Who built Petra in Jordan. Petra - the mysterious city in the rock
Mikhail Nefedov writes: I am sure that if you are asked which of the wonders of the world you have seen, then 10% of those surveyed will answer that the pyramids are in Egyptian Cairo, but few have been here and seen this:
Even the tourism industry in the United States mistakenly wrote it off to Israel, when in fact it is in Jordan.
There are also seven new wonders of the world, if you are interested, here is a complete list for you:
1. Colosseum in Rome, Italy
2. Great Wall of China in Asia, China
3. Machu Picchu in South America, Peru
4. Petra in Jordan
5. Taj Mahal in Asia, India
6. Statue of Christ the Redeemer in South America, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7. Chichen Itza in America, Yucatan, Mexico
Today I will talk about Petra.
Even before the trip, I was tormented by the question why in all the photographs the famous rock temple-mausoleum, "Treasury" or "Treasury of the Pharaoh", as the Arabs call it, is depicted crookedly. So, I was able to understand this only by visiting there in person.
But I'll start from the beginning:
Petra - ancient city, the capital of Idumea (Edom), later the capital of the Nabataean kingdom. It is located on the territory of modern Jordan, at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level and 660 m above the surrounding area, the Arava Valley, in the narrow Siq Canyon (English).
Entrance for tourists is 50 JOD (Jordanian dinar), in rubles it is a little less than 5 thousand rubles.
There are several ways to get around Petra, the cheapest is on foot. Horse-drawn transport will cost a pretty penny, but if you're too lazy to walk, call this guy.
And he will organize a cart for you.
Petra was located at the crossroads of two major trade routes: one connected the Red Sea with Damascus, the other - the Persian Gulf with Gaza off the Mediterranean coast. Caravans from the Persian Gulf, laden with precious spices, had to courageously endure the harsh conditions of the Arabian desert for weeks until they reached the coolness of the narrow Sik canyon, leading to the long-awaited Petra. There travelers found food, shelter and cool life-giving water. Another major center of the Nabataeans was Hegra.
For hundreds of years, trade has brought Petra great wealth. But when the Romans opened the sea routes to the East, the overland trade in spices came to naught, and Petra gradually became empty, lost in the sands. Many buildings of Petra were erected in different eras and under different owners of the city, including the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), Nabataeans (II century BC - 106 AD), Romans (106-395 AD), Byzantines and Arabs. In the 12th century A.D. e. they were owned by the crusaders.
The first European of modern times to see and describe Petra was the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who traveled incognito. Near the ancient theater here you can see the building of the Idumean or Nabatean era. Monuments built after the VI century AD. e. practically none, because in that era the city had already lost its significance. At the end of the 20th century, Petra became the most popular tourist attraction in Jordan. In 2007, she was chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the world.
Today, about half a million tourists come to Jordan every year to see Petra, whose buildings testify to its glorious past.
The passage to the valley is through the gorges located in the north and south, while from the east and west the cliffs break off vertically, forming natural walls up to 60 m in height. Not far from Petra are the rock temple of Ad-Deir and the tomb of Aaron.
And this is what a local janitor looks like.
The indigenous people of Petra are very similar to the gypsies, but you should not mention this in front of them, there is a risk that you will be beaten.
Only later did I understand why the tourists coming towards me were so exhausted.
All these rocks were once sculptures, but the years have erased everything. That was the elephant.
As tourists pass through the cool, kilometer-long Siq Canyon, around the corner they see Al Khazneh - a majestic building with a facade carved from a huge rock. This is one of the best preserved buildings of the first century.
The building is crowned with a huge stone urn, which allegedly kept gold and gems- hence the name of the temple (translated from Arabic "treasury").
The Bedouins offer camel rides to tired tourists, sell souvenirs and water their herds of goats at the city's springs, whose waters quench the thirst of people and animals.
Here you can take a wonderful selfie with a hunchback.
But not all camels are ready to be photographed.
The donkey was tied to a rock and left to sunbathe.
Having learned how to skillfully collect water, the inhabitants of Petra also mastered the art of working with stone. The very name "Petra", which means "stone" in Greek (Greek πετρα). And Petra, indeed, was a city of stone, like it in the Roman Empire was not. The Nabataeans who built the city patiently carved houses, crypts and temples from stone blocks.
Petra is nestled among the red sandstones, which are excellent for building, and by the first century AD, a monumental city had grown in the heart of the desert. With the help of terracotta pipes, the architects of Petra created a complex water supply system and, despite the arid climate, the inhabitants of the city never needed water. About 200 tanks were located throughout the city, collecting and storing rain water. In addition to connecting reservoirs, terracotta pipes collected water from all sources within a radius of 25 kilometers.
The architects planned the construction of the famous temple-mausoleum of El-Khazneh in the former river bed. For the construction of this structure, the riverbed was changed, a grandiose project for that time. A tunnel was cut through the rock to divert the flow of water and a series of dams were built.
The canyon gradually expands, and tourists find themselves in a natural amphitheater, in the sandstone walls of which there are many caves. But the main thing that catches your eye is the crypts carved into the rocks. The colonnade and the amphitheater testify to the presence of the Romans in the city in the first and second centuries.
Lots of souvenir stalls
The most common souvenir is a polished stone
Surprisingly, cellular communication and 3G work perfectly in this ancient city.
Local residents are 100% involved in the tour business.
And do not look at their appearance, they earn many times more than the average tourist.
IN best years from 1000 to 3000 dinars per day, although now the tourism business is seriously suffering and still they somehow manage to get their minimum.
In the era of decline, Roman architecture abandoned all the laws of architectonics and, obeying the fashion for tasteless splendor, began to create buildings that seemed to be made of soft material, and not built of hard stone. The tomb facades of Petrea (Petra) can serve as an example of such architectural bad taste.
I became curious to look at the Treasury from above and I went to conquer the mountain. If I only knew how difficult it is, I definitely would not repeat this route.
There were children along the way.
After they wore out Sergei, he agreed to show them the photographs he had taken.
We got off with a demonstration of photos on the display of the camera.
After a short ascent, the temple.
This is how the rock looks in section, this is the ceiling.
We experimented a little more with the sun, we got these shots.
I won't show you the whole way.
He's very long.
According to eyewitnesses, there are almost 900 steps.
View from the mountain to Petra.
Amphitheater
Well, actually, they got in.
There is a small house here.
Outside, it looks like this, but I won’t show it inside, in LiveJournal this is already enough.
To see the treasury, you need to go down a little from the highest point of the mountain, but only in the opposite direction. This, in fact, is the end of our route.
Even here they managed to stick a stall with souvenirs. Strange, of course, but it was empty, probably the working day had already ended.
