What makes Petra of Jordan stand out?

The Jordanian city of Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Empire between 400 BC and AD 106. It is situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, at the crossroad between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia.

Due to its strategic location, Petra used to be a busy trading centre for Arabian incense, Chinese silk and Indian spices. The city itself is carved on to colourful red, white, pink and sandstone cliff faces. It is located in the desert canyons and mountains in the south-western corner of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Widespread settlements were made possible in this arid region during the Nabataean, Roman and Byzantine periods through a special water management system.

Petra remained inaccessible to the western world until the early 1800s. A European traveller finally entered this region by disguising himself by wearing the costume of the Bedouins, the indigenous people. UNESCO declared Petra Archaeological Park as a World Heritage Site in 1985. It was also declared as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. Petra was already facing threats of flood and natural calamities but increased tourism has also added to the damage of the monument.

Picture Credit : Google

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