Petra, Jordan

in #travel7 years ago

Petra is a Nabataean city located in Jordan, dating from about 312 BC. We say city, but the place is huge with its 264 square kilometres (102 sq mi). So huge you need to stay at least two days in the vicinity (there are hotels close to the entrance). Besides, you'll be able to take beautiful photos enjoying the sunset and sunrise lights.

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The main entrance of the site is called the Siq. With a length of about 1.2 kilometres (0.75 miles), this narrow gorge meanders between two natural cliffs. Once a paved road, it also presents two water channels carved in the rock on each side.

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At the end of this paved way, you will encounter the Treasury, or Khazneh, wich is carved into a cliff.

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For the most adventurous, you can climb a set of stairs to a small tea place in front of it (you have to follow the façade wall and turn around it to find the stairs). The place is really quiet in the evening when most of the tourists are already gone.

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The carved out tombs show a wonderful array of brightful colors from the sandstone veins inside.

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The Monastery, Ad-Deir, is for its part isolated in another mountainous massif which is reached by stairs. If you have enough time and a good pair of trekking shoes, you can reach it from the other way around, which is a very nice trek where you won't get too many people.

You will find other photos of Petra with Arabic writings on my website languagesandnumbers.com