Petra is the most popular attractions in Jordan for tourists and also one of the world's most famous historical archeological sites. It is an ancient city located between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. The city is half man-made and half carved into the rock and had a water conduit system that is also one of the reasons the city is famous. It is often referred to as the Rose City because of the rose color of the rock from which the city was carved. The Western world knew nothing of Petra until a Swiss explorer introduced it in 1812.
Interesting Petra Facts:
- Smithsonian magazine chose Petra as one of the '28 Places to See Before You Die'.
- Petra is thought to have been established as early as 312 BC. It was the capital city of Nabataens. There is evidence to suggest that between 1550 and 1292 BC settlements had begun in and around Petra.
- Petra was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. UNESCO also described Petra as ‘one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage'.
- In biblical times, the part of the country where Petra lies was assigned to the Horites. Biblical references refer to Petra as ‘the cleft in the rock'. It is thought that this was in reference to the entrance.
- This is the biblical site where it is said that King Aretas ordered the arrest of the Apostle Paul. Petra is referred to as Sela in the bible.
- John William Burgon won the Newdigate Prize for his poem that described Petra as ‘a rose-red city half as old as time'.