the city.

How to get there

Petra is located 260 km from Amman, the trip there takes 3.5 hours along the Desert Highway and 6 hours along the Royal Highway. Day excursions JETT bus departs at 6.00 (in winter at 6.30) and return at 15.30 (in winter at 15.00). The ticket price includes lunch in Petra; admission ticket is paid separately.

Panorama of Petra

Admission ticket

Please note that admission prices have skyrocketed to astronomical heights: in February 2007, a one-day ticket cost 21 dinars, a two-day ticket cost 26 dinars, and a three-day ticket cost 31 dinars. Children under 15 years old are admitted free of charge. In the late 1980s, the entrance ticket cost only 1 dinar. Entry by horse will cost you an additional 7 dinars, and by car - 20 dinars.

Tourists on camels

Preparing for your visit

First of all, you need to be in good physical shape to be able to explore everything the city has to offer: there will be a lot of walking, climbing up uneven paths and uncomfortable surfaces. Also, shoes are very important. It should be comfortable and able to withstand prolonged contact with an untreated surface.

The next equally important thing is sun protection. Wear loose clothing that does not fit your body, a hat, and sunscreen. You will also need water. Bring a small bottle with you to avoid dehydration. From food - something small and non-melting, like nuts or cereal.

Influx of tourists

Service

Today there is no shortage of refreshment stalls in the city; There are a few good restaurants, concentrated in the Qasr Al-Bint area, an hour's walk from the entrance. However, the prices are quite high, so you may prefer to bring something that is not too heavy. There are few toilets here, and they are all located in restaurants.

Photography

Don't forget to take your camera with you, because Petra is one of the most photogenic places in the world. When shooting, it is important to take into account the angle of incidence of the sun's rays. The sun illuminates the facade of the Treasury from 9.00 to 10.00 in winter and from 8.30 to 9.30 in summer. As for the second monumental facade, Ad Deir, the sun does not hit it until 14.00.

Petra: from the Siku entrance

Bab al-Siq (Gateway to Siq)

Once through the entrance gate, you will be walking through a wide, open valley for the first 15-20 minutes. The first sights you will see here are the tombstones of the genies. (genies are characters of Arabic folklore, similar to our ghosts or spirits). This is a group of three free-standing stone cubes to the right of the road. These are believed to be tombstones. The largest block is deeply carved with a "crow's footprint" design, a common Nabatean design and a signature of Petra.

Obelisk in the rock

Continuing along the main path, you will come to an obelisk carved into the rock on your left. It dates back to the 1st century. n. BC, the period of the last Nabatean kings, and shows traces of a wide variety of influences - Egyptian in the obelisks resembling pyramids, and classical in the columns, pediments and niches for statues. In fact, these are two tombs one on top of the other: the upper one with four obelisks and the lower one in the shape of a triclinium with benches carved into the rock on three sides.

Sik

narrow gorge

After the trail makes a final bend to the right along the valley, you come directly to the Siq, climbing up a small slope of the dam and then descending to gorge level. This dam was built to mark and secure the entrance to the Siq after a group of tourists drowned in a flood in 1963.

During the time of the Nabateans, the Siq was paved with limestone along its entire length - only fragments of this “pavement” remain today. At its narrowest point, the Siq is only 2 meters wide, which makes the 100-meter cliffs rising on both sides look even more impressive. The colors of the rocks here are mostly red-brown; time, wind and rain have eroded them and given them bizarre shapes. In many places you can see fragments of stone stairs leading to abandoned sanctuaries hidden in the rocks.

Dam

Water supply systems

While constructing a dam at the entrance to the Siq, the builders discovered traces of an ancient Nabatean dam and water canals; they managed to some extent to “rely” on these structures when constructing new ones. Apparently, the Nabataeans also wanted to use the Siq as a year-round entrance to the city, which required protecting it from winter floods. They also invented a workable water supply system: water flowed through canals carved into the rocks on either side of the Siq - these canals can still be seen today, particularly on the left, at human height. And on the right there are several ceramic pipes preserved.

Peter: from the treasury to the high altar

Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

The walk along the Siq takes almost half an hour, but it usually feels longer due to the many twists and turns of the path and because you will rarely see more than 20m of path in front of you. All the better will you remember the moment when the brightly lit façade of the Treasury at the end of a dark gorge suddenly appears before you.

