Ai petri jordan. History of the city of Petra in Jordan. Royal Tombs in Petra

Ancient city Petra. Treasure of Jordan

The ancient city of Petra is rightfully considered the main attraction of Jordan, glorifying this eastern country for the whole Earth, and one of the 7 new wonders of the world!

Maybe someone remembers the old film about Indiana Jones, in which he was looking for the Grail - there was a huge temple carved into the rock =) It turns out that this was not scenery, but such a miracle really exists - in Petra!

The ancient Nabatean city was founded in these rocks about 4 thousand years ago (according to other sources - 2 millennia), back in the era of the Edomites - then a small but well-defended fortress was built in the rocks. Later, these lands came into the possession of the Nabatean kingdom, which was just at that time experiencing its heyday. Petra, which served as the capital of the kingdom, gradually acquired enormous influence and unprecedented popularity. The emergence of a city in such a hard-to-reach place became possible thanks to the ability of the Nabateans to control the flow of water, because in essence Petra is nothing more than an artificial oasis! Flash floods are common in this area, and the Nabataeans successfully controlled them using dams, cisterns and aqueducts, which allowed them not only to survive long periods of drought, but also to successfully trade water

In addition to the fact that the Nabataeans knew how to skillfully collect water, they also learned how to skillfully process stone. The name “Petra” literally translates as “Rock”, and it is not surprising - after all, the entire ancient city consists entirely of stone!

However, the Nabatean kingdom fell under the onslaught of the Roman emperor Trajan, and then the Roman Empire itself disappeared into oblivion... Since the 16th century AD, only the wind has “walked” here, and then infrequently. This pearl among the rocks was forgotten for more than 2 centuries - until the moment in 1812, the Swiss traveler-adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt decided to find in these lands a lost city, about which there were many legends, but which, despite this, no one never saw. As a result, the Swiss finally found the legendary lost city, carefully protected by sands and rocks!

All the buildings of Petra were built mainly in three periods: under the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), the Nabataeans (II century BC - 106 BC) and the Romans (106-395 AD). .). In the 12th century, the ancient city was ruled by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. Monuments built here after the 6th century AD have practically not reached us. Therefore, the appearance of Petra, which is revealed to the eyes of tourists today, is the ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom

An interesting fact is that the territory of Petra is currently only 15% studied, so it is possible that soon the mysteries of the ancient city may amaze the whole world! Now imagine that this 15% is about 800 (!) different historical sites on the territory of Petra!

Because of this huge amount centuries-old attractions, even tickets here are sold for a three-day period - after all, in a day you can only briefly examine all the famous this moment“treasures” of Petra, but even a month is not enough to get acquainted with all its architectural elements in detail!

Petra makes an impression on all tourists who come here - even the most sophisticated ones, and I think this is connected to a greater extent not so much with the ancient city itself, but with the road that leads to it - after all, the city is “hidden” in the very center of the rock! In order to get to Petra, you need to go down into a deep gorge called “Sik” (“Mine”), formed as a result of a prehistoric shift of the earth’s crust, and walk for quite a long time along a narrow path (in some places only 3-4 meters wide) on at its bottom, between steep 80-meter cliffs, on which here and there ancient inscriptions carved in stone and even entire niches carved into the limestone for rest are found. At some point, it begins to seem that you will have to walk along this gorge forever, but suddenly it ends abruptly and the enormous Treasury of Pharaoh (the Arabic name is El-Khazneh, from which the word “Treasury” later came) opens to your eyes - one of the most famous monuments ancient Petra, in front of which the ant-people froze in surprise...

Gradually, the state of numbness recedes and is replaced by surprise and disbelief that such a huge thing can be carved into the rock. The purpose of Al-Khazneh, carved into the rock around the 2nd century AD, is still unclear, but many historians and archaeologists believe that it was originally a temple to the goddess Isis

In any case, the Treasury is an example of the greatest skill of ancient architects. After all, even today such a structure would be very difficult to create, not to mention how accurate the calculations must be and how it was hollowed out of stone in the first place, if there is not a single tree for scaffolding around for hundreds of kilometers!

It is also surprising that after thousands of years, the facade of the Treasury turned out to be practically untouched - see for yourself!

