Mysteries of antiquity: the city of Petra (Jordan) hidden in the rocks. The ancient city of Petra, Jordan: description, photo, where it is on the map, how to get there

Ancient city Petra is rightfully considered the main one that glorified this eastern country all over the globe, and one of the! In this article, you will learn in detail why this place is so popular with hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting Jordan every year.

If you can only visit one place in Jordan, let it be Petra, this antique city often called the red-pink city, this is due to the color of the rocks in which the city is carved.

The impressive temple facades and tombs carved into the rocky walls of multi-colored sandstone are unique historical monuments. They were created by the Arab tribes of the Nabataeans, who lived in this region before the arrival of the Romans.

The place, securely hidden from the outside world, became the capital and turned into one of the most beautiful cities in the Middle East. Petra means “rock” in Greek. And indeed, the city seems to be carved out of the rock.

Its walls were created by nature itself, and all possible infrastructure - from aqueducts to the treasury - was created by people. Only two paths lead to Petra, one of which lies through the Siq gorge, 1 km long and only 3-4 m wide.

In ancient times, the city prospered due to its location at the crossroads of trade routes, as well as the inhabitants' ability to store and store water, which was very important in the harsh conditions of the Arabian Desert.

Petra - huge city even by today's standards. It takes several days to walk around its territory.

Maybe someone remembers old movie about Indiana Jones, in which he was looking for the Grail - there was a huge temple carved into the rock? It turns out that these were not decorations, but such a miracle really exists - in Petra!

Ancient Nabataean city Petra was founded in these rocks about 4 thousand years ago (according to other sources - 2 millennia), back in the era of the Edomites - then a small but well-defended fortress was built in the rocks. Later, these lands came into the possession of the Nabatean kingdom, which was just at that time experiencing its heyday.

Petra, which served as the capital of the kingdom, gradually acquired enormous influence and unusually wide fame. The emergence of a city in such a hard-to-reach place became possible thanks to the ability of the Nabateans to control the flow of water, because in essence Petra is nothing more than an artificial oasis! Flash floods are common in this area, and the Nabataeans successfully controlled them using dams, cisterns and aqueducts, which allowed them not only to survive long periods of drought, but also to successfully trade water

In addition to the fact that the Nabateans knew how to skillfully collect water, they also learned how to skillfully process stone. The name “Petra” literally translates as “Rock”, and it is not surprising - after all, the entire ancient city consists entirely of stone!

However, the Nabatean kingdom fell under the onslaught of the Roman emperor Trajan, and then the Roman Empire itself disappeared into oblivion... Since the 16th century AD, only the wind has “walked” here, and then infrequently. This pearl among the rocks was forgotten for more than 2 centuries - until the moment in 1812, the Swiss traveler-adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt decided to find in these lands a lost city, about which there were many legends, but which, despite this, no one never seen. As a result, the Swiss finally found the legendary lost city, carefully protected by sands and rocks!

All the buildings of Petra were built mainly in three periods: under the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), the Nabateans (II century BC - 106 BC) and the Romans (106-395 AD). .). In the 12th century, the ancient city was ruled by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. Monuments built here after the 6th century AD have practically not reached us. Therefore, the appearance of Petra, which is revealed to the eyes of tourists today, is ancient capital Nabataean kingdom

An interesting fact is that the territory of Petra is currently only 15% studied, so it is possible that soon the mysteries of the ancient city may amaze the whole world! Now imagine that this 15% is about 800 (!) different historical sites on the territory of Petra!

Because of this huge amount centuries-old attractions, even tickets here are sold for a three-day period - after all, in a day you can only briefly examine all the famous at the moment“treasures” of Petra, but even a month is not enough to get acquainted with all its architectural elements in detail!

Petra makes an impression on all tourists who come here - even the most sophisticated ones, and I think this is connected to a greater extent not so much with the ancient city itself, but with the road that leads to it - after all, the city is “hidden” in the very center of the rock! In order to get to Petra, you need to go down into a deep gorge called “Sik” (“Mine”), formed as a result of a prehistoric shift earth's crust, and it takes quite a long time to walk along a narrow path (in some places only 3-4 meters wide) at its bottom, between steep 80-meter cliffs, on which here and there you can find ancient inscriptions carved in stone and even entire niches carved into limestone for recreation.