But this view is worth it to climb here.
Going back was easier.
I hope I didn't bore you, I'll try not to do this again;)
Today I will tell you about the main attraction of Jordan - the ancient city of Petra. It is located on the territory of modern Jordan, at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level and 660 m above the surrounding area, the Arava Valley, in the narrow Siq Canyon. The passage to the valley is through the gorges located in the north and south, while from the east and west the cliffs break off vertically, forming natural walls up to 60 m in height. In 2007 Petra was chosen as one of the new seven wonders of the world.
Petra was located at the crossroads of two major trade routes: one connected the Red Sea with Damascus, the other - the Persian Gulf with Gaza off the Mediterranean coast. Caravans from the Persian Gulf, laden with precious spices, had to courageously endure the harsh conditions of the Arabian desert for weeks until they reached the coolness of the narrow Sik canyon, leading to the long-awaited Petra. There travelers found food, shelter and cool life-giving water.
For hundreds of years, trade brought great wealth to Petra. But when the Romans opened sea routes to the East, the overland trade in spices came to naught and Petra gradually became empty, lost in the sands. Many buildings of Petra were erected in different eras and under different owners of the city, including the Edomites (18-2 centuries BC), Nabataeans (2nd century BC - 106 AD), Romans (106-395 AD), Byzantines and Arabs. In the 12th century A.D. e. it was owned by the crusaders.
The first European of modern times to see and describe Petra was the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who traveled incognito. Near the ancient theater here you can see the building of the Idumean or Nabatean era. Monuments, built after the VI century AD. e. practically none, because in that era the city had already lost its significance.
01. Now about half a million tourists visit Petra every year. Entrance for a day is about 55 euros, for 60 euros you can buy a ticket for 2 days. View of the road to Petra. 
02. From here begins the gorge. There is a main road - flat, wide enough, almost all tourists get to Petra along it. But you can turn around and go down the dirt road. To do this, turn right at the post into the tunnel. It is quite difficult to go there, but you can feel yourself in the place of the Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who discovered Petra in 1812. 
03. a few more vids from above. 
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05. This is what the main road looks like. Before entering, you will be actively driven by a horse to get to the city, do not agree, the road there is very easy. But you can return back on the wagon. This pleasure costs 20 euros, you can’t bargain, since the tariff is official. 
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09. With the help of terracotta pipes, the architects of Petra created a complex water supply system and despite the arid climate, the inhabitants of the city never needed water. There were about 200 tanks throughout the city that collected and stored rainwater. In addition to connecting reservoirs, terracotta pipes collected water from all sources within a radius of 25 kilometers. Annual rainfall in Petra is only about 15 centimeters. To conserve water, the locals carved canals and reservoirs right in the rocks. 
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11. When tourists pass through the cool kilometer-long Siq Canyon, around the corner they see the Treasury - a majestic building with a facade carved from a huge rock. This is one of the best preserved buildings of the first century. 
12. The building is crowned with a huge urn made of stone, in which gold and precious stones were supposedly stored - hence the name "Treasury". The official name of this structure is Al Khazneh. The architects planned the construction of this temple in the former riverbed. For its construction, the riverbed was changed, a grandiose project for that time. A tunnel was cut through the rock to divert the flow of water and a series of dams were built. 
13. According to the folk-etymological version, the word “Treasury” subsequently came from the word “El-Khazne”. In fact, there is no direct connection between these words. Al-Khazneh literally means "storage" from hazan - store, store. Russian word"treasury" goes back to the same Arabic word, but was directly borrowed in the XII-XIV centuries from the Polovtsian language. Famous cat. 
14. A few more photos of local cats, but I don't like them so much))) 
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18. The canyon gradually expands, and tourists enter a natural amphitheater, in the sandstone walls of which there are many caves. But the main thing that catches your eye is the crypts carved into the rocks. The colonnade and the amphitheater testify to the presence of the Romans in the city in the first and second centuries. 
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20. The very name "Petra", which means "rock". And Petra, indeed, was a city of stone, like it in the Roman Empire was not. The Nabataeans who built the city patiently carved houses, crypts and temples from stone blocks. Petra is nestled among the red sandstones, which are excellent for building, and by the first century AD, a monumental city had grown in the heart of the desert. 
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30. The end point of the route is the monastery of Ad-Deir. To get to it, you need to climb the mountain for a rather long time, or you can take a donkey for 5 euros and go back down on foot. 
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38. Ed-Deir, a monastery carved into the rock at the top of a cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high. Judging by the crosses carved on the walls, the temple served as a Christian church for some time. 
39. There are observation platforms not far from the monastery, here you can admire the view of the valley. 
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42. All the viewpoints were chosen by the Bedouins, who will extort money from you. 
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45. Be prepared for a lot of little extortionists and souvenir dealers. There is nothing special to buy there, prices in Petra are overpriced by about 2 times. 
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49. Some tourists try to save money and penetrate mountain trails without a ticket. For them, guards were posted on the distant approaches, who check tickets and chase off violators. 
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54. And this is how an alternative gorge looks like, along which you can get to Petra. Very beautiful, although the walk is much longer, but it's worth it. 
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58. The entrance to Petra is open from 6 am to 5 pm. Sometimes the city is opened at night, you need to buy an additional ticket. All the way to the Treasury is decorated with paper lanterns. 
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60. On the square near the Treasury itself, there is a small performance. 
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64. View of Petra from a nearby mountain. 
The Jordanian city of Petra is the main attraction
Jordan and is located in the Wadi Musa valley. It is included in the World
UNESCO heritage, and on July 7, 2007 this ancient city was named one of the
"Seven New Wonders of the World". The word "Petra" in translation means "Rock",
because the city is entirely carved out of stone.
Petra - Nabataean rock city, historians find it difficult to name it
age, it ranges from 2 to 4 thousand years. It is assumed that he was
was created back in the era of the Edomites - it was then that a small,
but a well-defended fortress.
However, later these lands became part of the Nabataean kingdom, when
flourished. The state formed by the Nabataeans (group
Semitic tribes), existed from the 3rd century BC until 106
AD on the territory of modern Jordan, Syria, Israel and
Saudi Arabia. Petra became the capital of the kingdom, gradually acquiring
a huge impact. Building a city in such a difficult, hard-to-reach place
succeeded thanks to the engineering knowledge of the Nabataeans and a reasonable system
sewerage and plumbing. Surprisingly, Petra is an artificial
oasis! In this part of the planet, sudden showers often occur and
floods, but the Nabataeans knew how to control them with the help of
use of dams, cisterns and aqueducts. Not only did they not need water,
but also traded it! Another amazing ability of the Nabataeans, without
which the city of Petra would not exist is the ability to work with stone.