Monument to the Pyramids at the entrance to the Siq gorge

Before entering Petra you can purchase detailed map city ​​and decide for yourself whether to wander through the most mysterious nooks and crannies in splendid isolation or hire a guide

Map of the ancient city

The map shows: 1 - Entrance; 2 - Al-Wuheira; 3 - Beginning of the Siq gorge; 4 — “Treasury of the Pharaohs”; 5 - Place of sacrifices; 6 - Theater; 7 – Urn Tomb or “Cathedral”; 8 - Tomb of Sextus Florentinus; 9 — “Nymphaeum”; 10 - Church; 11 – Temple of Winged Lions; 12 - Great Temple; 13 – Temple of Uzza; 14 - Archaeological Museum; 15 - Lion Triclinium (Roman dining room); 16 – El Deir Monastery

The ancient city stretches for several kilometers. The main street is laid from east to west, decorated on the sides with a colonnade. At its eastern end there is a three-span Triumphal Arch, and on the west there is a large temple

Early necropolis of the Nabateans

One of the main architectural elements of Petra, along with the Treasury, is an ancient theater for 6000 spectators, entirely carved out of the rock and located so that from there one can see the most important tombs, including the “Cathedral”, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb, the Urn Tomb and Silk Tomb

The theater was built in Petra at the beginning of the 1st century AD, almost at the same time with the majestic bulk of the El Deir monastery carved into the rock at the top of the cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high, which, judging by the carvings on the walls crosses, served for some time Christian Church. It may seem familiar to many - most likely this is due to the fact that one of the scenes of the second Transformers film was filmed here =)

Maybe it’s more recognizable this way)

From the slope next to El Deir you can see Mount Jebel Harun with a white mosque on top - this relatively small and modestly decorated tomb of Aaron, the brother of Moses, was built by the Mamluk Sultan in the 13th century. According to Arab legends, this is exactly the place where Moses hit the stone with his staff and water flowed from it.

To the right of the Theater is the entrance to the “Cathedral”. The inscription indicates that Bishop Jason converted the Doric Tomb into a Eucharistic Hall. The same inscription dates this transformation to 447 AD

Plan of the Church of Papyrus in the western part of the city

1 - Atrium; 2 - Baptistery; 3 - Basilica; 4 - Department; 5 - Altar; 6 - Papyrus's room

View of the church from the altar

In the 90s during excavations. carried out by the American Center for Oriental Research, a vast building was discovered, decorated with beautiful mosaics. A number of administrative records written on papyrus and dating back to the sixth century AD were also discovered. Papyri - part of a private archive including contracts, rents, exchanges, wills, and various types of agreements. In the photo there is a medallion with an image of Neptune

The floors of the nave and chancel are made of multi-colored marble tiles. Both passages are decorated with mosaics. The mosaic style belongs to the Gaza School, which is very different from the school of the Madaba School, mosaic examples of which were found in previous days. The photo shows the atrium of the church. The basilica was divided into three parts by two rows of columns

The Baptistery is located in a room adjacent to the atrium of the Church

Interior of the Temple of the Winged Lions

A Roman inscription from 114 AD on this monumental gate praises Emperor Trajan. The gate leads to the large courtyard of the Temple of Uzza (Qazr al-Bint)

Inner courtyard of the Great Temple of Petra. The floor is made of hexagonal marble slabs

Panoramic view of Qazr al-Bint and Umm al-Biyara peak. The Temple of Uzza was built at the beginning of the 2nd century AD

Arch in the facade of Qazr al-Bint

The Lion Triclinium got its name thanks to the lions “guarding” the entrance

It is also worth paying attention to the monumental tombstone structure in the Roman style, which received the simple name of the Tombstone Palace. One more interesting place is the Archaeological Museum of Petra, which contains the shadow of the history of the development, formation and decline of these lands. In the photo there are a couple of exhibits from the museum - a fragment of a capital sculptured in the shape of an elephant found in the Great Temple, and the head of an eagle

And this is one of the reddish rocks with many shades, because of which Petra was often called the “Red City” or “City of Roses”

On December 6, 1985 it was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO - the ancient city was called “one of the most precious elements cultural heritage of humanity,” and on July 7, 2007, Petra was named one of the “Seven New Wonders of the World”

Petra is an ancient city, the pearl of Jordan. Located one kilometer from the city of Eilat.

