The Magnificent Ancient City of Petra, Jordan

 

The Monastery, Petra

When we first visited Petra with our kids nearly 40 years ago, Bedouin families were still living in its caves.  The next year, the Jordanian government kicked them all out, moving them to a village above the valley, in order to turn Petra into a “real” tourist site.  It was phenomenal then, when our kids were able to play soccer with local Bedouin boys inside one of the huge cave tombs.  Today, it is no less wonderful, just filled with Bedouin offering rides on their camels and donkeys instead of living in the caves.  

view of Wadi Musa (Petra) from above

The valley is one of the most spectacular ancient cities in the world.  First, the rock into which the tombs and temples have been carved is multi-colored and gorgeous. 

Petra's colorful rock formations

Second, one of the most stunning sights on earth is emerging from the narrow Siq, a deep rock chasm with towering cliffs, ranging from 10 to 40 feet wide and ¾ mile long, to see the famous Treasury building, what everyone visits Petra to see.

the beautiful Treasury

But, there is so much more—the Nabataean stone architecture and tombs, Roman ruins, Byzantine mosaics, not to mention the natural beauty of Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses), the canyon of Petra, occupied for 12,000 years. 

walking down the Siq

All along the valley, tombs have been carved into the sandstone.  You can walk the length of the valley to a restaurant at the end and then climb another mile to the Monastery, a third century BC Nabataean tomb surrounded by huge black rock mountains and many vendors.  If you don’t want to climb the stairs cut into the rocks, you can take a donkey ride, which one of our group decided to do.  Despite her qualms, her donkey and guide hauled her safely up the steep trail so she could see not just the Monastery, but the gorgeous terrain all around.  If you walk from the entrance to a viewpoint past the Monastery and back, it is 10 to 11 miles, and a wonderful hike. 

tombs dug into the cliffs

The Byzantines built several churches, one of which

has beautiful mosaic floors.  It is well worth the short

climb to the church because the mosaics are 

stunning and you can continue on to a long series of

tombs carved into the colorful cliffs.

mosaic floor in Byzantine church

The Romans built their own city in the first couple of centuries AD, complete with temples, marketplaces, theaters and roads.  They ruled Petra for 250 years, but left when an earthquake destroyed much of the city. 

Dogs and donkeys are everywhere, usually resting, sometimes noisily announcing their fights and frustrations.

Roman temple

tomb cut into colorful cliff

dogs lolling along the Roman road