Israel & Jordan: Petra (One of the New 7 Wonders of the World)
The highlight of the Jordan tour came on Day 11 of this trip. It's the Petra Day. Everyone was so excited in anticipation for this visit and so we were all ready and happy at breakfast, making sure that we fuel up well for this day's activities knowing full well that there would lots of walking.
This is a big check on my bucket list. This was the only place I wanted to visit in Jordan, and I could not contain my excitement.
The entrance
There's a hotel just off the entrance. Best location if you want to spend a lot of time in Petra.
At the beginning of the Petra tour, my spouse asked the tour manager if his tour would cover the entire Petra given the limited time here (4-5 hrs). The husband was told that tour would not go past the Treasury (which is the structure that you see when you Google Petra, and the one featured in one of the earlier Indiana Jones movies), he asked the TM's permission to go ahead of the group so he could reach the very end. Jokingly or not, he left me with the TM and was constantly (in regular intervals) in text communication with the TM, which was immediately relayed to me. Unbeknownst to me at that time, another family decided to skip the tour and went ahead to cover as much as they could as well.
We had a couple of people with mobility issues, so they rented a golf cart to take them at the meeting point, which is the Treasury. Another way to go about this is renting a donkey to take you around Petra.
Petra is more grandiose than I expected. It is not clear of the precise time when Petra was built, but the city began to prosper as the capital of the Nabatean Empire from the 1st century BC. The city grew rich through trade in frankincense, myrrh and spices. Later, it was annexed by the expanding Roman Empire, but an earthquake in 363 AD destroyed the city. The devastation from the earthquake along with the changes in trades routes led to the downfall of the city and was ultimately abandoned.
By 1812, a Swiss explorer Johannes Burckhardt set out to find the lost city. After rediscovering it, the lost city was lost no more and started to attract visitors up to this day.
Just a short walk from the entrance, this is how we entered this incredible place. We started about 7:30 am, hoping we would miss the massive crowd that is known to descend to this rose-colored city.
The Obelisk Tomb. Above the tomb are four pyramids (nafesh) and a niche with statue in bas relief that symbolizes teh five people buried there. Below is a Triclinium or a banquet hall/dining room.
The Siq is a narrow gorge that leads into the city of Petra. The Siq resulted from the natural splitting of the mountain and is 1.2 km long.
So many things to see and inspect along the length of the Siq. I almost missed this one.
The fish.
The elephant.
The Siq opens up onto the magnificent facade of the Treasury or Al Khazna. It is almost 40 meters high and intricately decorated with Corinthian capitals, friezes, figures, and more. The Treasury is crowned by a funerary urn, which according to local legend contains a pharaoh's treasure. The Treasury was probably constructed in the 1st century BC.
I have no words to describe what I was seeing.
Past the Treasury, we saw these these tombs on what they call the Street of Facades. This is the name given to the row of monumental Nabatean tombs carved in the Southern cliff face that lies past the Treasury. The facades are crowned with corner crow steps, pilasters and cavettos.
The Theatre is carved at the side of the mountain at the foot of the High Place of Sacrifice. It consists of three rows of seats separated by passageways. Seven stairways ascend the auditorium and can accommodate 4,000 spectators.
The Royal Tombs is the name given to the four magnificent facades on the right side at the end of the main path. The four structures are: Urn Tomb, Silk Tomb, Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb.
The Church was probably built around the end of the 5th century AD and was destroyed by fire or probably an earthquake in the following century. The quality of the floor mosaics attest to the church's magnificence. The mosaic floors are the only ones left to see.
Across the church, which is on a hill, is the Great Temple. The Great Temple Complex represents one of the major archeological and architectural monuments of central Petra. It is estimated to cover an area of 7,000 square meters.
Taken from the church area of the Great Temple.
The following are the photos that my husband took past the Great Temple on to the Monastery, which is the end of the park. Just like you I am only seeing these structures in photos.
The Monastery or Ad Deir is one of the largest monuments in Petra measuring 47 m wide by 48.3 m high. It was used as a biclinium for the meetings of religious associations. The Monastery dates to the early 2nd century AD during the reigh of King Rabel II. The hall was later re-used as a Christian chapel and crosses were carved into the rear wall, this is how the structure got its name.
It was a glorious half-day of touring. Getting there before 7:30 am was the right move because we missed the mob scene that was the typical scene on the Siq. We met the crowd on the walk back.
This is a big check on my bucket list. This was the only place I wanted to visit in Jordan, and I could not contain my excitement.
The entrance
There's a hotel just off the entrance. Best location if you want to spend a lot of time in Petra.
At the beginning of the Petra tour, my spouse asked the tour manager if his tour would cover the entire Petra given the limited time here (4-5 hrs). The husband was told that tour would not go past the Treasury (which is the structure that you see when you Google Petra, and the one featured in one of the earlier Indiana Jones movies), he asked the TM's permission to go ahead of the group so he could reach the very end. Jokingly or not, he left me with the TM and was constantly (in regular intervals) in text communication with the TM, which was immediately relayed to me. Unbeknownst to me at that time, another family decided to skip the tour and went ahead to cover as much as they could as well.