The city of Petra was the capital of the ancient Nabatean state, which arose in the 7th century BC. A significant part of the architectural objects of Petra are carved directly into the red sandstone rocks.

In ancient times, the city was located at the crossroads of important trade routes, which ensured its prosperity. But after the opening of sea trade routes, the city fell into decline. Gradually the sands were hidden from view amazing architecture Petra. Forgotten for centuries, it was discovered only in the 19th century.

Now majestic buildings ancient capital attract about half a million tourists annually.

Coordinates: 30.32887900,35.44257900

Byzantine church

Petra is an impressive Nabatean ancient city in Western Jordan. All its magnificent massive facades, carved from red sandstone, and the surrounding rugged landscape dotted with historical monuments - real paradise for travelers. Petra was and is a great religious city. There are many tombs, temples, sanctuaries and altars here.

One of these gems is the Byzantine Church. It was built on Roman ruins around 450 AD. The church was a three-nave basilica with total area about 400 square meters. All the passages of the temple are paved with amazingly preserved mosaics depicting local and mythical animals. The cruciform font was surrounded by four columns, possibly supporting a dome. Around 600 AD, the church suffered a major fire and was abandoned until it was finally destroyed by earthquakes.

Its excavations began in 1992, archaeologists discovered 152 papyrus scrolls. The Byzantine church is unique historical monument ancient civilization and is of great interest to tourists.

Coordinates: 30.33128700,35.44429100

What sights of Petra did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Canyon Siq

The Siq Canyon is located in Jordan, its length is one and a half kilometers, and it ends with the ruins of Al Khazneh. Previously, this gorge served as the main entrance to the ancient city and was used by royal caravans.

At the very beginning of the canyon you can see the remains of a stone arch. Here stood the massive gates of the Roman legion, which made it possible to tightly block the passage and hold the defense with minimal forces.

Coordinates: 30.32888900,35.44027800

Karak has been known since ancient times. The castle is a huge labyrinth with gloomy arches and endless passages. It is so high that you can see the Dead Sea from its windows.

Karak is located on the so-called " Royal Road"(or "Road of the Kings"), the caravan route between Syria and Egypt. It is not for nothing that bloody wars were fought over this territory for many centuries.

The castle was built by the Crusaders in 1136. The fortress of Karak became at that time the main center of the Crusaders in the area. Later it became a fortified point of the Mamluks and Ayyubids.

The main thing in Karak is numerous tunnels, underground passages, labyrinths, rooms. It is very easy to get lost in them and, moreover, interesting. Some places are simply pitch dark, so a flashlight will come in handy.

Coordinates: 31.16485500,35.76190800

Tomb with urn

The urn tomb is one of the many unique structures in Petra. This is one of the five so-called Royal Tombs, which were used for the burial of kings and high-ranking persons. It gets its name from the urn that surmounts the central pediment.

The tomb was built on high mountain and dominates the neighboring facades. To get here, you need to climb several flights of stairs. Presumably this is the tomb of King Malchus II, who died in 70 AD. The impressive façade has stood the test of time. The tomb stands on an open platform, along northern terrace There are several pairs of columns. The inner chamber is quite impressive, its area is about 400 square meters.

In 477, the tomb was converted into a church, as evidenced by the dedication record on the back wall of the hall. This impressive structure is very popular among tourists. There is a café here for visitors wide choice refreshments and a cozy hotel located a few kilometers away.

Coordinates: 30.32762000,35.44943400

Aneisho Tomb

The Aneisho Tomb is one of the many attractions in Petra. It was created around 50 AD. The monument is located on a hill, so it immediately attracts attention.

This majestic structure is named after the brother of the Nabatean queen Shagilat. It has a beautiful façade with double cornices. Its structure combines Greek, Egyptian and Nabatean architectural styles. The tomb was a two-tier room with a total area of ​​about 400 square meters. A room with a massive table and two benches was equipped here, in which sacred holidays were held in honor of the dead.

This place is of great interest to visitors. Next to the tomb there is a small cafe with a wide selection of soft drinks. A cozy hotel is located a few kilometers away, you can stay here for a while excursion tour.

Coordinates: 30.32865700,35.44725200

The most popular attractions in Petra with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places to visit famous places of Petra on our website.

