Including many historical places, Jordan is known for having one of the most prehistoric civilizations, the Nabatean Kingdom. Amid desert canyons, the city of Petra was taken by the Nabateans as the capital of the kingdom and an important trading center. Jusoor Post visited this magical city where many secrets lie. 

Located between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea in what is now the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Petra has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1985. UNESCO has described Petra as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage.” It was also named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. 

Between 400 BCE and 106 CE, Petra was the capital of the Nabatean Empire. Before they were vanquished and incorporated into the Roman Empire, the Nabataeans ruled a sizable portion of the Middle East. Nabataeans lived in Petra from at least 312 BCE. After Petra was formally possessed by Rome in 106 CE, its significance in world trade started to decline. Petra reached its lowest point close to the end of the Byzantine Empire's authority, approximately 700 CE, with the help of earthquakes and the growing significance of maritime trade routes, according to National Geographic. 

In order to reach the most famous place in the city of Petra, the treasury, which was believed by the locals to have treasure inside it, tourists have to walk through a beautiful narrow canyon called Al Siq. 

After finishing the canyon, the outstanding building of the treasury reveals itself. Tourists are amazed by the wonderful archaeological composition of the treasury, which is half-built, half-carved into the rose rocks, just like the whole city of Petra. The famous treasury has a remarkable ambience that keeps everyone wondering how a human being with primitive tools could create such a piece of art. 

Petra includes monasteries, worship places, tombs, houses of classy Nabateans, and irrigation systems. It takes many days to explore the partly discovered city. A Jordanian tour guide told Jusoor Post that it is called the “lost city” because it was only known to the Western world in the nineteenth century when Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered the ancient city of Petra. 

Petra has been a perfect spot for many Hollywood movies, such as “Indiana Jones” starring Harrison Ford. Movies make the city more famous and attract a good deal of tourists that want to explore the city with its rosy rocks. 

Petra is considered a protected area. The protective maintenance of the city by UNESCO can be seen everywhere in the city.  According to Jordanian legislation, the Department of Antiquities, a distinct organization within the Ministry for Tourism and Antiquities, is in charge of protecting archaeological sites, UNESCO reported.