The Nabataean kingdom fell at the hands of the Romans under the leadership of
Emperor Trajan, and then the Roman Empire itself fell. Thus,
this rock pearl was lost in the deserts until known
traveler Johann Burckhardt did not intend in 1812 to find
lost city. He was fascinated by legends about mysterious rock
buildings that no one has ever seen. As a result of persistent
The Swiss did it anyway.
Royal Tombs, Petra, Jordan
It is assumed that all the premises of Petra were erected within three
periods: under the Idumeans (XVIII-II centuries BC), Nabataeans (II century BC
era - 106 BC) and the Romans (106-395 AD). There is an opinion that
in the XII century A.D. Petra was owned by the knights of the Teutonic Order. However,
monuments erected in this city after the 6th century AD, have already reached us
did not reach. The appearance of Petra, which we see today, is almost identical
ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom.
At the moment, the territory of Petra has been studied by only 15%. It means,
that the mysteries of the ancient city may soon shock the whole world! What
available in Petra now - this is at least 800 historical objects,
it is simply impossible to get around and consider them all in one day! That's why
tickets here are sold immediately for three days, although in fact, in order to
really get to know all the architectural elements of Petra,
perhaps a month is not enough.
To get here, you need to go down into a deep gorge, and then
walk along it for a long time, between high sheer cliffs, on which at times
there are inscriptions carved in limestone, and even entire niches,
carefully carved for rest for weary travelers. At some point
it may seem that you will have to walk forever along this mountain gorge, but
suddenly it ends abruptly, and the tourist’s eyes open like this
called the "Treasury of the Pharaoh" (in Arabic "El-Khazneh") - one of
famous monuments of secret Petra. Many historians believe that
originally it was the temple of the goddess Isis. Such a structure would be very
difficult to create even today, so it doesn’t fit in my head like people
ancient times, it was possible to carry out such accurate calculations and how in general
it is possible to hollow out a structure of such a height from stone, when around on
hundreds and hundreds of kilometers there is not at least some suitable material
for the construction of scaffolding! The degree of strength is also amazing.
buildings - after millennia, the facade of the Treasury remained
practically untouched.
Before entering Petra, you can purchase detailed map cities and, at
If you wish, hire a guide. The ancient city extends deep into the rocks on
several kilometers, from east to west, the main street with
colonnade on the sides. On its east side is Triumphal Arch on three
span, on the western - a huge temple. One of the most important architectural
part of Petra is an ancient theater designed for 6 thousand spectators,
which is completely carved into the rock. It is known that it was built in
beginning of the 1st century A.D. e., simultaneously with the majestic bulk of the monastery
El Deir is a huge structure with a width of 50 m and more than 45 m in height.
Fans of fantasy cinema will be interested in the fact that
one of the scenes of the movie "Transformers 2" was filmed here.
The culmination of our stay in Jordan naturally was a visit to Petra.
What can you say about this place, this city? To begin with, we will voice its modern attributes:
This is one of the 7 new wonders of the world;
This is the symbol of Jordan;
It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List;
This is a place that has been repeatedly mentioned in the bible;
It is ultimately one of the most magnificent architectural ensembles of antiquity.
Regarding the history of the city - it is quite capacious, long and consists of many interesting facts and moments. However, in this case, we will not particularly dwell on it (who cares what the Idumeans, Nabataeans, Romans, Byzantines or Arabs left behind in the city, and when it was - the Internet is at your service). We note only a few points.
Historians found the first mention of Peter in manuscripts dating back to XIII century BC
The heyday and construction of the rock city fell on the period of occupation by the Nabateans ( IV-III century. BC.)
At the end of the XIII century AD, the city was completely abandoned and forgotten (for unknown reasons).
In 1812, Petra was rediscovered for Europeans by the famous traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who managed by hook or by crook to ingratiate himself with the local Bedouins and, under the guise of an artist, get into the forgotten city with his guides. Since Burckhardt had extensive practical experience as a traveler, it was not difficult for him to remember the route and subsequently bring researchers here ....
From that moment to the present, constant archaeological research has been carried out in the Petra region, during which many historically important and valuable objects have been discovered, which are located on the map below....
(The map is taken from the Russian edition of "Jordan" Geographic&Co)
We will not now describe what each number means, but as we travel through Petra we will refer to this map.
So - go!
Our trip to Petra started at 7:30 local Jordanian time. It was at this time that the taxi driver Reid Al-Masri was waiting for us at the entrance to the hotel, with whom we had agreed on the trip the day before.
In order for us to get from Aqaba (where we lived) to Petra, it was necessary to overcome over 100 km. The roads in Jordan are for the most part decent (not like ours), there are few cars, the driver is experienced (with a lot of experience), so in terms of time, moving in its pure form would take no more than an hour and a little. But even during the negotiations, Reid told us that on the way to Petra he would make several stops from which a wonderful view opens up. He kept his word. True, the first stop was unscheduled. At the pass we saw snow and asked the driver to stop. Snow for Jordan is perhaps also a kind of miracle.... Reid told us that a week ago the snow cover here was about a meter high, so many roads were completely closed to traffic.
Then everything went according to plan. The next stop is at a souvenir shop located nearby. It offers a wide range of Jordanian handicrafts, including numerous cosmetic products with Dead Sea components at very attractive prices...
After tasting local tea and coffee, warming up a little in camel skins (in Aqaba the air temperature was +20 o C, and here it is about 0), we continued our trip ....
After driving a couple more kilometers, we ended up at the observation deck. This is the highest place in the area. The wind was so strong that we were afraid to approach the edge of the site - it could blow away ....
The driver says that there are only a few kilometers left to Petra, and because of the next turn, a wonderful view of some town opened before us .... We stop (according to the plan) and begin to look around ....
Where is Petra? The driver explains that we are looking in the wrong direction. This town is called Wadi Musa, but what we need is located away from it.
He makes us turn to the side and, pointing to the rocks in front of us, repeats uncontrollably: "Petra, Petra!"
We began to peer into the distance more intensely. But alas, we didn't see anything. Now it became clear why, until 1812, for many centuries, alien travelers could not visit the ancient city .....
We go down by car and in a few minutes we are at the entrance to the famous open-air museum.
We buy tickets (to be precise, the driver did it) and .....
Let's digress a bit here. About tickets. Petra is considered one of the most expensive museums in the world. This is not accidental, because the museum is one of the few sources of Jordan's income. So the ticket prices are different here. If you come to Petra, for example, from Israel or Egypt (that is, for one day), then you will be charged 90 dinars for entry (1 local dinar is only 70 US cents). If you got here while in Jordan, they will require only 50 dinars from you. To do this, you will have to show your passport or have such a cunning driver as our Reid as a friend, who, bypassing the queue (it really wasn’t very big), poked his head into the ticket office window and explained to the cashier in a couple of seconds that he had brought a group of tourists from Aqaba who live there in one of the hotels (or maybe he said something else to them - fluent Arabic is unknown to us).