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More attractions of Petra

July 7, 2007 the legendary cave city of Petra in Jordan along with the Colosseum and the Great Chinese wall included in the list of “new wonders of the world.” The ancient city is really worthy of your visit, so we are ready to tell you exactly what is important not to miss during a tour of Petra.

The history of the city of Petra in Jordan

Petra received its name from the Semitic word for “rock,” since all the religious buildings of the city were carved from solid red sandstone rocks. The facades were carved from top to bottom, for which purpose special stone steps were placed on either side of them. It is interesting that any error in the calculations excluded the possibility of correcting anything: if the master carved a column thinner than necessary, there was no longer any possibility of replacing it. In addition, the craftsmen actually worked as climbers. For example, in the construction of any European facade, scaffolding was used in 100% of cases. There were no forests here even hundreds of kilometers away. The builders, like sculptors and rock climbers, patiently carved out the facades of the canopy.

Unusual coloring of red sandstone rocks

It is believed that the city was founded by the Edomites - distant descendants of Lot, the one who fled from God's wrath from Sodom and Gomorrah. As is known from the Old Testament history, his daughters, realizing that the entire male population had died, and worrying about the continuation of the family, decided to get their father drunk and, as the Old Testament diplomatically states, “lay down with him.”

In terms of the time of construction, the city as a whole is not homogeneous. Here you can find buildings of the Nabothaeans from the 18th century. BC, as well as the “later” buildings of the Romans - some I-II centuries. already AD. It is known that Petra was at the crossroads of two trade routes. One of them went from south to north and connected the Red Sea coast with Damascus, the other - from east to west and connected the Persian Gulf with Gaza, which at that time was occupied, presumably, by the Phoenicians. The paths crossed in the Petra area, which only made the city richer every year. But with the discovery of the sea route to the East by the Romans, everything ended. The city and the city treasury were empty, the buildings fell into disrepair, and then were completely lost.

Desert ships

It’s interesting that during the Israeli War of Independence the song “Red Rock” was popular among the people and young Israeli fighters considered it daring to ride to Petra and back. In most cases, daring ended in death, but those who returned alive gained almost eternal “glory.” The management, understandably, was extremely dissatisfied with such antics and categorically did not encourage the song.

Excursion to Petra

You can easily get to Petra on your own. Most convenient way- automobile. Whether to rent a car and drive it yourself or to leave it in the hands of the driver is a controversial issue. On the one hand, if you are driving, you are responsible for safe driving. On the other hand, probably only local drivers have built-in sensors that allow them to quickly respond in emergency situations, of which there may be several at once during your trip.

Important! If you are in Jordan for more than one day, then a ticket to Petra magically turns from 90 Jordanian dinars into 50. And don’t forget at the entrance tourist centre take a card - it’s calmer and clearer with it.

1. Genie tanks

The first thing you will encounter on your way is several square stone blocks, which the Bedouins who lived here nicknamed “Tanks of the Djinns,” naively believing in the demonic origin of the stones. By the way, most of the modern names of Petra came to us from the Bedouins, who gave names to certain monuments to the best of their understanding.

Genie tanks

On the road to the gorge on your right there will be a “Bedouin highway” - be careful - this road is for Bedouin carts boldly pretending to be chariots. They rush along it at an insane speed, often turning over and scaring tourists to death.

"Bedouin high way" :)

Typical carts with tourists in Petra

2. "Obelisk" and Triclinium Bar As-Sik

Almost opposite the “Gin Tanks” there is a mysterious building - the “Obelisk” and the Bar Al-Sik triclinium. It consists of two levels: the upper one is an early Nabothaean burial, marked by four obelisks, and the lower one is a triclinium or, in our case, a funeral hall. In the Roman tradition, the triclinium consisted of a table and three benches surrounding it in the shape of the letter "P". The dishes were served from the fourth side. This hall has suffered significantly in recent centuries from countless attempts to find Nabothaean treasures.

Obelisk Tomb

3. As-Sik Gorge

After walking another 400 meters, we will approach the ancient entrance to the As-Sik gorge. It is also the entrance to the Nabataean city of Petra. The length of the gorge is 1200m, and the bizarre natural coloring of the rocks is due to the local rock - red sandstone.