At some point, it begins to seem that you will have to walk along this gorge forever, but suddenly it ends abruptly and the enormous Treasury of Pharaoh (the Arabic name is El-Khazneh, from which the word “Treasury” later came) opens to your eyes - one of the most famous monuments of ancient Petra, in front of which the ant-people froze in surprise...

Gradually, the state of numbness recedes and is replaced by surprise and disbelief that such a huge thing can be carved into the rock. The purpose of Al Khazneh, carved into the rock around the 2nd century AD, is still unclear, but many historians and archaeologists believe that it was originally a temple to the goddess Isis.

In any case, the Treasury is an example of the greatest skill of ancient architects. After all, even today such a structure would be very difficult to create, not to mention how accurate the calculations must be and how it was hollowed out of stone in the first place, if there is not a single tree for scaffolding around for hundreds of kilometers!

It is also surprising that after thousands of years, the facade of the Treasury turned out to be practically untouched - see for yourself!

Monument to the Pyramids at the entrance to the Siq gorge

Before entering Petra you can purchase detailed map city ​​and decide for yourself whether to wander through the most mysterious nooks and crannies in splendid isolation or hire a guide

Map of the ancient city

The map shows: 1 - Entrance; 2 - Al-Wuheira; 3 - Beginning of the Siq gorge; 4 — “Treasury of the Pharaohs”; 5 - Place of sacrifices; 6 - Theater; 7 – Urn Tomb or “Cathedral”; 8 - Tomb of Sextus Florentinus; 9 — “Nymphaeum”; 10 - Church; 11 – Temple of Winged Lions; 12 - Great Temple; 13 – Temple of Uzza; 14 - Archaeological Museum; 15 - Lion Triclinium (Roman dining room); 16 – El Deir Monastery

The ancient city stretches for several kilometers. The main street is laid from east to west, decorated on the sides with a colonnade. At its eastern end there is a three-span triumphal arch, and on the west there is a large temple

Early necropolis of the Nabateans

One of the main architectural elements of Petra, along with the Treasury, is an ancient theater for 6000 spectators, entirely carved out of the rock and located so that from there one can see the most important tombs, including the “Cathedral”, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb, the Urn Tomb and Silk Tomb

The theater was built in Petra at the beginning of the 1st century AD, almost at the same time with the majestic bulk of the El Deir monastery carved into the rock at the top of the cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high, which, judging by the carvings on the walls crosses, for some time served as a Christian church. It may seem familiar to many - most likely this is due to the fact that one of the scenes of the second Transformers film was filmed here =)

Maybe it’s more recognizable this way)

From the slope next to El Deir you can see Mount Jebel Harun with a white mosque on top - this relatively small and modestly decorated tomb of Aaron, the brother of Moses, was built by the Mamluk Sultan in the 13th century. According to Arabic legends, Petra- exactly the place where Moses struck the stone with his staff and water flowed from it

To the right of the Theater is the entrance to the “Cathedral”. The inscription indicates that Bishop Jason converted the Doric Tomb into a Eucharistic Hall. The same inscription dates this transformation to 447 AD

Plan of the Church of Papyrus in the western part of the city

1 - Atrium; 2 - Baptistery; 3 - Basilica; 4 - Department; 5 - Altar; 6 - Papyrus's room

The Jordanian city of Petra is the main attraction
Jordan and is located in the Wadi Musa valley. It is included in the list of World
UNESCO heritage, and on July 7, 2007 this ancient city was named one of
"Seven New Wonders of the World". The word "Petra" means "Rock"
after all, the city is entirely hewn out of stone.

Petra - Nabataean rock city, historians find it difficult to name it
age, it ranges from 2 to 4 thousand years. It is assumed that he was
created back in the era of the Edomites - it was then that a small,
but a reliably defended fortress.

However, later these lands became part of the Nabatean kingdom, when
was flourishing. State formed by the Nabateans (group
Semitic tribes), existed from the 3rd century BC until 106
AD in the territory of modern Jordan, Syria, Israel and
Saudi Arabia. Petra became the capital of the kingdom, gradually acquiring
huge influence. Building a city in such a difficult, inaccessible place
succeeded thanks to the engineering knowledge of the Nabataeans and the intelligent system
sewerage and water supply. Surprisingly, Petra is artificial
oasis! This part of the planet often experiences sudden downpours and
floods, but the Nabataeans knew how to control them with
the use of dams, cisterns and aqueducts. Not only did they not need water,
but they also traded it! Another amazing ability of the Nabataeans, without
which the city of Petra would not have is the ability to work with stone.

