The Petra Ancient City was once the capital of the Nabateans, and it’s the second largest ancient city in the world. It’s been featured in several movies, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and it’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Here are 10 things about this ancient city that you didn’t know.
Jordan is home to historians, artists, scientists, chefs, hikers, and yoga practitioners. All of these people will discover kinship in this land. Petra, an ancient stone city deep in the Jordanian desert, has a dreamy ambiance. It’s a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse yourself in a world of ancient history. Petra is a place where you can feel like you’ve stepped into the pages of a storybook.
It’s easy to see why visitors are smitten with this wonder, carved out of gorgeous pink sandstone rock and hidden for centuries until it was discovered by a Swiss explorer. Petra is an important part of Jordan’s cultural history, so it’s no wonder that it’s on many people’s vacation wish lists.
With beautifully carved monuments, labyrinthine passages, and a mysterious past, this ancient city is one of the most beautiful and interesting places in the Middle East. It is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a World Heritage City. Here are 10 Fun Facts About The Petra Ancient City that Things You Didn’t Know
List of 10 Fun Facts About The Petra Ancient City
The city of Petra
The history of Petra
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Visitors of Petra
Different Names
According to Josephus, an ancient historian, Petra was known by a different name among the Nabateans. Furthermore, according to inscriptions inscribed on the fantastic walls, the incredible city was known as Raqemo, after its royal founder. Petra, on the other hand, has gained the moniker “the Rose City” due to the stunning hue of its sandstone. The final rays of the sun cast a magnificent pink tint on the rocks around sunset, making it one of the most romantic times to visit.
The ancient city of Petra is located in the middle of the desert, near the Dead Sea. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been visited by millions of tourists from all over the world. It is the most visited city in the world, and the second most visited in the Middle East. The city is surrounded by a huge wall, which is the best preserved in the world.
Some Nabataean Descendants Still Live There
Several Bedouins still live in Petra’s caverns, but tourists must be careful not to mistake them for semi-barbarians. The Bedouins are hardy and clever people who are accustomed to and enjoy living in harsh settings. When Petra was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, Jordan sought to relocate the residents to a new community nearby. However, not all of them accepted the offer, and many, like Mofleh, remained in their caves in Petra.
The Bedouins are the only people who still live in Petra’s caves and have their own language. The Bedouins are also the only people who can speak the language of the Nabataeans. The Nabataeans were the first people to live in Petra. They spoke Aramaic, a Semitic language. The Bedouins still speak the Nabataean language, an Aramaic dialect. The Bedouins’ language is very similar to the language of the Tabata.
Half Of Petra Is Roman
Tourists may not expect to discover so many Roman ruins in the famous Nabatean city when exploring. Even an amphitheater exists! Nabataea was taken by the Romans, who named the territory Arabia Petraea. When the commercial importance of Petra waned, the inhabitants abandoned the desert area, leaving it to the Romans and eventually the Byzantines, who continued to build Christian churches there. Many people are surprised by this fact because Petra is such a barren site in the Jordanian desert.
The Roman city is located on the west side of the Dead Sea and is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Middle East.
Petra Was Once Famous For Its Gardens
Because Petra is located in the harsh, sandy Jordanian desert, it is hard to imagine it as a lush paradise. Recent discoveries, however, have revealed that a sophisticated irrigation system provided water to the city’s thirsty citizens while simultaneously powering a magnificent network of fountains and gardens. Because of these wonderful gardens, Petra became a true oasis in the desert. Residents of the city even had access to a swimming pool! The ancient city of Petra is located in the eastern part of Jordan, in the foothills of the Jeb.
Petra Is Aligned With The Sun
The majority of Petra’s buildings face the sun. While the ancient city was designed as a commercial center with a capacity of 30,000 people (for the time period), it was also intended to highlight equinoxes and solstices. Like other ancient civilizations, the wealthy spice traders revered the sun and made certain that their main monuments were perfectly aligned with their location on the dazzling horizon. The ancient city was also designed to be a microcosm of the universe. The ancient city of Petra is the largest open-air museum in the world. It is also one of the most visited museums in the world. The ancient city of Petra is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The only problem is that the ancient city was built on top of a mountain, and as a result, the orientation of the buildings is not the same as the orientation of the sun. The ancient city was built on the side of the mountain, and the orientation of the buildings is also not the same as the orientation of the sun.
Petra Is Still Undiscovered
Petra is an enormous archaeological site. Tourists will need several days to see everything there. The astonishing reality is that the city’s beautiful monuments, unique tombs, and rock-hewn structures account for just around 15% of the overall area. The remainder is still concealed and waiting to be found! There are other mysteries beneath the surface that might provide knowledge about Petra’s early history, as well as the fascinating Byzantine and Greek periods.
The city was a thriving trading hub during the Roman era, and it was also the capital of the Roman province of Arabia Petraea. In the Middle Ages, the city was under the control of the Byzantines, who made it a military stronghold. In the 13th century, it was conquered by the Mamluk.
Petra Is (Almost) Impossible To Conquer
Petra’s exceptional natural defenses may have aided the city’s success. The location is approached from the east by al-Siq, a one-kilometer-long narrow, twisting ravine that would have made it exceedingly difficult for enemy forces to penetrate without being stopped. This appears to be the key to the company’s long-term success.
Petra was built on a plateau, which was surrounded by a steep, rocky escarpment. The plateau was surrounded by a wall that was nine meters thick. The wall was built of large, rough-hewn stones, and was reinforced by a series of towers and gates. The wall was nine meters thick at the base but tapered to three meters at the top.
There's A Little Petra
Petra, the little one, is next on every guide’s list of intriguing Petra facts. Little Petra, also known as Siq al-Barid, is an archaeological monument located in the northern section of the original ‘great’ Petra. As the name implies, it is another Nabataean site with spectacular rock-carved structures. Siq al-Barid, on the other hand, is far smaller and less crowded than Petra. It’s perfect for travelers who want to view the ancient Nabatean wonders but don’t want to cope with crowds. It’s also a great place for those who want to avoid Hassi.
It Was Destroyed By An Earthquake
While various factors contributed to the desert city’s demise, the earthquake in AD 363 was the most crucial trigger. It was a severe blow for Petra, which lost many religious monuments and tombs, as well as half of its city. It even disrupted the intricate water delivery infrastructure. The devastation caused by the earthquake, as a result of changes in trade routes, exhausted the city’s energies and drove it to shut. The city’s population fell to just a few thousand people. The earthquake’s effects were felt across the region and the surrounding areas, including the Nabataean and Roman cities of Palmyra and Bosra.
Petra Is Steeped In Biblical Legend
The history of Petra can be traced back to Biblical times. The valley in which this world wonder city is located is known as Moses Valley (Wadi Musa). Petra is referenced in the Bible specifically in the account of Moses obtaining water from the rock. According to legend, the prophet struck a rock in Petra to give water to his parched people, and water miraculously spouted from the ground. Petra is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. It is located in the highlands of Jordan, surrounded by the mountains of the Jud.
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