Petra
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008Ever since knowing that we would be heading for a full trip to Jordan, I hoped that we could take the trek to Petra, one of the new wonders of the world - and rightfully so. Anyone who has seen Indiana Jones knows of this ancient city, and let me tell you, seeing it in person was far more amazing than I had even guessed.
Petra has been a city since around 300 B.C., if you can imagine that, and remained prominent for hundreds of years. The Nabateans founded the city, conquering it from the Edomites, and it survived, and indeed thrived, through the Greek, Roman, Christian, and Islamic periods. It is filled with Nabatean, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine influences, combining incredible history with unique and fascinating beauty on an incredible scale.
If you’re interested in a full history, check out this site from Brown University, which is actively involved in excavating the ruins. But enough words - let’s try pictures. I only wish they could do the ruins justice.
The most famous facade in Petra, known as the Treasury.
Anyone else singing the theme song?
The team in front of the “poor people’s tombs” that catacombed the cliff walls just past the Treasury.
The view from inside the tallest facade.
For instance, this facade dating back almost seven decades before Christ.
I could show so many more pictures - these have been weeded out from the 400 or so that I took during this day alone. But you should just go yourself, sometime, and be blown away as I was…