The Nabataean kingdom fell at the hands of the Romans under the leadership of
Emperor Trajan, and then the Roman Empire itself fell. Thus,
this rock pearl was lost in the deserts until known
traveler Johann Burckhardt did not intend to find
lost city. He was fascinated by legends about mysterious rocks
structures that no one has ever seen. As a result of persistent
The Swiss still managed to do it.

Royal Tombs, Petra, Jordan

It is assumed that all the premises of Petra were erected within three
periods: under the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), Nabataeans (II century BC
era - 106 BC) and the Romans (106-395 AD). There is an opinion that
in the 12th century AD Petra was owned by the knights of the Teutonic Order. However,
monuments built in this city after the 6th century AD are already before us
didn't arrive. The appearance of Petra that we see today is almost identical
the ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom.

At the moment, only 15% of the territory of Petra has been studied. It means,
that the mysteries of the ancient city may soon shake the whole world! What
available in Petra now - these are no less than 800 historical objects,
It’s simply impossible to get around and look at them all in one day! Therefore
tickets here are sold for three days at once, although in fact, to
truly become familiar with all the architectural elements of Petra,
perhaps even a month is not enough.

To get here, you need to go down into a deep gorge, and then
walk along it for a long time, between high steep cliffs, on which at times
there are inscriptions carved in limestone, and even entire niches,
carefully carved for rest for tired travelers. At some point
it may seem that you will have to walk along this mountain gorge forever, but
suddenly it ends abruptly, and the tourist’s eyes open like this
called “Treasury of the Pharaoh (in Arabic “El-Khazneh”) - one of
the most famous monuments of secret Petra. Many historians believe that
originally it was a temple to the goddess Isis. Such a structure would be very
it’s difficult to create even today, so it’s hard for people to understand
ancient times managed to accomplish so much exact calculations and how in general
it is possible to chisel out of stone a structure of such height when all around
hundreds and hundreds of kilometers there is no suitable material
for the construction of scaffolding! The degree of durability is also surprising.
structures - after thousands of years, the façade of the Treasury remains
practically untouched.

Before entering Petra you can purchase a detailed map of the city and, if
If desired, hire a guide. The ancient city extends deep into the rocks for
several kilometers, from east to west there is a main street with
colonnade on the sides. On its eastern side there is a triumphal arch for three
span, on the western - a huge temple. One of the most important architectural
parts of Petra is an ancient theater designed for 6 thousand spectators,
which is entirely cut out of the rock. It is known that it was built in
beginning of the 1st century AD e., simultaneously with the majestic bulk of the monastery
El Deir is a huge structure 50 m wide and more than 45 m high.
Fans of science fiction cinema will be interested in the fact that
One of the scenes from the movie "Transformers 2" was filmed here.

The trip from Amman, Israel and Egypt to Petra will be much more tiring and expensive. Stops at the border are inevitable, moreover, moving from Egypt requires crossing the Israeli border, and Israeli border guards are famous for their meticulousness and slowness. In addition, recently a border tax has been collected from those traveling through the Israeli border.

In summer, temperatures along the route reach 50 degrees, which is not very conducive to curiosity. Perfect time for a thoughtful visit to Petra - late autumn, winter, spring. It's not hot at this time, you should even stock up on a jumper.

The place is so interesting that it’s worth devoting more than one day to it, although, of course, you can do it on a one-day excursion. The fact is that in order to even just get from the entrance to the city to the main interesting places, you need to walk several kilometers along the narrow (about a meter in some places) Siq canyon. Very lazy and rich tourists hire donkeys or a stroller. There are inevitable pauses to take photographs and scratch your head in amazement.

You can stop for a rest in the town of Wadi Musa next to the rock city, or in several hotels directly on the territory of Petra.

History of the city

Petra, despite its unusual appearance, is historically the city - the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, which existed for seven centuries. The city had houses carved into the rock, temples, and tombs. Over these centuries, no one managed to take the city by storm. It's all about the right location and a fantastic communications system.

The city of Petra, “Nakmu” in Nabatean, is located at an altitude of more than six hundred meters above the surrounding area. Climbing the steep cliffs surrounding the city is very difficult. The main resource of the Middle Eastern countries to this day remains water. The nameless builders of the city provided a system for collecting and concentrating all possible precipitation. In the Petra area, the average monthly precipitation in the wettest month, January, is 45 mm; in June there is no precipitation at all. All the water that flowed from the surrounding mountains in the spring months, through canals carved into the rocks, flowed into pools and reservoirs, providing residents with food for the whole year.