The Bedouins call the Treasury "Al-Jerra" ("Urn")- a 4-meter urn rises above its portico. Local belief says that this urn contains the treasures of the pharaohs. The urn is the least preserved detail of the façade; it is dotted with traces of rifle shots - barbaric attempts to destroy it and extract treasures.

In fact, like the entire monument, the urn is carved into the rock. The hidden location of the Treasury allowed other architectural elements of the facade to be preserved - decorative friezes and statues.

The original purpose of the building and the date of its construction for a long time remained a secret. Some scientists attributed it to the 1st century. BC e., others - to the I-II centuries. n. e. However, modern scholars are inclined to believe that it was erected during the reign of Aretas IV, who died in 40 AD. e. It is believed that this was the sanctuary of Tyche (Isis), the goddess depicted in the center of the pediment with a cornucopia in her hands. According to another version, this is the tombstone of the king.

Most scholars are convinced that foreign workers and architects took part in the construction of the Treasury - otherwise it is impossible to explain the combination of such diverse elements in Nabataean design. The columns and capitals are Corinthian, the huge obelisks are Egyptian, and the statue of Tyche (Isis) clearly bears traces of Alexandrian influence (Petra actively traded with Alexandria). On the facade of the building you can see figures of winged sphinxes, a lion, a panther, snakes and dancing Amazons. In contrast, the interior is very simple, not to say ascetic.

200 m from the Treasury you will see a sign, following which you will come to this amazing monument. The steep climb up the steps carved into the rock and through the corridor will take about 35 minutes; an impressive transition into another world - full of silence and removed from Petra's heart. It’s as if you are participating in a ritual procession - and indeed, the priests once walked along the same path, leading the procession to the place of sacrifice. Two 7-meter high obelisks mark the entrance to this sanctuary, located behind the ruined fortress. At the top of the sandstone mountain is an altar; Steps lead to it, and gutters extend from it to drain the blood of sacrificial animals.

Nothing specific is known about the ceremonies held here, but the view from the altar is stunning - you can even see Aaron's tiny tomb on Mount Jebel Haroun (Mount Aaron), revered by Muslims and visited by Christian pilgrims.

Petra: from theater to Ad-Deir

Theater

There is a theater 300 m to the left of the Siq. Despite the fact that the building has been badly damaged by erosion, it is still impressive in its size and surprises with the scale of work that was required to carve 40 rows of seats into the rock. Like the Treasury, it was erected during the time of Aretas IV (1st century AD). It was later rebuilt by the Romans, who captured Petra in 106, but all the work of the masons went down the drain due to the terrible earthquake of 363. The theater could accommodate about 8,000 spectators.

Qasr Al-Bint (Palace of the Virgin)

This temple, dominating the Lower City, is the most important Nabatean temple of Petra. It was built in the 1st century. BC e. The "Virgin" to whom it is dedicated was supposedly the daughter of the pharaoh who lived in the temple but suffered from a lack of water. She announced that she would marry the man who would provide the palace with water supply. Probably, such a craftsman was found, because during excavations, channels and a drainage carved into the stone were discovered at the foot of the palace.

The impressive facade is made of sandstone blocks; its height in some places reaches 25 m. In the center of the temple is the sanctum sanctorum, where a statue of the deity used to stand. Busts of people standing in niches were destroyed in the heat of the fight against paganism. During the time of the Romans, the temple fell into disrepair; in the Byzantine period and the Middle Ages there were living quarters and stables here.

Ad-Deir (Monastery)

The climb to Ad Deir is for many the most memorable part of the walk in Petra. There are magnificent panoramic views all around. For two and a half hours, you make a circular procession from Qasr Al Binta past the Tomb of the Lion Triclinium, a rock-cut sanctuary (Qattar al-Deir) and the early Christian Hermitage.

Suddenly you find yourself on the edge of a huge open sand terrace, and to your right rises the colossal rock facade of Ad Deir, the sight of which makes you feel like a pygmy. Its height is 45 m, width - 50 m. This is the largest monument in Petra. The height of the urn at the top of the facade is 10 m. The name "Monastery" comes from the many crosses carved on the rear wall, suggesting that this structure was used by the first Christians in the 4th century, attracted by its secluded location.

