*18*Petra

Petra is an archaeological site as well as an ancient city in Jordan, in the south western of Asia. Named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Petra is renowned for its rock carvings on the cliffs. Although Petra was first established sometime around the 6th century BC, the site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. In December 6, 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It was believed that the carvings were done by the Nabataeans, an Arab nomadic tribe who settled here more than 2000 years ago. You can enter the city from the east. The entrance is a narrow gorge of 3 to 4 meters wide and over 1 kilometer in length called the Siq (literally means “the shaft”). At the end of the narrow gorge stands Al-Khazneh (Treasury). Al-Khazneh is a massive façade with 30 meters in width and 43 meters in height, carved out of the rock surface. A little further from the Treasury is en-Nejr (theatre).

Here is a little tip on when is the best time to see Petra. The perfect time would be either early to mid morning or late afternoon. During these hours, the sun enhances the amazing natural colors of the rocks, good for photographing.