The city stood at the crossroads of two trade routes - the Mediterranean Sea - the Persian Gulf and Damascus - the Red Sea. The spice trade brought fantastic income to the Nabateans. Only the discovery of new trade routes to the east by the Romans led to the decline of Petra.

Walk around Petra

All visitors get off the buses before entering the canyon. Souvenirs are sold here (residents of Bedouin settlements in several factories in the area around state program they process ornamental stone), there are several coffee shops, and you can hire a crew for a trip through the canyon.

After passing through a canyon with vertical (thirty meters high) walls, you come out to main square El Ghazneh. Usually, guides deliberately “talk their teeth” in order to predict a spectacular moment of exit to the façade of the Treasury. The canyon makes a turn before entering the square, so all the newcomers are looking in the wrong direction. The effect is enormous.

In the building, made famous by the Indiana Jones series, according to legend, the treasures of the pharaohs and, later, Mediterranean pirates were kept. No one is allowed inside. The dimensions of the Treasury are amazing - 40 meters high and 24 meters wide.

At every step, Bedouin children offer to buy souvenirs, even simple stones. Depending on the time of day, the surrounding rocks change color - from soft pink at dawn to orange at sunset. The territory of the city is gigantic, so you can walk here for several days. Some come with their own tents and mountain equipment to spend a few days in the surrounding mountains. Only the cost of staying in Petra changes.

The places here are harsh, therefore, when planning a trip for several days, you need to provide yourself with a supply of water, food (we strongly do not recommend taking alcohol), strong shoes, warm clothes for the night, learn a few Arabic greetings - no one guarantees that you will be understood in Russian (although in Aqaba, all young people speak Russian fluently).

If you ask any local guide how people could build such grandiose buildings without cranes, without forty-meter scaffolding (after all, there is nowhere to get so much wood), they will answer you - they were lowered from above on ropes. Maybe. But a believer will immediately remember the words from the sixth chapter of the biblical Book of Genesis: “At that time there were giants on the earth.” Maybe they really lived here?

A unique rock city, the main attraction. This “pink” city is so popular that hundreds of thousands of tourists visit it every year. They say about him: “He is as old as time itself.” Petra is included in the version of our website.

The fact of the antiquity of this unusual city is indicated by the mention of it in the Bible. The first settlement in the city dates back to the existence of the state of Idumea, which was approximately 2-4 thousand years ago. Later, the Nabatean kingdom was formed on this territory, of which Petra was the capital.

The uniqueness of Petra lies in the fact that it is located at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level in a narrow canyon. This hard to reach place was chosen by the Nabatean Arab nomads for protection purposes. And even the famous Roman commanders could not get there through the narrow gorge. The original name of the city was Sela, which meant “stone” in the local dialect. Later the Greeks renamed it in their own way, maintaining the meaning.

From the 1st century AD Petra nevertheless became part of the Roman Empire. Local craftsmen erected buildings of incredible beauty right in the red sandstone rock. In order to escape from drought and properly use rainfall, they built dams, cisterns and aqueducts.

Due to what happened in the 4th century AD. After the earthquake, the city was left desolate, with only a few nomads remaining. And starting from the 6th century, Petra was completely abandoned until 1812, when it was discovered by the Swiss traveler I. L. Burckhardt. He had long wanted to find a city lost in the rocks in the Middle East. Pretending to be a merchant, he was able to find out from the Bedouins where the Nabatean ruins were located.

In fact, all the buildings of Petra belong to 3 periods: Idumean, Nabataean and Roman. What was built after the 6th century has practically not reached us. According to some sources, in the 12th century, knights of the Teutonic Order took refuge in Petra. It is interesting that this mysterious city has not been fully explored. IN modern times Petra has more than once become the location for filming famous films.

Sites available to tourists include the Siq Gorge, the Pharaoh's Treasury, 80-meter cliffs with ancient inscriptions and carved limestone niches for statues. One of the city's most popular attractions is Al Khazneh (Treasury of the Pharaohs). This is a huge temple-mausoleum, presumably built in the 2nd century AD.

Another outstanding building is the Ed-Deir Monastery. Crosses are carved in places on its wide walls, indicating that it once housed christian church. No less interesting are two Roman buildings - the Palace and Urn tombs. The city has hundreds of rock chambers, the facades of which can convey the history of this ancient area.