Originally it was most likely a Nabataean temple, but some scholars are inclined to consider it the unfinished tomb of one of the Nabataean kings (the fact that the tomb was not completed is evidenced by the absence of any statues or other decorations in the niches). Like the Treasury, this building dates from the 1st century. n. e. It follows the same style, although the stone used for Ad-Deir is yellower and its lines are bolder and more imposing. Conquerors of the peaks will not be able to deny themselves the pleasure of climbing to the urn along the dilapidated steps to the left of the facade.

Tombs of Petra

In the vicinity of Petra, about 107 tombs with benches inside were discovered, and scientists suggest that some of them were used not only for specific, but also for utilitarian purposes - they ate and even slept there.

Tombs of Petra

Hidden corners of Petra

Despite the fact that Petra is visited by 1,500 tourists every day, its 200 km² territory has many corners where you are guaranteed privacy. Below we will talk about some of them.

Al Madras

If you arrive in Petra late in the evening and have a few hours of daylight left, this excursion to the Al Madrasa Sanctuary is an ideal and unconventional choice.

Buy a two-day entry ticket to be able to enter the city the next morning. The path to Al Madras goes to the left before reaching the Siq - where the main road goes to the right. There is a sign here, and the trail begins just beyond it, skirts a low stone wall, and slants southwest toward a group of rocky cliffs. Passing through the woods and then past stone pyramids, you will come out to a staircase carved into stone, broken but wide. In 10 minutes you will climb several flights of stairs and come to a grassy sanctuary with stone tombs, cisterns, niches and stairs leading even higher to two pools and an altar, or “high place” as it is called in Petra. There are magnificent views from all sides, especially at sunset.

Jebel Haroun and Sabra

Sabra is a free-standing Nabatean suburb of Petra and even has its own theater. You can get here in two hours from Qasr Al-Bint, located in Petra, on foot or by horse. The scenery along the way is beautiful - you will pass several wadis and mountain peaks, including Jebel Haroun with its white sanctuary and the tomb of the high priest Aaron on the 1396 m peak.

It will take two hours to climb there from Qasr Al-Bint, but the road here is not easy, it is better to take a guide. The entire journey, except the last 20 minutes, can be done on horseback.

The tomb itself was restored by the Mamluk Sultan Kal-Aun in the 13th century, and until then the Greek monks lived there Orthodox Church. It is now closed and is still revered as a sacred shrine by Muslims and Christians. The story of Aaron's death is found in the Bible (Numbers 20:23-29).

This excursion lasts a full day; you will need a guide. It is also necessary to stock up on water and food.

You can also take this excursion with your own transport if you arrive in Petra too late to see the main attractions, but still have a couple of hours of daylight left. Little Petra (also known as Siq el Bared)- a good “introduction” to Petra, it’s like a miniature suburb that most tourists don’t visit. The concrete road is signposted from the very beginning of the climb - from Wadi Musa; its length is 10 km to the north. After 2 km the road begins to go uphill; look to the left at the ruined remains of Al-Wuair, the main crusader castle of Petra. It was built in the 12th century, and the Crusaders called it Le Vaux Moise, which means “Valley of Moses.” (in Arabic - "Wadi Moussa").

The concrete surface ends at the iron gate - this is the entrance to Little Petra; The gate is impressive in its compactness - three narrow passages lead into three gorges. Everywhere you can see traces of the Nabataean water supply system and steps that will lead you to the mysterious altars. At the end of the third gorge, the last staircase will lead you to an open terrace and then to the adjacent valley. This unusual connection of all three valleys through flights of stairs and a network of paths will undoubtedly surprise you. Open: during daylight hours. Free admission.

From Qasr Al-Bint, located in Petra, you can make a daring and challenging leap to Umm al-Biarah, a high rock formation that dominates the entire Petra valley. Few tourists dare to do this, and it is better to take a local guide, as the climb is difficult. Just make an agreement with the service boy - he will be only too happy to help you for a small fee.

The return trip to Qasr Al-Bint will take three hours and half an hour to explore the summit.

