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Undoubtedly the most famous
attraction in Jordan is the
Nabatean city of Petra, nestled
away in the mountains south of
the Dead Sea. Petra, which means
"stone" in Greek, is perhaps the
most spectacular ancient city
remaining in the modern world,
and certainly a must-see for
visitors to Jordan and the
Middle East.
The city was the capital of the
Nabateans -Arabs who dominated
the lands of Jordan during
pre-Roman times- and they carved
this wonderland of temples,
tombs and elaborate buildings
out of solid rock. The Victorian
traveler and poet Dean Burgon
gave Petra a description which
holds to this day -"Match me
such a marvel save in Eastern
clime, a rose-red city half as
old as time." Yet words can
hardly do justice to the
magnificence that is Petra. In
order to best savor the
atmosphere of this ancient
wonder, visit in the quiet of
the early morning or late
afternoon when the sandstone
rock glows red with quiet
grandeur.
Petra is located just outside
the town of Wadi Mousa in
southern Jordan. It is 260
kilometers from Amman via the
Desert Highway and 280
kilometers via the King’s
Highway. There are numerous and
varied accommodations available
in Wadi Mousa, as well as a few
hotels on the panoramic drive
between Wadi Mousa and the
nearby (15 kilometers) village
of Taybet. Camping is now
illegal inside Petra. |