Petra can be reached by sightseeing buses or taxis in 3 hours from and 1 hour 50 minutes from Aqaba. The chance to visit the rock city also comes to those who are on vacation in Egypt or Israel. Day excursions to the attraction are regularly organized from Taba and Sharm el-Sheikh.

Photo attraction: Ancient city of Petra

Amphitheater

Firstly, Petra is still only 15% studied. Secondly, even this small part is a complete mystery. And thirdly, the pink city of Petra, a fantastic joint creation of nature and human hands. Much more similar to either the scenery for a grandiose fairy-tale performance or the abandoned capital of an alien civilization than to ordinary ancient ruins.

Petra lost and found.

Throughout its long history Petra in Jordan has had several owners. It began as the capital of Idumea. Then it was absorbed by the Nabataean kingdom, and under it experienced an unprecedented prosperity. There is a legend that the Siq gorge, leading to Petra through the rocks, is a trace of the blow of Moses’ staff. That's why it's tortuous - the staff was crooked. Another legend portrays the Nabateans as very cruel people. Allegedly, they did not allow the Jews whom Moses led through the desert into their city, which did not lack water. The Nabateans really couldn't stand Jews. Sometimes they ransomed them from captivity in order to mock them personally.

The Diadochi, the heirs of the empire of Alexander the Great, argued for Nabatea. But she managed to maintain independence - until 105 AD, when the Roman warrior emperor Marcus Ulpius Trajan came here. It was useless to argue with Rome about independence, and Nabatea became Arabia of Petraea.

The Crusaders visited here in the 12th century. And after the 16th century, the city of Petra seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth, it was abandoned and unknown to anyone.

In 1812, a certain sheikh-theologian Ibrahim ibn Abdullah traveled around the Middle East. At first he studied Sharia in Aleppo, Syria, and then went on a journey. Thanks to him, Europeans learned where the city of Petra was located.

The real name of the “Arab theologian” was Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. He was a passionate scientist-researcher and a desperate adventurer. Its history is similar to the history of Columbus. Both were looking for one thing, but found another, and this “other” glorified their names. Burckhardt was looking for the sources of the Niger River, this was main goal his dangerous journey through the Muslim East. To do this, he learned Arabic and converted to Islam! But he was so lucky to discover a forgotten passage between the rocks of the Arava plain.

On the way to the city of Petra.

At the entrance to the Siq (“Mine”) gorge there are mysterious stone cubes. One of which is allegedly dotted with bird tracks - the remains of a Nabatean ornament. The cubes are considered tombs. They are also called "tombstones of the genies."

Further along the main path there will be a strange, seemingly two-story building. The upper floor is decorated with pyramidal obelisks and seems older than the lower one. For on the lower one you can see quite classical columns and niches for statues, stone beds on three sides, as in a Roman triclinium. This is a monument from the 1st century. AD - the reign of the last kings of Nabatean, two tombs built one above the other.

The fantastic Siq gorge is winding and compressed by reddish-brown folded rocks. So that in some places its width is only 2 m. It has preserved the remains of ancient Nabatean water pipes: dams, canals carved into the rocks, and even ceramic pipes.

The Nabatean population knew the value of water in the desert, and during seasonal downpours they skillfully collected and stored it. And he even sold it.

Petra and her “fairytale” master stonemasons.

The most striking (and largest!) attractions of Petra in Jordan are Al Khazneh and Ad Deir.

El Khazneh - aka the Treasury, ancient temple in the rock. Ad-Deir still puzzles researchers: it is difficult to imagine how to build them.

The colossal Al Khazneh and the 45-meter facade of Ad Deir are not just roughly carved into stone - they are carved with great artistry. But how?

How did these ancient stonemasons work? Having neither the tools of modern builders, nor the most important thing - scaffolding? In the Arava Valley there is nothing to build simple wooden scaffolding from. There are no trees! What did these Nabatean builders stand on, how did they strengthen themselves on the rock while working?

If you even imagine that some kind of clever system of rope and belt fastenings was used, then it becomes clear why Petra became a great city. Even the artisan builders in it were very brave people. The builders knew how to work while hanging at such a height above a dangerous stone surface that a fall, in the happiest case, could result in injury.