Part of the way you will climb a stunning stone staircase, the best in Petra, experiencing all the feelings of a participant in a ritual procession: the staircase is zigzag. Higher up it is blocked by fallen rocks, and you will have to climb the rest of the climb on all fours along steep, narrow paths. On the surprisingly wide peak you will find the ruins of an Edomite settlement - the original inhabitants of Petra - dating back to the 7th century. BC BC, discovered during excavations in 1960 by British archaeologists - food and water were delivered to them by helicopter. From the westernmost point of the summit there are wonderful views of Wadi Araba and Jebel Haroun - the best volcanic landscape you will ever see.

Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve

This reserve, covering an area of ​​212 km² between the Royal Highway and Dead Sea, provides opportunities for hiking, including the best adventure route in Jordan - a 36-kilometer two-day hike along the river. Mujib. Applications for participation in all hikes must be sent in advance to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (www.rscn.org.jo). Entry into the reserve without prior agreement is prohibited.

The diversity of flora and fauna in these protected areas is amazing. It is home to the rare Syrian wolf, Blanford's fox, Egyptian mongoose, spotted hyena, caracal and many species of snakes, including the venomous desert cobra and viper. There are fenced areas in the reserve for endangered Nubian ibises - several individuals have already been released. Here you can admire the most pristine wadi landscape in Jordan and have an unforgettable experience. You can, with prior permission from the administration, set up a tent camp and live for several days.

Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve

A short walk around Petra

This walk through the main attractions of Petra is designed for the whole day, if you walk slowly, stopping often to rest. If the physical activity is too strenuous for you, take a horse-drawn carriage or rent a horse. In this way you can get to the Treasury, and then ride a donkey to Ad-Deir. You will find plenty of young people offering horse-drawn transport services.

The length of the walk is 6 km. Best time it starts at 8.30 am. The return from the last point - Ad Deir - with numerous stops will take 2-3 hours, so you will return to the entrance no later than 6 pm.

Go down from the hotel to tourist center, behind which is located ticket office; here you need to buy a day ticket, which is presented at the entrance to Petra.

Djinn Blocks and Obelisk Tomb

After an easy 10 minute walk down the hill you will come to three giant rock blocks (left)- these strange hollow multi-story structures served as tombstones. A little further on the left you will see an obelisk carved into the rock - the first example of structures that are found in abundance in the city.

Siq

It is worth walking slowly through this narrow gorge - there is a lot to see. Spend half an hour exploring the aqueduct ruins and colorful rocks.

The exit from the gorge is located opposite the Treasury.

Treasury

This is the most famous of Petra's attractions. The facade of the Treasury makes a stunning impression. If you want to take the best photos, you should come here between 9 and 10 am. Follow the main winding wide path leading to the Theater (left).

Theater

The building is carved into the rock, the colors are stunning and the acoustics are still excellent, as numerous groups of tourists will demonstrate.

Continue along the main path - it ends at the entrance to the Lower City; here you will find several restaurants.

Lower Town

Here you can explore a number of interesting buildings; look out for Qasr Al-Bint. Having examined everything you consider necessary, relax and have lunch at some restaurant.

From the bridge over the wadi, near the Basin restaurant, a narrow rocky path leads to the right and winds up to Ad Deir; the afternoon sun illuminates its façade favorably.

Ad-Deir

This monastery is the second most important attraction in Petra.

Turn back toward the Lower Town and head back past the Theater and Treasury; re-enter the Siq and return to the gate through which you entered the city.

Ad-Deir

Long walk in Petra

The walk covers as many attractions as you can possibly see in a day, especially if you decide to walk the entire Siq. It's a great introduction to Petra, including two long climbs, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The route is designed for a good level of fitness and has fewer rest stops than the short route.

The total length of the walk is about 9 km. The ideal time to leave is no later than 8 am, then you will be back around 6 pm.

Follow the path from the entrance for 700m until you see a small path turning left, past the obelisk but before reaching the dam. It leads up to Al Madras. Its length is 400 m.

Al-Madras

This detour and climb up several flights of stairs carved into the rock is worth making to see the site of ancient cults.

Return to the main path and follow it further towards Siku.

Siq

It takes about 25 minutes to walk slowly through the Siq. During this time you will be able to explore it and enjoy the unique sensation you will experience when the gorge narrows.

Sik will lead you straight to the Treasury.