A minute later we were already inside the complex, called "Petra".
Before you go further, on a small island of civilization, you can, for example, stock up on water, wash your hands, in the "Information for tourists" section, get a map of Petra for free (it is advisable not just to take it with you, but try to understand the map a little, so that later you can consciously walk around the city), etc., etc.
Well, now that all everyday problems have been settled, having cast a farewell glance at today's time
we, having passed the control, find ourselves in the distant past ....
Having passed the control, we find ourselves in the Wadi Musa Valley (1) (Valley of Moses). The road to the past is long enough. Parallel to the pedestrian path, there is a road for local transport: donkeys, horses, etc. If you carefully read the rights of a tourist, which he receives when buying an entrance ticket, then its cost includes the delivery of your person on this transport to the center of Petra. Many do not know about this (the information is given in very small print on the inside of the ticket) and despite the beckoning cries of the drivers: "All inclusive!", which are quite obtrusively offering this service, they prefer walking. Others, who know about this service, refuse to use it due to the fact that, as follows from the numerous reviews of tourists, all this local brethren will still try to charge you money for delivery. For this they will give you a lot of reasons. Starting from the fact that they only deliver for free to a specific place that you have already accidentally passed, and ending with a noisy showdown in their own language, as a result of which you still fork out ...
In general, we went on foot, but not based on the above factors. Firstly, the weather was amazing - the air temperature is somewhere around 15 degrees Celsius above zero (in the summer it can be over 40 - that's when you think about transport), the sun is shining, it's a little cloudy, the breeze is blowing ... Secondly, it was interesting for us to see everything slowly ....
Already literally behind the first turn in numerous low rocks, man-made structures are visible ...
Ahead on course with right side towering Djinn blocks (5).
Here they are in front of us .... There are several opinions about them. Someone says that these are stone gods, someone else says something else.... We will adhere to the official version, which can be found on the information board. It follows that these are peculiar tower tombs....
Behind a small turn, but already on the opposite side, another structure is visible in the rock....
This is none other than the Obelisk Tomb (6). There were five graves in the upper tier, and ground floor was a funeral (ritual) hall .... There is another interesting, but not official version: some believe that four sons of one of the rulers of Petra were buried in this tomb (according to the number of pillars above the entrance)....
Some have already managed to inspect everything and are returning "to the base" with the breeze ....
And we continue our acquaintance with Petra ....
Opposite the Obelisk tomb there is another burial room.... Its purpose can be judged by a peculiar ornament located above the entrance - two steps converging to the bottom....
And this is the confirmation of our words. Connoisseurs of English can get acquainted in detail with the opinion of the museum management regarding the purpose of certain structures....
While we are moving along the Valley of Moses, in literally all the numerous rocks that surround us, you can find traces of an ancient civilization...
"Prospect" ends with another stronghold of law and order
and one more information for tourists....
We are on one of the oldest dams, which was erected by the Nabataeans during the construction of Petra. Subsequently, in 1964, the dam was restored. Its purpose is very practical and very important for Petra. As we will find out later, the entire ancient city is located at the bottom of a deep gorge. Accordingly, during the rainy season (and they are decent here + water from all the surrounding mountains flows into the gorge), Petra could simply be washed away. Clever urban planners of the past solved this problem quite simply and brilliantly: they built a dam in front of the entrance to their gorge, and on the side (to drain water) they cut down a tunnel called Nabataean or Dark (8). On it, all the "extra" water went to another gorge ....
Behind the dam, two warriors of Petra guard the entrance to the Siq gorge (9)..... This main road leading to Petra is the bottom of a split rock with a length of about 1200 meters. The height of the sheer walls reaches 80 meters, and the width of the "tract" is from 3 to 12 meters (so be careful in narrow places, otherwise you will find yourself an easy prey for a dashing chaise).
Once the entrance to the gorge was decorated with arched gates, but it was not possible to save them - they were destroyed in 1895. However, if you look closely, you can see the remnants of the former luxury...
And on the next "cheat sheet" you can get to know them better ....
And here we are "plunging" into the pleasant coolness (although it's not very hot outside anyway) of the Siq gorge...
If you look closely, then on the left side along the entire gorge stretches a trench carved into the rocks. This next invention of the Nabataeans is a water supply system. They managed to collect fresh water from the mountains within a radius of up to 25 kilometers for their needs. Moreover, they thought through everything to the smallest detail: the constant slope of the drain, which allows you to regulate the flow rate, and the numerous reservoirs (there are over 200 of them), and ceramic pipes, and laying water pipes at a height, and much more, which at that time was beyond the power of most other peoples...
It is no coincidence that it was on the edge of the drain that this lonely tree found "refuge" ....
Before us is perhaps one of the narrowest places in the gorge ....
And now there is no light overhead...
And here is what we warned you about above. True, we were lucky - we collided with a "cabriolet" in a fairly wide part of the gorge. And if this happened a few minutes earlier - we would have to take the form of a wall ...
According to our estimates, we have already overcome half of the way to the Siq gorge ....
And here we will linger a little. If you pay attention - a huge cracked piece of rock hangs over the gorge to the right....
Many scientists believe that this is a real danger that can manifest itself at any moment. The Jordanians are doing their best to avoid the collapse. A lot of sensors are installed on the rock, which record all changes in the crack. In addition, the authorities of the country turned to other states for help, and according to some information, the Germans seem to have some kind of project to protect the rock ... (So hurry up to visit Petra, otherwise the entrance to it will suddenly be blocked)
We were lucky again - the rock did not fall off and we continued our movement forward ....
In this part of the gorge, hand-made works of ancient masters begin to appear....
But this has already taken the soul of nature .... If you look at this creation of hers from this side, it resembles some kind of terrible fish ....
And from here - a couple of elephants ....
It turns out that everything that we saw above was the creation of the hands of a man named Sabinos, who was engaged in certain religious ceremonies .... True, time, or rather the strong winds and rains that affected for 18 centuries, did not spare his masterpieces ...
The Siq expanded again. By the way, very often on the ground you can find the remains of that ancient paving stone....
Increasingly, traces of civilization began to be encountered along the way ...
Suddenly, the passage narrowed completely, it became dark, and in the distance, in the gap between the rocks, the outlines of some structure appeared ....
In a few seconds, the most famous building of Petra El-Khazne (10) opens up to our eyes....
Al-Khazneh is the visiting card of Petra, and of the whole of Jordan...