However, most researchers believe that during the construction of El Khazneh, a significant part of the builders could have been foreigners. Both the architecture and decoration are a bizarre mixture of a wide variety of stylistic elements.

• The large obelisks were clearly created by the Egyptians or under strong Egyptian influence.
• Statue of a goddess (presumably Isis or Tyche). Very Alexandrian.
• And the origin of the columns is beyond doubt - capitals. Finished with flexibly curved branches and leaves, even a schoolboy will recognize them as belonging to Corinthian columns.
• The facade of the building is decorated with figures of winged sphinxes (Egypt again!), a lion (Isis? Cybele?). Snakes - whoever depicted these in ancient times! And dancing maidens who look like Amazons.

It is curious that El Khazneh was nicknamed the Treasury because of its 4-meter-high urn above the portico. In which the treasury of the pharaohs was supposedly kept (yes, the word “treasury” comes from “khazneh”). But there is also an urn above the facade of the “monastery” of Ad Deir, and its height is as much as 10 m.

It has not yet been established for what purposes the building, now bearing the name Ad Deir, was used. large building city ​​of Petra. Temple? But what kind of deity if there are no signs of worship of the deity here - no altar, no statues. The tomb of one of the last kings of Nabatea? It appears that the king was the spiritual successor of the Egyptian pharaohs. They also tried to build themselves tombs even larger than the pyramids of those who ruled before them.

But Ad Deir is nicknamed the “monastery” for the numerous crosses carved on the back wall. Perhaps the first Christians, persecuted for their faith, once hid here.

Other ancient “pearls” of Petra.

If you are thinking of hiring an Arab guide and wandering around Petra on your own. Buy a map and plan your route in advance to see what interests you.

Interesting sights of the city:

• Theater. It is located 300 m to the left of the exit from the Siq gorge to Petra. Theater built in the 1st century AD. during the reign of King Aretas IV, similar to Greek and Roman theaters. 40 rows of descending seats carved into stone. It accommodated from 6,000 to 8,000 thousand spectators. One can only guess what kind of spectacles the Nabatean king enjoyed here.
• Palace of the Maiden, also known as Qasr Al-Bint. Erected in the 1st century. BC like a sanctuary. The royal daughter who lived with him allegedly suffered from a lack of water and declared that she would connect her life only with the one who could bring precious moisture to her home. A modern, practical girl who doesn’t want to marry someone who “doesn’t know how to fix a faucet” is no different! Judging by the canals and drainage found during the excavations of Qasr Al-Bint, the royal daughter still waited for her “plumber”.
• High altar. 200 meters from Al Khazneh there is a sign that tells you to follow. This attraction is for the persistent and resilient. You will have to climb up the mountain to the altar along a rocky staircase, and this “procession” will take a little more than half an hour. You will feel like an ancient priest - they regularly overcame this climb. True, we still do not know to which deity and what sacrifices were made here.

Petra today: a city of tourists.

Sightseeing tours to Petra are always popular, despite the fact that traveling through the ancient city requires a fair amount of stamina. Good shoes, availability sunscreen, hat and bottle of water.

The cost of rooms in hotels in Wadi Musa depends on the star rating. You can find a place for 15 Jordanian dinars per night. You can stay at a hotel where an overnight stay will cost 80 JOD or more.

The approximate price of an excursion to Petra, Jordan is $60-200. This is an individual guided tour for a group of 6 people, lasting from 6 to 9 hours.

The city of Petra is a world cultural heritage, so no car trips within its boundaries. Local residents offer horse-drawn transport (carts), and camels and donkeys for climbing the mountains. Do not overpay locals by more than 10 JOD. They love to bargain with naive tourists.

Night in Petra.

There is an opportunity to visit amazing city Petra at night. From 20.30 to 22.00 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

You will see Petra, illuminated by many candles, hear Bedouin music, sit on a rug inside El Khazneh and drink fragrant local tea. You can imagine at this time the expression on the face of one of the Nabatean kings, who saw some nomads settled in his treasury.

Petra in miniature.

You can climb to Little Petra along a concrete road from the Arab village of Wadi Musa. Somewhere after 2 km along the road there will be the ruins of the main crusader castle of Petra, Al-Wuair. The soldiers of Christ themselves called him in French - Le Vaux Moise. Translated - Moses Valley. That's what it's called now, but in Arabic it's a village near Petra.

In Little Petra you can also see the remains of the Nabataean water supply system, as well as explore the system of paths and stairs connecting three gorges.