We had a couple of people with mobility issues, so they rented a golf cart to take them at the meeting point, which is the Treasury. Another way to go about this is renting a donkey to take you around Petra.
Petra is more grandiose than I expected. It is not clear of the precise time when Petra was built, but the city began to prosper as the capital of the Nabatean Empire from the 1st century BC. The city grew rich through trade in frankincense, myrrh and spices. Later, it was annexed by the expanding Roman Empire, but an earthquake in 363 AD destroyed the city. The devastation from the earthquake along with the changes in trades routes led to the downfall of the city and was ultimately abandoned.
By 1812, a Swiss explorer Johannes Burckhardt set out to find the lost city. After rediscovering it, the lost city was lost no more and started to attract visitors up to this day.
Just a short walk from the entrance, this is how we entered this incredible place. We started about 7:30 am, hoping we would miss the massive crowd that is known to descend to this rose-colored city.
The Obelisk Tomb. Above the tomb are four pyramids (nafesh) and a niche with statue in bas relief that symbolizes teh five people buried there. Below is a Triclinium or a banquet hall/dining room.
The Siq is a narrow gorge that leads into the city of Petra. The Siq resulted from the natural splitting of the mountain and is 1.2 km long.
So many things to see and inspect along the length of the Siq. I almost missed this one.
The fish.
The elephant.
The Siq opens up onto the magnificent facade of the Treasury or Al Khazna. It is almost 40 meters high and intricately decorated with Corinthian capitals, friezes, figures, and more. The Treasury is crowned by a funerary urn, which according to local legend contains a pharaoh's treasure. The Treasury was probably constructed in the 1st century BC.
I have no words to describe what I was seeing.
Past the Treasury, we saw these these tombs on what they call the Street of Facades. This is the name given to the row of monumental Nabatean tombs carved in the Southern cliff face that lies past the Treasury. The facades are crowned with corner crow steps, pilasters and cavettos.
The Theatre is carved at the side of the mountain at the foot of the High Place of Sacrifice. It consists of three rows of seats separated by passageways. Seven stairways ascend the auditorium and can accommodate 4,000 spectators.
The Royal Tombs is the name given to the four magnificent facades on the right side at the end of the main path. The four structures are: Urn Tomb, Silk Tomb, Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb.
The Church was probably built around the end of the 5th century AD and was destroyed by fire or probably an earthquake in the following century. The quality of the floor mosaics attest to the church's magnificence. The mosaic floors are the only ones left to see.
Across the church, which is on a hill, is the Great Temple. The Great Temple Complex represents one of the major archeological and architectural monuments of central Petra. It is estimated to cover an area of 7,000 square meters.
Taken from the church area of the Great Temple.
The following are the photos that my husband took past the Great Temple on to the Monastery, which is the end of the park. Just like you I am only seeing these structures in photos.
The Monastery or Ad Deir is one of the largest monuments in Petra measuring 47 m wide by 48.3 m high. It was used as a biclinium for the meetings of religious associations. The Monastery dates to the early 2nd century AD during the reigh of King Rabel II. The hall was later re-used as a Christian chapel and crosses were carved into the rear wall, this is how the structure got its name.
It was a glorious half-day of touring. Getting there before 7:30 am was the right move because we missed the mob scene that was the typical scene on the Siq. We met the crowd on the walk back.
Wow just amazing! The structures, the history, your photos and narration!
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful photos (and video) of a place I probably will never see in this lifetime. But it is extraordinary to think that it was part of a civilization that is no longer, and how fragile our lives are compared to the mountains, the desert and these wonderfully carved stone buildings!
ReplyDeleteAs a history major who loves archaeology, I loved your post. These are amazing photos-- and especially loved the one with the three camels in front of the entrance.
ReplyDeleteAmazing post. I don't know what to say besides that you saw some great things and photographed and explained them well.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of my own visit there several years ago. What an amazing civilization!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing experience! Thanks for the great shots leading us through this piece of mankind's history.
ReplyDeletePetra is an amazing place!
ReplyDeletewow! amazing! so on my bucket list.
ReplyDelete...thanks for taking me along to see the sights.
ReplyDeletePetra is an amazing city.
ReplyDeleteYes, Petra is breathtaking! I was totally speechless and just soaked in its majesty. We made it on foot until the Treasury then our guide hired donkeys for us to ride. We rode across steep and narrow alleys until we reached the top. I was really scared because at one point, I thought the donkey would topple over the edge as it won't stop moving. LOL
ReplyDeleteWe also stopped at some place where a bedouin served us refreshing hot arabic tea with mint leaves. Jordan (specifically Petra, Jerash and Wadi Rum) which my sister and I visited in 2000 is one of my most cherished trips ever.