Once upon a time, Europeans who first visited these places, she appeared in the following form .....
(Photo taken from the Russian edition of "Jordan" Geographic&Co)
During this time, a lot has changed in Al-Khazne: something for the better - the collapsed column was restored, something for the worse - time has done its job and many sculptures have worn out ....
What is this building? The height of the facade is 39 meters (this is the height of our 12-storey building), the width is 25 meters. This structure was carved into the rock. Until recently, scientists did not have exact information about how the Nabataeans managed to do all this. Many believed that the classical method of construction was used, i.e. scaffolding was erected and builders were located on their scaffolds, who hollowed out building elements in the rock. However, this version quickly lost its relevance: there are mountains and desert around for many kilometers. Each tree counts. After many years of research, it was found that all the work was carried out in a completely new style for architecture - not from the bottom up, but vice versa: from the top down. Ancient builders climbed to the top of the cliff and from there they began to build their masterpiece. Making ledges in the rock and gradually going down, at the first stage, they created something like a perfectly even canvas. At the second stage of construction, again working from top to bottom and using a system of phased cutting of cornices (instead of scaffolding), elements of the main structure were created. If it were possible during that period to use modern facilities video recording, then we would see the following video fragment: you are a spectator and, as it were, are in the auditorium. There is a curtain in front of you, which begins to fall from top to bottom, and at this time, Al-Khazneh begins to appear in front of you ....
First its upper fragment,
and then the lower part...
As they say, everything ingenious is simple. Although with this method of building it, so to speak, the chief architect must have tremendous knowledge ...
Most of the buildings in Petra were built in this way. By the way, this production was virtually waste-free. The cutting of the building was carried out in blocks (something like bricks, only of large sizes), which then went down and were successfully used in the construction of other structures...
For a long time it was not possible to determine the purpose of this building. At first they thought it was a treasury. After all, Petra was at one time a fairly rich city. It was located at the crossroads of two major trade routes: the first - connected the Red Sea with Damascus, the second - the Persian Gulf with Gaza. It was in Petra that numerous caravans stopped to rest after long and tiring journeys. At that time, Petra was a real oasis in the desert: there was a lot of greenery, fountains, places to relax, etc. The Nabataeans were good traders and, accordingly, the city treasury was constantly replenished. Here, according to one of the versions, it was decided to build a building of amazing beauty at the entrance to the city, in which the latest innovations in the advanced world architecture would be used (hence we observe elements of the Greco-Roman style in Al-Khazna), and which would make the newly arrived guests of the city immediately understand where they were. Accordingly, they planned to store all their wealth in this building. By the way, Al-Khazneh is translated from Arabic as a treasury, treasury ...
Another version of the appointment of Al-Khazne is a temple, a tomb. The thing is that if you go inside the building, then there are no architectural excesses except for bare walls. In addition, an analysis of the sculptures on the facade of the building showed that they are all connected in one way or another with the afterlife. But the main sign of the tomb - no burials were found.
Literally not so long ago, it seemed strange to one scientist who was conducting a study of Petra that the slope under which we leave the Siq gorge to Al-Khazne in front of the building abruptly changes its level (i.e. levels out). Then there was an assumption that the base of the building was simply covered with sand over time. The scientist's assumption was justified: during the excavations at the visual base of the building, at a depth of 6 meters, the lower floor was discovered, in which burials of 11 people were found. Based on their remains, it was possible to accurately determine the time of burial and finally determine the exact purpose of this grandiose structure - the tomb of the Nabatean king Aref IV....
If you get closer to the building, then you can see some of the results of these excavations ....
And here another caravan left the gorge
and settled down to rest....
Yes, donkeys have no place among the ships of the desert ....
The square in front of Al-Khazneh is a favorite place for tourists. But today there are not many people and we manage to calmly examine and photograph everything without crowding and turmoil ....
Even on the wall near the building we managed to see such a balcony....
However, one should not forget that Al-Khazneh is only the beginning of the glorious city of Petra. Therefore, if you want to have time to see its other sights, then it's time for you to move on .... That's what we do.
Passing through a small gorge
and before us is a new creation of the Nabateans - the street (wall) of Facades ....
These are numerous burials, the entrance to which is a true monument of architecture....
In fact, among many scientists there is a version that Petra is the city of the dead. Too many objects of the city are connected with this event. True, their opponents also have quite strong arguments in their favor: why do the dead need such a powerful and developed water supply system, why do they need a theater, etc., etc. Agree this is a pretty solid argument. Again, if you take a closer look at the culture of the Nabataeans, they were very sensitive to the afterlife and believed that the deceased should not need anything. From here, perhaps, the large tombs (which are much better than their dwellings), and many of the ritual complexes that we see today in Petra. Otherwise, history is relative. Perhaps soon, some lucky from this brotherhood will be able to find such an artifact that will turn all official ideas about this, and it may happen that Petra is really the city of the dead ....
In the Wall of Facades, you can also find open openings, although today access to tourists is closed there - specialists are still working there ...
Directly in front of us is the Nabataean theater. It is also carved into the rock, although some of its parts are made from those blocks that remained from Al-Khazneh. The theater has 45 rows. The average length of one row is about 95 meters. It was designed for 7-10 thousand spectators....
On the left side of the square, we again see a lot of tombs and some other rooms. Yes, another household moment. The fact is that before the trip, having studied many sites, we realized that in Petra there is a certain problem with WC - everyone unanimously stated: "Be careful! There is only one toilet, which is located at the entrance! ". So, ladies and gentlemen, let me disagree with this. There are many of them in Petra more: there are both at the entrance, and at the entrance to the gorge (combustion closets), and on this square (hospital), and further along your path in several places. So don't worry too much about this. The only place where these amenities of civilization are missing is if you go to the mountains...
Speaking of mountains... While we were looking around on this square, a couple of tourists (foreigners) with a local guide stopped near us. After he told them something about this area, the guide suggested that the couple make an ascent to enjoy the amazing views of Petra .... Since we became unwitting witnesses of this fluent communication in English, we had no choice but to follow their example
Let's start climbing...
We climbed literally a few tens of meters, and Petra looks different already ....
Well, let's continue our experiment....
I still have strength, my breath doesn’t seem to get lost, so everything is higher and higher ....,
and camels are getting smaller and smaller...
And this is how the tombs of the Assyrian type opposite the theater look from a height (at a fairly large approximation) ...
It seems that we have already climbed high, but our mountain does not end there .... Well, at least the weather is favorable (at +40, such a climb would not be a joy) ...
After the next turn - another long climb ... As for the road itself, it is quite decent: 50 percent are fairly well-preserved steps, 25 percent of its length is a fairly compacted coating, and the remaining 25% - as usual in the mountains ... Of course, in rainy weather, climbing some sections would be very problematic ...
