Inhabited since prehistoric times, 2,000-year-old Petra is the pink and salmon coloured capital of the Nabataean Arabs. It was an important crossroads that linked China, India and Southern Arabia with the wealthy Mediterranean markets Greece, Rome, Egypt and Syria. The city is half-carved in the rock within a ring of mountains and riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world.
Dating from the beginning of the 8th century, this desert castle has one of the oldest remaining Islamic baths.
Containing remains from the Roman, Byzantine and Early Moslem periods (end of 3rd to 9th century AD), the site started as a Roman military camp and grew to become a town as of the 5th century.
This archaeological site on the eastern bank of the River Jordan has two distinct areas: Tell Al-Kharrar (Elijah's Hill) and the area of churches of Saint John the Baptist.
Last Updated: July 28, 2024
