Petra
Petra is a historical and archaeological city in southern Jordan.
| Petra Raqmu | |
|---|---|
| 250px Tourists in front of Al Khazneh (The Treasury) at Petra | |
| Location | Ma'an Governorate, Jordan |
| Area | 264 square kilometres (102 sq mi)[1] |
| Elevation | 810 m (2,657 ft) |
| Built | possibly as early as 5th century BC [2] |
| Visitation | 918,000 (in 2010) |
| Governing body | Petra Region Authority |
It is in a basin among the mountains that run from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.[3]
History
Petra is believed to have been settled as early as 9,000 BC. It became the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom. The Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs who used Petra because it was near the spice trade routes.[4]
The Nabataean Kingdom became a client state of the Roman Empire in the first century BC. In 106 AD they lost their independence. Petra's importance declined as sea trade routes developed. Also, an earthquake in 363 AD destroyed many structures.
The Byzantine Era led to the construction of several Christian churches, but the city continued to decline. By the early Islamic era only a handful of nomads lived in Petra. It stayed unknown to the world until it was rediscovered in 1812 by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.[5][6]
UNESCO Status
Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage".[7]
Petra is Jordan's most-visited tourist attraction. Tourist numbers peaked to half a million in the first quarter of 2019.[8]
This may have been the place where Mohammed lived his youth and had his first revelations.
As the first Muslim mosques and cemeteries show, it was also the first Qibla of Muslims
Petra Media
- Petra, Jordan, Base of Mount Hor.jpg
Cliffs near Petra, View over Wadi Arabah
- View of Petra.jpg
View of Petra, Jordan
- Roman bronze coin of Geta showing the Petra temple.jpg
Roman bronze coin of Geta showing the Petra temple with statue of Tyche
- Bizantine Church (12294138186).jpg
The Byzantine Church
- Crusader Tower Petra Jordan1429.jpg
- Comparative Petra siq.jpg
Petra Siq in 1947 (left) compared with the same location in 2013
One of the 28 places to see before you die ... (because of Indiana Jones, of course)
- Al-Siq 2.jpg
The narrow passage (Siq) that leads to Petra
- البتراء.JPG
The Hadrian Gate also known as the Temenos Gate
- Amphitheatre, Petra, Jordan1.jpg
Amphitheatre, Petra, Jordan
References
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Browning, Iain (1973, 1982), Petra, Chatto & Windus, London, p. 15, ISBN 0-7011-2622-1
- ↑ Glueck, Nelson 1959. Rivers in the desert: a history of the Negev. New York: Farrar, Straus & Cudahy/London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ McKenzie, Judith (1990). The Architecture of Petra. (Oxford University Press)
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
Template:World Heritage Sites in Jordan