Once again looking back .... Maybe it's time to go back? But the guide somewhere and for some reason led our foreign colleagues up ...
But these steps delight the soul, and the body too ....
In some places, the walls of rocks along which we move look very good...
And here is the first living creature on our mountain path.... Meet - in front of you is a Jordanian pigeon with an alpine residence in the city of Petra...
We look at our starting point through the camera lens with a good approximation .... Now, until we know the purpose of our ascent, it’s definitely stupid to go down ...
So imperceptibly, quite often being distracted by photography, we caught up with the initiators of our ascent. Local Bedouins make their lives much easier by making this way on donkeys... thrill, but if these sections are overcome on horseback ... In short, comments are unnecessary.
Even at such a height there are points for the processing of tourists, i.e. sale of local handicrafts....
Prices here are much lower than below. We offer you various amulets with stones, items supposedly made of pure silver, etc...
On a small flat area there is an alpine cafe. Here they offer Bedouin tea, local coffee with coriander, and some others. soft drinks. We don't have them yet...
Poor donkey, how he breathes heavily, and it looks like he's sweating .... Or maybe I'm already breathing like a steam locomotive? Although foreigners are already somewhere far behind ...
I'll tell you a little secret. In view of the fact that only one path goes further, we decided to go around them (we won’t get lost anyway) ...
We somehow got carried away with the process of conquering the summit and forgot that there could be faster walkers on this path besides us .... We had to give way ...
We go around the next turn and .... but there is no more road above! We are at the top!!!
Why are we here to put it mildly dragged?
Maybe in order to enjoy the music of this Bedouin at such a height?
Or drink some water from this alpine well?
While we cannot find the answer to our question, but with all this, we no longer regret that we climbed here and spent a lot of time on it.
Firstly, it offers a magnificent view of the mountains surrounding Petra....
Secondly, where else will you meet cats at such a height and in such a deserted place?
By the way, they feel quite well here and lead a very active lifestyle....
Thirdly, only here you can meet real modern residents of Petra, who absolutely do not care about the level of local sales (they will study stock news better) .....
who, in the absence of an influx of tourists, will develop their abilities as a guide by expounding all the charms of Petra to their favorite donkey ...
And at the same time, the latter, we must give him his due, will be a worthy listener ...
Only on this peak, hoisting the flag of Jordan (while risking their lives), local residents discuss the global geopolitical situation...
Only from this peak can one see a modern city in which life is seething from one side,
and on the other hand, observe the dwelling of the Petruan Bedouin ...
Only on this peak, our esteemed donkeys bow before religious buildings and in silence, probably, think about something vital....
Agree, it’s painfully on some specific mountain we are with you ....
As it turned out a little later (when we had already descended and analyzed our route), we ended up on Mount Attuf (mountain of sacrifice)
Having carefully looked around, we also found facts confirming that we are in this very place ...
First of all, these are two obelisks - symbols of the deities Dusshara and Al-Utsa....
and, of course, these ruins of ritual temples....
But as it turned out, even this was not the goal of our ascent....
Everyone says that donkeys are stupid animals. I think it's not. Does a stupid animal just walk to the edge of the abyss?
They clearly knew that being in this somewhat dangerous place, you can see most of Petra at a glance ....
Well, if you get to the other side of the top,
then you will see a view of that part of Petra, to which, as they say, 99% of the tourists who visited it have not set foot ....
In order to make it clear in the future exactly which places we are visiting from the Mount of Sacrifice, we will make a reference to the area ....
In front of you, in the upper right corner, is a fairly well-known building - the Qasr Al-Bint Palace (we still have time to examine it from below).
and then to the left...
If you take a closer look at the above photographs, you can see a lot of different tombs and structures. To our great regret, we did not find any information about this part of Petra. Being at the top for about half an hour, we could not see the tourists who would have gotten there ... We note right away that most of the photos on this page were taken with a telephoto lens, so the real distance to the objects is quite decent....
Here is our Kasr again,
Before reaching the palace - a little to the left and up the slope you can see the columns of the pharaoh...
To the left of the columns is an incomprehensible building. Most likely this is already a modern building, because. glass is visible in the openings ....
And now we will “walk” near those distant mountains (from right to left) that were discussed above ... (We will not comment on anything here. You just see for yourself how long Petra is and how little we really know about it)
So, you yourself were able to see for yourself that tourists unfortunately do not visit the largest part of Petra, where hundreds of various ancient structures of antiquity ....
Although there is nothing strange in this. On the one hand, on the maps that give out at the entrance, these objects are not marked at all, on the other hand, it takes a lot of time and effort to get here, and then also to return ....
And now let's return to the other side of our mountain, which offers a view of the places known to history ...
From this square (Street of Facades) we once began our ascent ....
Yes, there are fewer people...
What else did we manage to see from above?
Here in front of us, or rather below us, is the tomb of Uneishu (19). It has been fairly well preserved. Unlike other tombs, this one has its own courtyard... When excavations were carried out here, they found a coin of the Nabatean king Malk II and a number of fragments of plates with inscriptions, from which it followed that there was a burial place of a royal person ...
Well, what else can you see from here? The supply of time is limited, therefore, having breathed in the fresh mountain air, we begin to think about the descent ...
The descent was quite fast (in relation to the ascent) and without long stops, so after .... minutes we were already at the bottom .....
Here is our amphitheater... By the way, it, like many other buildings of Petra, suffered quite a bit from the earthquake in its time...
We continue our journey through Petra towards the Royal Tombs.... The people have increased...
If you still have the strength, you can slightly deviate from the route and drop by the light to the Nabateans...
And here's another place for a sanitary stop ....
A little away from the main caravan route is the Urn Tomb, already known to us.
It is said that it got its name due to the fact that a small urn is located on its top. Here it is (top) in front of you. Where is the urn?
True, the tomb also has another (local) name: the Bedouins, due to the grandeur of the architecture of the building, called it the Court ....
Squeezing through another caravan
Let's start another climb...
On the site at the base of the Urn, there is a rather brisk trade in souvenirs...
A little more and we will be at the goal ....
All have arrived...
You can go inside the tomb. Archaeological excavations are still underway here, so some part is closed to the public...
Immediately striking is the peculiar color scheme of the ceiling ....
When you leave, you will again be haunted by the tourist service ....
Some sellers can be seen have been sitting on this tourist route for a very long time ....
The Tomb of the Urn is followed by a whole series of rich tombs that are part of the Royal: the Palace-Tombstone and to the right of it - the Corinthian Tomb. All of them are built in 1st century AD
We took a breath, looked around and found that we still have a long road ahead, and not back, but forward and forward ....
