Rocks. Lots of rocks. Carved rocks by man and nature. My kids may sigh but I just love them.
Look around the interwebs and you'll find all sorts of sites about the history of Petra. Suffice to say it was rediscovered in 1812 and has been a tourist destination ever since.
Take a close look at the photos and the people in them give you some scale. These caves were often tombs.
So are the big carved doorways, but for much wealthier dead Nabateans. The doorways were small compared to the columns, and the interiors are cramped and sparse.
I'd put those camels about 1/4 mile away from the carvings in the hills. The columns were reassembled from fallen parts and constitute part of the entry arch to the central part of the city of Petra, where shops and homes were built along a central road. All that is thanks to the Romans who ruled over Petra just as they did the rest of Jordan.
The first and last place you see when visiting Petra, aside from the Siq, is the Treasury. Like the other carved entries, it did multiple jobs over the years, and like the other carved entries the interior is nothing like "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." It is small and unadorned with no hidden challenges. Also unlike Indy, visitors are not allowed in. Too much damage is done when thousands of people visit and touch things (check out the Great Wall of China... sad), so the entry is blocked off.
...to be continued...
Look around the interwebs and you'll find all sorts of sites about the history of Petra. Suffice to say it was rediscovered in 1812 and has been a tourist destination ever since.
Take a close look at the photos and the people in them give you some scale. These caves were often tombs.
So are the big carved doorways, but for much wealthier dead Nabateans. The doorways were small compared to the columns, and the interiors are cramped and sparse.
I'd put those camels about 1/4 mile away from the carvings in the hills. The columns were reassembled from fallen parts and constitute part of the entry arch to the central part of the city of Petra, where shops and homes were built along a central road. All that is thanks to the Romans who ruled over Petra just as they did the rest of Jordan.
The first and last place you see when visiting Petra, aside from the Siq, is the Treasury. Like the other carved entries, it did multiple jobs over the years, and like the other carved entries the interior is nothing like "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." It is small and unadorned with no hidden challenges. Also unlike Indy, visitors are not allowed in. Too much damage is done when thousands of people visit and touch things (check out the Great Wall of China... sad), so the entry is blocked off.
Glad to hear you enjoyed Petra - it's truly amazing. And low season without the masses of tourists and searing heat is the way to do it!
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