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The Ancient City Of Petra



Petra
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Welcome To The Ancient City Of Petra!

Jordan Flag The Monastery

     The name "Petra" is derived from the Greek word meaning "Rock" and perfectly describes the rocky terrain, which is the visitor's first impression as he approaches the city. Unlike other ancient cities, whose urban structure is set amidst a solid geological context, Petra is surrounded by sandy plains, highly susceptible to erosion and therefore deeply scarred with channels and wadis where the heavy winter rainfall runs. These plains consequently form a series of plateaus, all quite separate and each equipped with its own infrastructure, from sanctuaries to stores and cisterns which would guarantee a supply of water.

     The ancient city of Petra is one of Jordan's national treasures and by far its best-known tourist attraction. Located about two and a half hours south of Amman, Petra is the legacy of the Nabateans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, Petra is now a UNESCO world heritage site that enchants visitors from all corners of the globe. Much of Petra's appeal comes from its spectacular setting deep inside a narrow desert gorge. The site is accessed by walking through a kilometer long (Siq), the walls of which soar 200 meters upwards. Petra's most famous monument, the Treasury, appears dramatically at the end of the siq. Used in the final sequence of the film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", the towering facade of the Treasury is only one of myriad archaeological wonders to be explored at Petra. Various walks and climbs reveal literally hundreds of buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, colonnaded streets and haunting rock drawings - as well as a 3000 seat open air amphitheatre circa, a gigantic first century Monastery and a modern archeological museum, all of which can be explored at leisure.

     Don't miss the next page in my web site entitled "Petra Map". It contains the locations of 28 main attractions in Petra, with photographs and brief descriptions. The site is under construction, and will continue to alter and expand for several weeks to come. Many surprises are in store for those who follow up future developments.


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Mansour Muasher
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