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Petra is an archaeological territory of great importance within Jordan. It is in a narrow valley, to the east of the Araba Valley, which stretches from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.
Petra is sculpted within the same rock, which is why there are steep and abrupt paths, as well as small passages and canyons that were formed by water erosion.
Petra stands out for having been an ancient East city with magnificent architecture and history. Today, due to its landscape and the archaeological monuments found there, it is declared a World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Petra was founded by the Edomites in the 8th century BC, but it was the Nabateans who made it prosper. These people occupied the city in the 6th century BC and were great traders that made Petra stand out.
Thanks to the fact that Petra is located at an important crossroads between East and West, it flourished at the time as a commercial city, and goods such as gold, incense, and spices circulated along its routes. It was an ideal place to rest during the trips of the merchants.
Being a connecting route between different cultures, the Nabataeans took part from different cultures to build the city from rooms imitating Syrian tombs to Egyptian and Arabic-style temples and houses.
Approximately in the year 63 BC, the Romans took the city and diverted the commercial routes that returned to the city so powerful. They also modified and built new things like theaters or paved streets.
With the little commercial importance that they had and with an earthquake that shook the city and destroyed a large part of it, its inhabitants were abandoned.
It is in 1812 that its name reappears thanks to the discovery of a Swiss explorer named Jean Louis Burckhardt.
The Nabataeans were Arab polytheists, that is, they worshiped several gods. The most important god in this town was Dushara, lord of the mountains. Many of the gods worshiped by the Nabataeans were foreign, often borrowed from the Greco-Roman religion.
An important religious building was the Altar of Sacrifices located at the top of the mountain, it was a place of worship and where offerings to the gods were made.
The art of the Nabatean people stands out for its ceramics painted in fine porcelain, these were characterized by soft, fine, and flowery contours. Many of these artifacts reached the Greco-Roman culture.
They also excelled in sculptures, which took attributes from Roman, Greek, and Syrian sculptures. A very characteristic feature of Nabataean sculptures is their cartoonish facial structures. They included animals such as various birds, elephants, and camels.
As for paintings, there are not many works that survived through the years. Most that can be seen today are found inside the buildings of the old city.
Petra will capture your attention and fascinate you thanks to its magnificent architectural pieces. From temples to houses, from narrow passageways to large, paved streets, this ancient city will not cease to amaze you.
To get to Petra you will have to cross the Siq, a 1-kilometer-long open path between the rocks. The first thing you will come across is the Treasury of Petra, an important building 40 meters high that is believed to have had a ceremonial function.
Other monuments that will leave you dazzled are the Monastery, a building that is believed to have been a place of worship, the Royal Tombs, which are a group of royal tombs and of which 4 stand out: the Urn, the Palace, the Silk, and Corinth.
Finally, we recommend sites with a touch of other cultures such as the Great Theater built in the Roman style, and the Great Temple which has a Greek-style appearance and is one of the few buildings not excavated in stone.
Petra is a destination of interest chosen by many travelers thanks to being considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Being located near several sites that also attract the attention of tourists such as Israel and Egypt, you will find these places in the different travel packages that we offer to Petra.
Are you ready to be fascinated by the wonderful city carved out of stone? Are you interested in exploring its streets full of history? Would you dare spend your day in one of the world's new wonders?
If the answer is "yes", in Greca we can offer you different tour packages to the ancient city of Petra, you can accommodate these packages to your needs and adapt them to your times.
We offer travel packages for all tastes. Do not hesitate and start the new adventure that you want so much!