Treasury

The stunning facade of this building is the most famous thing about Petra. It's worth staying here, remembering that the best light is between 9 and 10 am. 200 m behind the Treasury you will see a sign “to the left”: along worn stone steps you will ascend to the High Altar.

High Place of Sacrifice

The “ceremonial rise” will take approximately 35 minutes. In front of you are two obelisks, above which there is an altar and an altar itself, located on the top of a rock.

Return to the obelisks and go, without turning, along the small path forward, to the left, to the theater. The path will lead you to a staircase leading down to a narrow stone corridor, past a lion fountain, to Wadi Farazah.

Wadi Farazah

Wadi Farasa

At the foot of the stairs you will see the Garden Tombstone with its lovely classical façade. The stairs to his right lead to a huge cistern. Below are several more tombstones carved into the rock. From here you will have to walk 30 minutes under the scorching sun to the north, to the Lower City and the most interesting building - Qasr Al-Bint.

Lower city

Lower Town

Here you can relax and have lunch in one of the restaurants while enjoying the view of the surrounding area. From the bridge over the wadi behind the Basin restaurant, follow the small rocky path winding up the hill to the right. After about an hour you will come to Petra's second remarkable monument.

Ad Deir

This magnificent façade faces west and is best viewed in the afternoon sun. Those who are not yet tired of climbing can climb to the right, to the central urn, starting from the rocks on the left side of the facade.

Return along the same road to the Lower City, past the colonnades of the Cardo Maximus, viewing other monumental facades on the way to the Treasury. Return to the gate via the Siq on foot or by horse-drawn transport.

History of Petra

The nomadic Nabatean tribes moved north from northern Arabia to the country designated in the Bible as Edom at the beginning of the 6th century. BC, gradually displacing the indigenous Edomite population. They showed themselves to be a powerful and independent force by the 4th century. BC e. By that time, Petra had become their base. Its appeal was obvious: natural security, a safe water supply, fertile lands favorable for agriculture and cattle breeding, all in addition to its strategically advantageous location at the crossroads of trade routes along which silk and spice caravans traveled to the north and east. The name “Nabateans” comes from the Arabic root “nabat”, meaning “heart”, “center”.

Nabatean gods

They brought with them their pagan cult from the Arabian Peninsula. Their main gods were the god Dushara and the goddess Al-Uzza. She was the goddess of fertility, the patroness of caravans and the embodiment of the morning star, and he, whose name literally translated as “from Sharra,” was named after the Sharra Mountains in the Petra region. In the Old Testament these mountains are called Seir, and one of the names of Jehovah - “He who was revealed in Seir” (Deuteronomy) - suggests the identity of these gods. The Greeks later likened Aushar to Dionysus. Numerous idols of Dushara and Al-Uzza can be found throughout Petra in the form of stone blocks or obelisks.

Nabataean temperament

Contemporaries characterized the Nabataeans as peace-loving and hardworking people. In the classical works of Strabo, a historian of the 1st century. BC e., peaceful, diligent people are described, whose cities are not surrounded by walls. If they were attacked, they preferred tactical rather than military solutions, bribing the aggressors with valuable gifts.

This tactic was successful with the Greeks and Romans, and the Nabateans managed to remain largely independent throughout the region's turbulent history. When the last Nabatean king died in 106, Petra became part of the Roman province of Arabia and became its capital.

Under the Romans and after them

The Romans entered the city and rebuilt it, laying main street, building a colonnade along it, erecting temples and baths. Starting from the 2nd century. BC e. Petra's "powers" as a city lying at the intersection of the main caravan routes passed to Roman Palmyra, as the caravan routes changed direction and extended further to the north. Accordingly, wealth stopped flowing here. Christianity reigned here early, as a result of which by the 4th century. n. e. Petra already had its own bishop, and one of the Nabatean tombs was turned into a church.

The population declined over the next few centuries; Until the 12th century, when the crusaders stopped here for a short time, nothing was heard about Peter at all. The Crusaders built two castles here. Until the 19th century the city was forgotten and was perceived by educated Europeans as a mythical city of fabulous wealth, something like Atlantis. It was “discovered” in 1812 by the young Anglo-Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (1784-1817) , who, pretending to be a Muslim, entered the city under the pretext of making a sacrifice to Aaron. And so it happened that Burckhardt became the first European to see the façade of the Treasury after six centuries.