Siq Gorge

The play of sunlight gives an additional “zest” to the unusual coloring of the gorge

To the right of the entrance is a dam. She was built to unfold mountain river and save the city from spring “floods”. As you enter the gorge, pay attention to the drainage on the right side. The peculiarity of these places is that since ancient times the question of water here was “to be or not to be.” At best, 15 cm of precipitation fell per year in these parts. But the Nabataeans were very inventive and created an entire drainage system, collecting rainwater within a radius of 25 km. Along the entire gorge on both sides of the road there is a drain for fresh water. Whether this water was intended for animals, ablutions, or drinking water is now impossible to know.

Drain in the As-Sik gorge

4. Al-Khazneh

Or the “vault” was built by the Nabataeans in the 1st century. AD. The purpose of the complex is still unclear. There is an assumption that the temple was dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, whose bas-relief was barely preserved in the pier between the columns in the central part of the facade. The two-level facade is entirely carved from rock. On both sides there are steps - these are what the ancient builders used. The lower tier of the six-column Hellenistic façade is crowned by an atypical portico, seemingly divided into three parts. In the spaces between the columns there were bas-reliefs of gods and goddesses. A round urn is visible at the top center. In the 19th century, the Bedouins, thinking that all the treasures of the temple were stored in it, tried to shoot it down with guns.

Al-Khazneh Treasury in Petra

The temple became a global celebrity thanks to Steven Spielberg's film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where the hero was looking for the Holy Grail. And that’s why there are always a lot of tourists here too. You have virtually no chance of taking a photo alone with Petra in the background. But opposite the façade there is a small cafe whose benches you can use as a photo podium. This way you will get good pictures, and the crowds of tourists in the background will only add color, and will not spoil the frame with their curious pugs :)

The majestic façade of Al Khazneh

5. Street of facades

Upon exiting the gorge, on the right side there will be the so-called “Street of Facades” - these are the tombs of noble and wealthy Nabateans. History has not left us any more significant details.

Street of facades

From the “street of facades” we climb up to the royal tombs, reach the remains of a Byzantine church and through the “street of colonnades” and the ancient theater we return again to the “street of facades”.

6. Royal Tombs

The first three tombs you will encounter on your way are the Urn Tomb, the Silk Tomb and the Corinthian Tomb. The “Tomb of the Urn” was supposedly created in the 70s AD, and in the mid-15th century. was converted into a Byzantine church.

Royal Tomb

The scale of construction in Petra is truly amazing!

By the way, if you deviate from the route and go towards the ancient theater, which was clearly visible from the “street of facades,” you will have a stunning view of the gorge and the road. This is where rare photographic ecstasy occurs. The main thing is that the sun does not let us down.

7. Palace Tomb

You and I move on and go to the Palace Tomb. You will recognize it by its wide facade. It is believed that this facade resembled Roman palaces, hence the assumption that only royal or especially noble persons could be buried in such a grandiose building. Which, however, is not confirmed by written sources.

Palace Tomb

8. Tomb of Sextius of Florence

Behind the Palace Tomb is the only building for which scientists know for certain for whom and when it was built. Sextius was the Roman governor of Arabia and, as sources tell us, he wanted to be buried in Petra, for which purpose in 126-130. and this tomb was hollowed out.

Now is the time to look around the valley and find a white tent canopy - this is our next stop.

Camels are the most safe way getting around Petra. They are difficult to disperse on the local highway.

11. Colonnade Street

Along the Roman street of colonnades we return back to the gorge. There will be remnants on your right side temple complex, which without undue modesty is called Big temple. Pay attention to the columns lying on the ground in a beautifully sliced ​​sausage - this is the result of a powerful earthquake in the 8th century. Next we go to the ancient theater, now we have a chance to look at it up close.

Among the rocks that are truly valuable, it’s easy to find mountains of Bedouin “remake” :)

12. Ancient theater

The theater was carved out of the rock in the 1st century AD and originally seated 3,000 spectators. Later it was expanded by the Romans to 7000. If you look closely, you will see three tiers of spectator seats, divided into sectors by stairs. The front façade of the theater once faced the road. On its sides there were still black eye sockets of the entrances through which spectators entered the building. Only a few columns have survived from the portico, but at the time of its greatness the stage was decorated with a row of seven small Ionic porticoes.

