Petra – An ancient city in the desert of Jordan (18 photos)

When I was in Jordan some years ago, I made sure to visit Petra, an ancient city situated in southern Jordan. The ruins of Petra is a fascinating place. The landscape is desert-like, mountainous and seems inaccessible. But it helped to give a unique experience because we didn't show when the city would appeare.

To get to the ruins we had to walk the kilometer long deep cleft called the Siq. To get to the entrance through the Siq was an extraordinary experience. The sight that met us at the end was breathtaking. This building is well known from photos, but to get to the end of the cleft and see it with my own eyes is indescribable.

The Kasné as its called is not only a facade. It is built into the rock. When you go inside you will enter a cool room that will lead you further into the great hall. It is believed that the city of Petra was built between around 85 - 84 BC. The city was built in some rather inhospitable surroundings, but well hidden. There are only a few points of entry, which must have made the city easy to protect.

As we walk further into the city we pass many ruins. The Romans, and others, have left their mark through the architecture.

The theater can be dated back to the 1st century AD. Carved in the rocks it's estamated that it could seat 6.000 spectators.

Petra has had several periods of importance, especially when if comes to trading. When Palmyra in Syria took over as the leading city, Petra lost its importance. By the 13th century the city was abandoned. It was not untill around 1800 it was discovered by Europeans. Today it is a UNESCO Heritage Site. An amazing place to explore on foot. The photoes are all from an afternoon visit. But because we had several days in the modern Petra, we also payed the ruins a visit early in the morning.