After all, there are a lot of people at that rock that is on the horizon. So there is something to see...
We go down to the main square of Petra ....
Finally, you can take a breath: relax a little, after sitting on a bench for a couple of minutes ....
It turns out that not only we are tired, but also the Bedouins, who are comfortably located near a lonely tree,
moored for rest and "ships of the desert" .....
Yes, to rest is not to work .... Something too early, we relaxed. Gotta get up and move on...
We are immediately offered to use local transport ... But we decide not to change our principles ...
To our right, the Royal Tombs lined up in all their glory...
Our route passes along Colonnadnaya Street (24).... At one time it was the main street of Petra, along which there were numerous shops, markets, temples....
Another and another caravan descends from the mountains to the "shopping center"....
At the end of Colonnadnaya Street, on the left side along the course of our movement, there is the Great Temple of Petra .... (for some reason, this "small and inconspicuous" structure was not marked on our map. Perhaps due to the fact that archaeological work is being carried out in this place and to this day historians have not fully decided on the purpose of this object ...). The temple is really great in the truest sense of the word - it covers an area of over 7.5 thousand square meters. and is the largest building in the city...
We make the next stop near Qasr Al-Bint (27) - Temple of the Pharaoh's Daughter. If you look around, this is the only more or less preserved building. It turns out the whole thing in its design. Unlike its counterparts, this building is made using a unique technology: its brick blocks are interconnected with juniper twigs. It was thanks to this design that he managed to withstand a strong earthquake ...
Ahead appeared, let's say, the original rock....
Ask: "What does it mean?" See for yourself: All openings are closed with modern elements of architectural design (doors, glass), there is quite civilized ventilation, etc. New residents of Petra? Everything turned out to be somewhat more prosaic - this is the new Archaeological Museum of Petra ...
Near the museum, you can have a bite to eat in an open-air cafe, and if you wish, well, if you haven’t seen everything yet, spend the night right there at the hotel.
Another feature of this place is a fairly large number of green spaces....
The Archaeological Museum is not the end point of Petra. Roads lead from its walls both to the left and to the right. If you move to the left, then after a few kilometers (I don’t know exactly how many of them) you will come to that part of the city that we examined from the Mount of Sacrifice. If you go to the right, then overcoming the level difference of 350 meters (and this is a winding path, and a steep staircase ...) you can get to the monastery of Ad-Deir. We did not have enough strength for such an ascent. Yes, and time too. After all, do not forget that there is still a road ahead and in reverse side, but it's still a few kilometers away ....
We go back...
Before us again "float" the Royal Tombs,
the central square of Petra (although now it is completely deserted)
and the Siq Gorge.
And here we are at the finish line...
Well, now that everything is behind me, I will tell you a little secret.
We have been to Petra several times: the first time was in excellent sunny weather. Then we spent about 5 hours in this beautiful city, but unfortunately we did not have time to see many interesting moments. The second - three days later (then the weather deteriorated somewhat, swimming in the Red Sea was not very comfortable and part of our small group decided to slip into Petra to see the sights). On this day in Aqaba (where we lived) it was about 15 degrees. above 0 (sea water temperature - 21 degrees) and quite cloudy ...
And here is what my "colleagues" faced on the way to Petra...
On the one hand, the local driver was insanely happy - after all, snow is for them big celebration(although in Lately there has been a noticeable increase in such holidays in Jordan), and on the other hand, he repeatedly tried to turn around (because he has no driving skills on a snowy highway, and even in mountainous conditions and on summer tires, like 99.99% of other local drivers do not).
In fact, this trip was close to completion (fog was all over the mountain section),
but already in the city of Wadi Musa, in the immediate vicinity of the entrance to the Petra Museum, it was removed as if by hand ....
Then our travelers decided to see Petra after all ... (you yourself can find some differences in the photographs of those that were taken on a sunny day from a cloudy one). By the way, in their opinion, and according to the footage, on a cloudy day, many objects in Petra look much better than in clear weather...
If you want to get acquainted with the whole of Petra, then you will either need a whole day (hours from 6 am to 4 pm - at this time the museum is open in winter) and at the same time you will be on the move all the time and by the end of the day completely unsettled (and this pace is not feasible for every tourist), or split the visit into several days. At the same time, Petra's employees themselves recommend visiting it in three days (the museum's official website even lists the recommended daily program). In this case, the price of the entrance ticket changes significantly: if a one-time visit costs 50 dinars (for those who stay in Jordan for more than a day), then for three days the ticket price will be only 60 dinars. So everything is in your hands.
In conclusion, I would like to say only one thing - Petra is not in vain considered one of the seven wonders of the world!
Couldn't they travel [study the history of past centuries and millennia, and then visit the preserved monuments, the capitals of states and civilizations that once prospered and crush any enemy], while having understanding hearts and hearing ears?!
It is not people's eyes that go blind, but the hearts that are in their chests [they do not heed the lessons of the past in the present, do not try to understand them. Their whole life is a run from nowhere to nowhere along the narrow path of stereotypes and personal interpretations, subjective conclusions].*
Holy Quran 22:46
Impressed?
Then let's open the cards a little.
So, Petra (Arabic البتراء) - ancient city, capital Idumea (Edoma), later the capital of the Nabataean kingdom. It is located on the territory of modern Jordan, at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level and 660 m above the surrounding area, the Arava Valley, in the narrow Siq Canyon.
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or Jordan is an Arab state in the Middle East. It borders with Syria in the north, Iraq in the northeast, Saudi Arabia in the east and south, Israel and Palestine in the west. Jordan shares with Israel and Palestine the coastlines of the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba with Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
About 90% of the territory of the kingdom is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts.
The most famous landmark in Jordan is , the city we are interested in Petra , located 262 kilometers south of Amman, and 133 kilometers north of Aqaba in the Wadi Musa valley.
The ancient city is the property of the Bedouins, who are engaged in the manufacture and sale of souvenirs on the territory of the museum, as well as offering a ride on horses or camels. In place of the current Petra was the first fortified settlement to be named " village" — "stone, rock". Later this name was translated into Greek - Petra ("stone").
Petra - the capital of the Nabatean kingdom and one of the most beautiful and well-preserved ancient cities. Petra is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is one of the new wonders of the world. In ancient times, Petra was on the trade route connecting the Middle East, Arabia and India.
Historians believe that the city was built by the Nabataeans - Arab tribes of nomads who settled on these lands in the 3rd millennium BC. The appearance of Petra owes much to the Greco-Roman culture, which the Nabataeans adapted to their needs. Starting with a few easily defended caves in the rocks, Petra gradually turned into an impregnable walled city. The lands of the former Nabatean kingdom and Petra were completely forgotten in the West.