Ancient theater in Petra

Having completed your tour of the theater, you will long road back. Of course, you can take the Bedouin Highway and even take part in the Chariot Races. But is it worth it? Take care and have a nice trip!

Today I will tell you about the main attraction of Jordan - the ancient city of Petra. It is located in 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. The passage to the valley is through gorges located in the north and south, while from the east and west the rocks drop vertically, forming natural walls up to 60 m in height. In 2007, Petra was chosen as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Petra was located at the crossroads of two important trade routes: one connecting the Red Sea with Damascus, the other connecting the Persian Gulf with Gaza off the coast Mediterranean Sea. Departing from Persian Gulf caravans loaded with precious spices had to bravely endure the harsh conditions of the Arabian desert for weeks until they reached the coolness of the narrow Siq canyon, leading to the long-awaited Petra. There travelers found food, shelter and cool, life-giving water.

For hundreds of years, trade brought Petra great wealth. But when the Romans opened sea routes to the East, the land trade in spices came to naught and Petra gradually became empty, lost in the sands. Many buildings of Petra were erected in different eras and under different owners of the city, including the Edomites (18-2 centuries BC), Nabateans (2nd century BC - 106 AD), Romans (106-395 AD), Byzantines and Arabs. In the 12th century AD. e. it was owned by the crusaders.

The first of the modern Europeans to see and describe Petra was the Swiss Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who was traveling incognito. Next to the ancient theater you can see a building from the Edomite or Nabataean era. Monuments built after the 6th century AD. e. practically not, because in that era the city had already lost its significance.

01. Now Petra is visited annually by about half a million tourists. Admission for a day is approximately 55 euros, for 60 euros you can buy a ticket for 2 days. View of the road to Petra.

02. The gorge begins from here. There is a main road - flat, quite wide, almost all tourists get to Petra along it. But you can turn off and take the unimproved road. To do this, turn right at the post into the tunnel. Walking there is quite difficult, but you can feel like you are in the shoes of the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who discovered Petra in 1812.

03. a few more videos from above.

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05. This is what the main road looks like. Before entering, they will actively push you to get a horse to get to the city, don’t agree, the road there is very easy. But you can return back by cart. This pleasure costs 20 euros, you cannot bargain, since the tariff is official.

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09. Using terracotta pipes, the architects of Petra created a complex water supply system and despite the arid climate, the city's residents never needed water. There were about 200 reservoirs throughout the city that collected and stored rainwater. In addition to connecting the reservoirs, terracotta pipes collected water from all sources within a radius of 25 kilometers. Annual rainfall in Petra is only about 15 centimeters. To save water, local residents they cut down canals and reservoirs right in the rocks.

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11. As tourists walk through the cool kilometer-long Siq canyon, around the 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.

12. The building is crowned by a huge urn made of stone, in which gold and precious stones were supposedly kept - hence the name “Treasury”. The official name of this structure is El Khazneh. The architects planned the construction of this temple in the former river bed. For its construction, the river bed was changed, a grandiose project for that time. A tunnel was cut into the rock to divert the flow of water and a series of dams were built.

13. According to the popular etymological version, the word “Treasury” subsequently came from the word “El-Khazneh”. In fact, there is no direct connection between these words. El-Khazneh literally means "storehouse" from khazan - to store, store. The Russian word “treasury” goes back to the same Arabic word, but was directly borrowed in the 12th-14th centuries from the Polovtsian language. Famous cat.

14. A few more photos of local cats, but I don’t like them so much)))

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18. The canyon gradually expands, 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.

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20. The name itself is “Petra”, which means “rock”. And Petra, indeed, was a city of stone; there was no such thing in the Roman Empire. The Nabataeans, who built the city, patiently carved out houses, crypts and temples from stone blocks. Petra is nestled among red sandstones that lend themselves well to building, and by the first century AD a monumental city had grown up in the heart of the desert.

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30. The final point of the route is the Ed-Deir monastery. To get to it you need to climb the mountain for quite a long time, but you can take a donkey for 5 euros and walk back down.

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38. Ed-Deir, 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.

39. Not far from the monastery there are observation decks, here you can admire the view of the valley.

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42. All the viewpoints have been taken over by Bedouins who will extort money from you.

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45. Be prepared for a lot of small extortionists and souvenir sellers. There is not much to buy there; prices in Petra are approximately 2 times higher.

