Mentioned as one of the places anyone must see before they die, Petra is felt to be the jewel in the crown of Jordanian tourist sites. It is a common stop off as a day trip from Egypt and Israel, though it must be quite a long day. I was there recently and for me there is far too much to see in just the one day. I would need two, but unfortunately one day was all I had time for on this visit. That’s why the title is ‘Part Petra’ as I only managed to do part of it. However, this is what I did.
I have visited several times before and no doubt will visit again as there always seems to be bits I’ve missed.
The history in brief is that it was the capital of the Nabatean empire, a loosely controlled trading empire based mainly on a string of oases. They were active between approximately 168 BC and 106 AD when they were overwhelmed by the Roman empire.
Due to trade routes becoming more sea based Petra began to decline in importance and in 363 AD an earthquake caused large amounts of damage, especially to the water system. Petra then became nothing more than a curiosity until a Swiss gentleman, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt who whilst disguised as a local re-discovered it and brought it to the attention of Europe in 1812.
It was found to be in poor repair, the water channels broken and blocked and the buildings/tombs looted. Nevertheless it became a feature of tourist travel and is now a victim of its own success due to the lack of proper rainwater drainage and what must now be becoming too many tourists.
When I first visited in 1994, inside the site, there were no refreshments available at all. You carried in what you wanted and brought out the rubbish. The last time, previous to this visit, was around 1999 when there were a few Bedouins offering overpriced tea and water in a few tents.
Now there are even toilet buildings (good thing, though where the sewage runs to I’ve no idea), many, many places offering refreshments and souvenirs, and even the Crown Plaza hotel chain who have a proper restaurant offering three course meals to tour groups stuck in the middle (bad thing).
Anyway, right on the entrance to the site is a hotel called the Petra Guest House, though it is far from a guest house and is a four star hotel and a reasonable price.
I have visited several times before and no doubt will visit again as there always seems to be bits I’ve missed.
The history in brief is that it was the capital of the Nabatean empire, a loosely controlled trading empire based mainly on a string of oases. They were active between approximately 168 BC and 106 AD when they were overwhelmed by the Roman empire.
Due to trade routes becoming more sea based Petra began to decline in importance and in 363 AD an earthquake caused large amounts of damage, especially to the water system. Petra then became nothing more than a curiosity until a Swiss gentleman, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt who whilst disguised as a local re-discovered it and brought it to the attention of Europe in 1812.
It was found to be in poor repair, the water channels broken and blocked and the buildings/tombs looted. Nevertheless it became a feature of tourist travel and is now a victim of its own success due to the lack of proper rainwater drainage and what must now be becoming too many tourists.
When I first visited in 1994, inside the site, there were no refreshments available at all. You carried in what you wanted and brought out the rubbish. The last time, previous to this visit, was around 1999 when there were a few Bedouins offering overpriced tea and water in a few tents.
Now there are even toilet buildings (good thing, though where the sewage runs to I’ve no idea), many, many places offering refreshments and souvenirs, and even the Crown Plaza hotel chain who have a proper restaurant offering three course meals to tour groups stuck in the middle (bad thing).
Anyway, right on the entrance to the site is a hotel called the Petra Guest House, though it is far from a guest house and is a four star hotel and a reasonable price.
It is let down because it doesn’t have a swimming pool, but otherwise I’d recommend it especially if you end up with one of the ‘chalet’ rooms which are clean and spacious.
It also has a bar in an old Nabatean tomb –
It is right at the ticket office as you can see from the hotel gate –
So – buying tickets – entrance for a day is 50JD (approx 70usd/56euro). If you decide you’d like to enter two days in a row then it is 55JD. If you are under 15 years old then it is free. If you do not spend the night in Jordan and are one of the day trippers on a tour then it is 90JD for that day.
If, like me, you are a resident, it is just 1JD.
After buying your ticket –
If, like me, you are a resident, it is just 1JD.
After buying your ticket –
..........you turn to walk past the hotel and through the entrance. Immediately the track begins to descend and you see where tourists are loaded onto horses –
As part of your entrance fee you get a free ride on a horse down to the real entrance which is where the canyon (Siq) starts, which we’ll get to in a minute. Bear with me.
The stables behind the mounting area –
The stables behind the mounting area –
I just set off and started walking down –
Here you begin to have a taste of what is yet to come. These are tombs built around 50AD and carved out of the rock –
After a downhill walk of some 15 – 20 minutes there is the beginning of the Siq. This is the canyon at the entrance to Petra proper. However, imagine a long downhill stretch of dry river bed that flash floods and is funnelled down a narrow gap. It would cause quite a bit of a problem for access into your city and would periodically sweep away your tombs and dwellings as the water rushed out of the Siq at a great rate of knots.
