FACTS ABOUT "THE LOST CITY"- PETRA, JORDAN

One of the world's seven wonders, Petra is one of the most famous archaeological sites in Jordan. Are you wondering why the city is referred to as “The Lost City” or even “Rose City'' or just generally curious to know more about this special place? Continue reading this blog to discover the reason behind these titles and to learn more interesting facts about Petra!

Here’s a list of some facts you might not know about this beautiful historical city in southern Jordan.

1. During the first centuries BC to AD, Petra is believed to have been home to 20,000 – 30,000 people and was an important trading city. It then sat uninhabited for over five centuries until rediscovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812, hence the name the ‘Lost City’.

2. Petra is also known as the Rose City: The name has been given to Petra primarily because of the colour of the stone from which it was carved. Many structures of the city, which are made of sandstone, take on a beautiful red-pink hue at sunset and sunrise, thus earning the title of the ‘Rose City’. 

3. The entrance to the city of Petra is by a narrow passage cut through the sandstone as a result of years of rain and wind. This passage is known as the ‘Siq’, which simply means ‘gorge’.

4. Petra is one of the oldest cities in the world: Petra is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the world. Archaeologists think that the city was established in 321 B.C. when it became the capital of the Nabataean Empire. 

5. Between 1BC and 8AD Petra suffered severe earthquakes and in AD 363 it is believed about half of the city was destroyed. This led to raiding and theft of artefacts from the site.

6. Petra is home to over 1000 tombs: The Nabateans believed in the afterlife and taking extra care of their dead. They built over 1000 tombs in Petra. This makes the site ‘one of the largest royal tomb complexes in the world’. 

7.Petra’s four Royal Tombs: Petra has possibly some of the most stunning burial places in the world. The four tombs that make up its Royal Tombs include The Urn Tomb, The Silk Tomb, The Corinthian Tomb and The Palace Tomb. The structures suffered damage due to floods in the past but continue to be magnificent works of art from the first century. 

8. Petra has a massive theatre constructed on the side of the mountain at the foot of another famous structure, the High Place of Sacrifice. The theatre was built during the rule of King Aretas IV and could accommodate roughly 4000 spectators. 

9. For a long time, no cars or motor vehicles were allowed in the city, and only animal-driven carriages such as horse-drawn carriages or camel rides were permitted. But recently, in 2021, cars became an accepted mode of transport within Petra in the face of animal welfare. Tourists can now buy tickets to use a car from the Visitor Centre. 

10. Archaeologists have been able to discover only 15% of Petra so far. The rest remains largely underground and unexcavated. 

This list, by no means, is a fully exhaustive compilation of all aspects of this wondrous Jordanian city. But hopefully, it provides enough material to spark your interest in Petra and maybe one day visit this Wonder of the World!

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