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49. Some tourists try to save money and sneak in mountain paths without a ticket. For them, guards were posted at the far approaches to check tickets and chase away violators.

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54. And this is what an alternative gorge looks like, along which you can get to Petra. It’s very beautiful, although the walk takes much longer, but it’s worth it.

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58. The entrance to Petra is open from 6 am to 5 pm. Sometimes the city opens at night, you need to buy additional ticket. The entire road to the Treasury is decorated with paper lanterns.

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60. A small performance takes place in the square near the Treasury itself.

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64. View of Petra from the neighboring mountain.

Not only the wonderful beaches of Aqaba and healing mud Dead Sea Jordan is famous. Petra is its main attraction, and hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see it. The architects who built this city incomprehensibly hollowed out caves in the rocks, turning dead stone into majestic temples and tombs. But then there were no modern tools, and technology had not reached half of the modern level. Nevertheless, people, figuratively speaking, with their bare hands managed to create masterpieces that have survived centuries.

The Nabataeans - the founders of the fairy-tale city among the rocks

According to legend, the Nabateans are descendants of Shem, the son of the world famous Noah. In the 3rd century BC they formed the state of Nabatea. The most important caravan routes for the economy of those times passed through its lands. Therefore, the territory of the Nabatean kingdom was a tasty morsel for many neighboring states and was often attacked. But the Nabateans not only managed to defend their land from invaders, but also subjugated part of Syria and remained independent during the power of the Roman Empire. The Nabataeans had great hatred for the Jews and not only fought with them endlessly, but even ransomed other captured Jews from them in order to subject them to cruel torture and then kill them. Jordan is now located on the territory of the majestic Nabatea. Petra is the former prosperous capital of a vanished ancient state. Nowadays it is a unique museum created by nature and human genius.

Lost City

The lost cities of fantasy novels seem to be copied from Petra, a city hidden in the rocks. Who knows, humanity would have known anything about this place if in 1812 the orientalist from Sweden Johann Burckhardt, traveling around the Middle East under the name Ibrahim ibn Abdullah, had not come across an unusually beautiful gorge, walked along it and opened it to humanity ancient city of Petra. Jordan carefully protects its shrine, which is included in the list of wonders of the world. Petra - in Greek means “stone, stone.” The city received this name because at some point in its history it was associated with ancient Hellas. This is evidenced by numerous elements in the architecture of buildings, colonnades and porticos, reminiscent of parts of ancient Greek temples, but with their own details that are not characteristic of the Hellenes. Burckhardt himself was not looking for the lost city, but was planning to cross the Sahara to the sources of the Niger. This man died on the threshold of his 33rd birthday, having become famous for centuries thanks to his unexpected discovery.

Geographical position

Hot dry climate, the only small area of ​​the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea and 90% desert plains interspersed with lifeless rocks. This is Jordan. Petra, a unique historical heritage and the pride of the country, cannot boast of blooming gardens. It amazes the imagination with the harsh beauty of silent rocks, rushing their masses tens of meters into the sky. The city is located at an altitude of 660 meters above the Arava Valley and communicates with the world through the narrow Siq gorge. The Arava is a desert plain where there is almost nothing living. In the old days, travelers accompanying camel caravans crossed the Arava, languishing from the heat and lack of water. For them, majestic Petra was like a life-giving mystical oasis, where they could drink plenty of water and relax. The Nabataeans chose one of the most inaccessible places for their capital. You can only get into the city through a narrow canyon from the south or north. According to legend, it happened because Moses hit the rocks with his staff. According to another legend, the Nabataeans did not allow the Jews whom Moses led through the desert to pass through their city.

Siq Gorge

Both the crossing of the Arava and the advancement through the gorge are included in the program of the excursion tour called “Jordan, Petra, sights”. For those who do not want to tire their legs, enterprising Arabs rent horses, camels, donkeys and even small carriages. Entrance to the gorge is paid. If you didn’t have time to inspect everything in one day, you will have to pay again the next day. The price until recently was 20 dinars (approximately 20 euros). However, the money spent is worth the beauty that you will not see anywhere else in the world. The amazing begins with the first steps along the gorge. It is a narrow winding canyon about one kilometer long. Why not even? The Arabs say because he was crooked. The width of this natural masterpiece is not uniform. In some places the gorge is so narrow that a horse-drawn carriage can barely pass, and in some places it reaches a width of 3 meters. It’s more interesting to walk along it, falling behind the group and being left alone with the rocks, these eternal guardians lost city. Their steep, and in some areas bizarrely overhanging slopes rush upward, almost closing overhead. And only a blue stripe of sky prevents you from breaking your connection with the real world. The color of the slopes changes depending on the time of day. It is especially beautiful at dawn and sunset. But even during the day, the multi-colored layers of sandstone that form these monoliths look wonderful.