So you build a dam at the beginning of the narrows and divert the water away through a tunnel.
This is the tunnel built by the Nabateans in the first century BC which filled various reservoirs and cisterns –
So you build a dam at the beginning of the narrows and divert the water away through a tunnel.
This is the tunnel built by the Nabateans in the first century BC which filled various reservoirs and cisterns –
A small amount of water was allowed to be channelled down the Siq (see later photos) but here is the entrance before it narrows down –
The lazier amongst you, or the infirm, may take a horse driven cart through. In fact this is the point where your free horse ride stops and you may pay to take the cart further or throughout the site there are various opportunities to take a camel of a donkey to different points. Many avail themselves of this ‘service’ when returning up the hill to the entrance gate.
The Siq is more or less two kilometres long and makes for a nice shaded walk –
The Siq is more or less two kilometres long and makes for a nice shaded walk –
Here you see one of the water channels –
Carrying on you see smaller canyons/gorges joining the main one. I noticed the track through had now been concreted but later I realised it was only completed about two thirds of the way. Originally the track was paved and certain small sections still survive –
Just before the end you begin to get a view of the building called the ‘Treasury’. Usually there is a queue at one particular point to get the ideal photo opportunity. I snapped off a few and then moved down. Anyone who goes to Petra has the same photo.
In its full glory –
A couple of things to mention – up until my last visit you could enter virtually all of the tombs and buildings. Now you can’t. But the surprise always was that if you did enter – there was no decoration inside. The rooms were cut out of the rock and are now bare. Stucco lined some of them but there are few if any carvings in the walls themselves.
Secondly, see the previous photo? See the very top middle? A small urn type thing?
Legend has it that some Pharaoh hid a wealth of treasure in it and over the years various Bedouins and others have taken pot shots at it to try and break it. But it has proven to be solid.
See the steps either side as well? Some people are very determined (or they were there from when the place was first carved, no-one can really say).
It is about 40m high and was built as a mausoleum for probably King Aretas IV around 40AD or before.
We come then to the first of the refreshment stops and souvenir places –
Secondly, see the previous photo? See the very top middle? A small urn type thing?
Legend has it that some Pharaoh hid a wealth of treasure in it and over the years various Bedouins and others have taken pot shots at it to try and break it. But it has proven to be solid.
See the steps either side as well? Some people are very determined (or they were there from when the place was first carved, no-one can really say).
It is about 40m high and was built as a mausoleum for probably King Aretas IV around 40AD or before.
We come then to the first of the refreshment stops and souvenir places –
Avoiding having to have my photo taken with the 'real' Roman soldiers –
................. I turned to continue the walk down –
Passing various tombs on the way, all built a couple of thousand years ago –
Postcards, 1 JD –
See the steps to the left by the rubbish bin? –
This is where they go –
This is to the aptly named ‘High Place’ or place of sacrifice. There are about 700 steps and on the top are views of the surrounding area, a couple of obelisks carved out of the rock, an old Crusader fort and the place where sacrifices occurred.
I strode like a young gazelle up to the top –
I strode like a young gazelle up to the top –
The places of the sacrifices (non-human I am assured) –
So from there the way down is a different way to going up. It gets a bit narrower in parts. Start seeing some very nice rock patterns in the sandstone –
Most of the way down is what’s called the ‘Garden Hall’. It’s believed to have had a garden out the front with a 44 cubic metre cistern to store the water for it to be fed –
A number of other tombs began again to appear –
One of the few that had some permanent stone work done inside (I think this one is called the Soldier Hall or something like) -
There are more tombs than you can shake a stick at. Here is another and then you’ll see many, many more. But inside are some fine examples of weathered sandstone (and a plant or two can be seen during the walk) –
As I came down to the normal ground level the scenery opened up again (note the wooden framed toilet in the second photo) –
As I moved round there were yet more and more tombs and caves –
One of the last things I had time to see was the amphitheatre cut through several tombs and gaps left –
All good things must come to an end and for me for that day, it did. From the amphitheatre it takes about an hour steady uphill walk back through the Siq and to the entrance gate.
I missed out on what is called the city centre, this being the part of the Roman occupation visible and the Monastery which I intend to visit the next time.
So Part Petra finished for now and possible later in the year I’ll go back.
I missed out on what is called the city centre, this being the part of the Roman occupation visible and the Monastery which I intend to visit the next time.
So Part Petra finished for now and possible later in the year I’ll go back.