PetrePetra captures the imagination like the Taj Mahal, or the Great Wall of China, and like those monuments, it is one of those magical places in the world that you feel you must see at least once in your lifetime. Recently, the dream came true for me. Photographs I had seen of Petra prior to my visit did not prepare me for the feeling of awe at seeing it for the first time.

I can only imagine the reaction of Johan Ludwing Burckhardt, the Swiss explorer who dressed in traditional Arab clothing "discovered" the lost city in 1812. He too must have walked, or perhaps ridden a camel or a donkey, for a kilometer through a dark, narrow gorge, called the Siq, whose dusty-pink sandstone walls soar above blocking the sun.

The walk through the winding gorge is silent. Each turn and twist teases you on. Bedouin children scamper down the sheer walls with the sure footing of mountain goats. Suddenly, you take a turn and framed in a gap between the two walls is the mysterious and beautiful Al Khazneh, the Treasury building, Petra's iconic landmark. A few more steps and the gorge opens into a natural square and you see the entire edifice carved into the cliff with its intricately carved Roman-Greek façade glistening in the sun.

Petra is the stuff of legends. It is easy to see why it was designated a World Heritage Site and was voted in 2007 one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It also makes you realize why the director of the 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade chose this setting as the fictional entrance to the final resting place of the Holy Grail.

Brief History

Petra's history is as colorful as the sandstone rock from which it was carved. A mysterious people called Nabateans founded Petra around the 6^th century BCE creating a unique water management system with dams, cisterns and water conduits that allowed them to survive in the edge of the Arabian Desert. The Nabateans grew prosperous from Petra's location as an important junction for caravans carrying spice and silk from China, India to Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. The Romans conquered Petra absorbing it into the Roman Empire in 106 CE. It flourished for another 100 years and declined when trade routes changed. The final nail in the coffin was an earthquake in 363 CE that devastated the city and destroyed its waterworks. In the 12^th century the crusaders occupied Petra and built a citadel. After they left, Petra fell into ruin until Swiss explorer Burckhardt rescued it from its sleepy obscurity. His reports of the lost city fired the imagination of intrepid travelers who made pilgrimages to the site. A poet called it "a rose-red city half as old as time." Agatha Christie stayed here 1933 writing her novel, 'Appointment With Death'. The name Petra means, "rock" in Greek and Latin, an obvious name for a city carved into sandstone cliffs.Petre

Petra by Night

Several times during the week, (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, but it pays to check) the Visitors' Center arranges a candlelight tour of Petra. Since Petra has no nightlife to speak of, we were lucky to arrive on just the right day. After assembling at the Visitors' Center and buying our tickets, we began the kilometer-long walk in the dark Siq, our way lit by thousands of flickering candles and a starry sky above. The journey was silent and even the most gregarious tourists quieted down absorbing the magical experience. After the rather long walk we arrived at The Treasury. The entire square was lit by rows of hundreds of candles. We sat on mats and listened to traditional Jordanian music while sipping wonderful tea. Out of nowhere a distant melody floated our way and as it came nearer, a musician appeared to play his homemade flute.

Petra by Day

If you are staying in one of the five-stars hotels right by the gate, you have a head start on the tour groups that arrive later in the morning. It is best to see and photograph Petra in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is reflected on the sandstone cliffs. If you have difficulty in walking the one-kilometer Siq, you can hire a horse, or else a horse-drawn carriage to take you to The Treasury. By daylight you appreciate the beauty of this monument that soars some 40 meters high and is actually just an elaborate façade. It is called The Treasury in Arabic because the latter inhabitants of Petra believed that the Nabateans stored treasure there. Archeologists believe that is was probably used as a temple or a tomb. Inside it is rather disappointing, a plain, square chamber carved into the cliff. Although it is Petra's most famous monument, The Treasury is just the beginning of all there is to see. It is best to ride a donkey or camel led by a handler who will take you to all the sites. Petra sprawls over a large area, and if you come during the hot season, drink plenty of water and let your donkey do the walking. It is best to take a guide or come with a group because you can easily miss many of the landmarks. There are many tombs and chambers on the surrounding cliffs and you discover them as you enter the valley just beyond The Treasury. There is a Roman amphitheatre, Royal Tombs, a Temple, two museums, the High Place of Sacrifice, the monastery of ad-Deir and many other sites to see.

The Rock City in PetraPractical Information

Plan on a full day, preferably two. If you are coming from Israel, I would advise taking one of the tours that leave Eilat in the morning and return at night. Two-day tours are also available. I thought it would be cheaper to do the trip on my own and I booked my own hotel and arranged for a taxi to pick me up at the border and take me to Petra. Something got lost in the translation and it seems like I was constantly going into town to an ATM machine to withdraw more Jordanian money. The food in Petra is not impressive and Arabic foods like Humus are much tastier in Israel. It can get chilly at night, so bring some warm clothes. Remember to pace yourself as the site is large and may involve some steep climbs.

Photographs by Cristiano Galbiati