Al Khazneh

At the exit from the gorge, a wonderful creation of human genius opens to your eyes. This is a mausoleum-temple carved right into the rocks. Petra in Jordan, especially this great building, can delight anyone. Its height is 39 meters and its width is 25. Externally, the facade resembles, however, on the walls there are figures of Amazons, the heads of the Egyptian goddess Isis and the mythological Medusa. Also on the facade you can see figurines of eagles, according to the beliefs of the Nabataeans, carrying away the souls of the dead. That is, several architectural styles were intertwined during construction. El-Khazneh is crowned with an urn, in which, according to legend, the treasures of the pharaohs were placed. That is why the name of the temple arose - “the treasury of the pharaohs.” Inside, the temple consists of three small rooms without any decoration. Just bare walls.

Tombs of Petra

Many researchers are inclined to believe that the pharaohs have nothing to do with El-Khazna, and the building served as the tomb of the rulers of Petra. In front of the temple there is a small round depression with a groove, in which sacrifices may have been made. Blood flowed down the groove. But this detail does not confirm the theory about the tomb 100%. There is nothing inside Al Khazneh that could shed any light on what the structure served. The Nabataeans took this secret with them. From great civilization We still have the city of Petra. Jordan considers it its main pearl. Even dilapidated by time, the city is grandiose. From Al Khazneh there is a short street of façades leading to other monumental buildings. Some of them were also carved into the rocks, others were built from hewn stone blocks. There are many tombs in the city, but they are all much smaller and more modest than the great Al-Khazneh.

Water supply in the city

The entire Arabian Peninsula is considered a dry region. Jordan is the same. Petra is a city where only 150 mm of precipitation fell per year, which is negligible for the life of 40 thousand inhabitants. However, the Nabataeans built a network of canals and reservoirs in the city, in which all the collected water was stored. In addition, the Nabatean irrigation system made it possible to collect water in the area around the city. The townspeople always had plenty of water. There is an assumption that during rare but heavy rainfalls, streams more than a meter deep could rush through the Siq gorge. To prevent such an amount of water from flooding the city, the Nabateans built something like a dam to divert water flow to the side and preventing water from rushing into the gorge.

Other attractions in Petra

Not only the unique temple of Al-Khazneh is famous for its Petra beautiful coastline in the Gulf of Aqaba and the many surviving buildings of glorious Petra will forever preserve the memory of visiting this great place on Earth. One of them is the Ad-Deir monastery. It is located just above the main city buildings and is also carved into the rock. The façade of the monastery resembles in its appearance the façade of the Al-Khazneh temple. It is slightly larger in size and reaches a height of 45 meters with a width of 50 meters. There are many steps leading up to it. Perhaps this is why it is not visited as often as Al Khazneh. In addition to the monastery, in the stone city the Tombstone Palace, the Temple and the huge arena deserve attention. It was created in the likeness of Greek theaters and served, according to historians, for cultic and religious rites.

Jordan. Petra. Tours, hotels, souvenirs

Jordan is a great destination for tourism. Many travel agencies can book tours of various durations and destinations. Those who choose to visit Petra can stay in the suburb of Wadi Musa, located from stone city one and a half kilometers away. There are no hotels in Petra itself. It is open to the public only a few hours a day. There is plenty to choose from in Wadi Musa, with hotels to suit different tastes and budgets. In addition, in the suburbs tourists will find numerous restaurants, shops, bars and even night club. In addition to Wadi Musa, you can stay in central city Petra is about a 3 hour drive from there.

Visiting this historical city, every tourist buys souvenirs as a keepsake. They are sold here literally on every corner. Women's jewelry, ceramics, utensils from Arab craftsmen, and small bottles of colored sand are very popular.

 

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