The Swiss traveler Johann Ludwig Burckhardt was the first European to see and describe Petra in 1812.
The very location of Petra is amazing, namely the mountains, which, depending on the time of day, change their color from dark red to pink and even orange.
It is not so easy to get to the ancient city, you will have to overcome several kilometers on foot: first go down, and back up through Siq Gorge. From the east and west, the cliffs break off vertically, forming natural walls up to 80 m in height.
Here is a description of this path, made in the 70s: “The path to the city lies through this passage. Its length is about 1.2 km, and its width is from 4 to 10 meters or more. The spectacle is truly unforgettable: reddish and brownish cliffs up to 80 m high hang from both sides; a strip of sky turns blue above, coarse gravel and sand rustle underfoot, it smells of dampness and mold. The Romans failed to take Petra for several years; its inhabitants, blocking the only narrow passage leading to the walled city, could hold back an entire army with small forces ...
Walking down the aisle- both to the right and to the left above the head are such cut, gnawed red stones. During the rainy season, this gorge turns into a swift turbulent stream. The road is adorned with the remains of an ancient pavement and rock carvings, and along the edges, like a railing, a water trough winds, delivering water to Petra.
The beginning of the gorge, through which you can get to Petra itself
Already approaching the exit from the gorge, we freeze in amazement: through the hole in the dark corridor, about fifty meters from its end, a pink building with columns and an elegant pediment illuminated by the sun is clearly visible. A few more minutes of patience and before us is one of the monumental tombs of Petra ... What is most striking is that it is a solid stone massif without any additions.
Opens around the corner El Khazneh- a majestic building with a facade carved from a huge rock. This is one of the best preserved buildings of the first century. The building is crowned with a huge urn made of stone, in which gold and precious stones were allegedly kept, hence the name of the temple (translated from Arabic as “treasury”).
The interior of one of the "rooms" of El Khazneh.
Here it is very clearly seen that all this was carved in a solid stone massif.
Rounding the rock and the palace of Al-Khazneh, you will find yourself surrounded by hundreds of buildings carved into the rocks, temples, tombs, small and large residential buildings, tombs and festive halls, long stairs, arches and cobbled streets. A little lower, a huge Roman amphitheater carved out of stone, which once accommodated more than 4 thousand spectators.
High in the mountains above the city there is a sacred place of worship to the gods, from where a stunning panorama of Petra opens - the amphitheater, the Byzantine church and the tombs of the kings, the Roman colonnades, the mausoleum of Aaron, and the main temple of the Nabateans - Kazr al-Bint.
Here is a list of the most interesting of them: Al-Khazneh ("Treasury", the tomb of one of the Nabatean kings), Ad-Deir ("Monastery"), Sakhrij ("Genie blocks"), "Obelisk tomb", "Square of facades", the sacred mountain Jabal Al-Madbah ("Mountain of Sacrifice"), "Royal Tombs", Mugar An-Nasar ("Caves of Christians"), Theater, Byzantine the church behind the ruins of the Nymphaeum, Al-Uzza Atargatis ("Temple of the Winged Lions"), Qasr Al-Bint ("The Palace of the Pharaoh's Daughter", although the pharaohs, of course, have nothing to do with this building), etc.
There are two archaeological museums in the city: the old one (in the Jebel Al-Habis mountain) and the new one, which have excellent collections, as well as many monuments identified with biblical chronicles - the Wadi Musa valley itself ("Valley of Moses"), Mount Jebel Haroun (mountain of Aaron, on which, according to legend, the high priest Aaron died), the source of Ain Musa ("Source of Moses"), etc.
Petra was called the "robber's nest", "bloody stones", "cursed place", "city of evil spirits", "ghost city", "city of bloody altars", "city of the dead".
The territory of Petra occupies a large area. From the center, where the ruins of numerous buildings, no longer rocky, but built in the traditional way, from stone, are well preserved, it stretches for several kilometers.
The main street, stretching from east to west across the city, was laid during the Roman rule. On both sides of it stretches a majestic colonnade. The western end of the street ran into a large temple, while the eastern end ended in a three-span triumphal arch.
Ad-Deir is a monastery carved into the rock at the top of a cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high. Judging by the crosses carved on the walls, the temple served as a Christian church for some time.
Later, after the researchers dug out the space under the monastery, they discovered the tomb of one of the Nabatean kings.
Here is a very informative video - the program of the National Geographic channel:
The remains of this "city of the dead" are an edification for us who live after them. In the sacredIn the Koran, the Almighty in several verses tells us about the destroyed peoples and villages:
How many settlements We destroyed together with their sinful, godless inhabitants: [old] houses collapsed and became empty, wells [water supply systems] became useless and fell into disrepair, and [strong] built [with the latest science and technology] palaces [if they remained standing, then empty and deserted].*
Holy Quran, 22:45
Each of the human communities has its own term [nothing lasts forever in this world, everything (people, peoples, cities, states, eras, civilizations) has an earthly beginning and end]. If it comes, then nothing can be changed (it is impossible to delay or accelerate it). *
Holy Quran, 7:34
Didn't you see what your Lord did to the Adites?! [With their tribe] Iram, who had [majestic] buildings based on columns. Until that moment, there were no others like them [powerful and strong, smart].
Holy Quran 89:6-8
Do they not see [do not know] how many civilizations were destroyed by Us earlier! Indeed, they will not return to them [to those who currently exist]!*
Holy Quran 36:31
In conclusion, I will quote the words of a Muslim scholar-sage who was asked:
“Why do we hear edifications, instructions, but we cannot benefit from them, they are not reflected in our lives?
The sage replied: “For five reasons:
First: Allah has endowed you with many bounties, bestowed on you an uncountable number of blessings, but you have lost the feeling of gratitude before Him
Second: having committed a sin, you stopped feeling fear of God's wrath, you stopped asking for mercy with deeds and words
Third: you don't follow what you know.
Fourth: there are righteous, well-behaved people in your environment, but you don’t even think of being equal to them.
And the last: you bury the dead, see off many of your relatives and friends to another world, but you cannot learn from this instructive lesson "
As-Samarkandi N. Tanbih al-gafilin.S.292
O Allah, fill our hearts with timidity before Your majesty and might. Awaken in us this feeling, which will manifest itself in our tears, which will be hammered into future life springs of paradise higher degrees Firdavs! Amine.
Radia Zavdetovna,
Mahalla №1
*With comments by Sh. Alyautdinov
When writing the article, materials were used:
Wikipedia
Sh. Alyautdinov “The Holy Quran. Meanings»
I. Alyautdinov “Know. Believe. Honor"