Ancient temple in rock petra jordan. Ancient city of petra in jordan

When impregnable mountains appeared on the way of Moses, which he had to overcome, the patriarch struck the rocks with his staff - and they parted. Since the staff was curved, the road turned out to be winding. Therefore, in our time, tourists who want to see the unique sights of Petra are forced to descend into the deep Sik gorge through a narrow paved tunnel, the width of which in some places does not exceed three meters along the cliffs that almost completely hide the sky. Bas-reliefs are carved on these rocks, and along the way, an ancient water trough was laid, through which water flowed to the ancient city of Petra.

The city of Petra is located in Jordan, 100 km from the Arabian Gulf, in a mountainous area, at an altitude of 900 m above sea level. m., in a valley completely surrounded by rocks, on the eastern side of Mount Horus (on geographical map it can be found at the following coordinates: 30° 19′ 44″ s. sh., 35° 26′ 25″ in. d.).

The city is notable for the fact that many buildings in it - residential buildings, temples, a treasury, tombs, an amphitheater, monasteries are completely carved into the rocks. These buildings are so beautiful and elegant that they are a real work of art.

On the this moment more than 800 sights have been discovered on the territory of the ancient settlement - and this despite the fact that scientists claim that the ancient city of Petra was surveyed only by fifteen percent. As a result of a worldwide vote, the city in the rock was included in the list of the new seven wonders of the world.

How the city appeared

The history of this unique city began back in the 4th-3rd millennium BC, when the Nabataeans decided to settle here, representatives of the Semitic people leading a nomadic lifestyle. They chose the place for their settlement extremely carefully: accustomed to constant battles and the struggle for life, they decided to build their capital in a remote mountainous area.

They did not think about how to name the city for a long time - and it received the name Sela (stone), and modern name The settlement received "Petra" a little later, when the ancient Greeks translated the word into their own language.

The valley located in the Siq canyon suited them the best way, since the city could only be reached through a single narrow gorge. From a defensive point of view, it was perfect solution: even the famous Roman commanders constantly failed here and, unable to penetrate the city, were forced to lift the siege.

Petra was also very well located in terms of trade (this can be seen by looking closely at the map), since it was here that two trade routes intersected: the first connected the Red Sea with Damascus, the second - Gaza with the Persian Gulf.

Thus, Petra was perfect place for the rest of caravans loaded with goods that traveled from different parts of the world and were forced to cross the harsh and hot Arabian desert. In the capital of the Nabataeans, tired travelers found shelter, food, water and traded.

It was trade that made the city extremely successful and prosperous for many centuries - until the Romans opened easier sea routes to the east, and the need for caravans disappeared, because of which trade came to naught and the history of the city of Petra gradually came to an end. .

Construction of Petra

Since the city was built both near and in the rock itself, the builders definitely had a hard time. Therefore, there is no doubt that in order to build such structures, they had to have considerable knowledge and skills: the ancient masters managed to create buildings that were absolutely not inferior to Greek and Roman sights either in decor or in architecture.

The water supply system that the builders provided to Peter cannot but surprise: about two hundred reservoirs were equipped here that collected and stored rainwater. Water was supplied here with the help of terracotta pipes from all sources located within a radius of twenty kilometers.

In spite of hot climate and waterless terrain, the inhabitants of Petra did not feel the need for water (if the architects had not been able to think through this moment well, the capital would not have existed for a long time).

What does Petra look like?

One of amazing features of the ancient city is that the rocks, consisting mainly of red sandstone, constantly change their appearance depending on the light, so Petra looks completely different every time in the same place, trying on all shades of red throughout the day (thanks to This gave Petra another name - the Pink City).

Petra was major city: from the central square, on which the ruins of various buildings (not carved into the rock, but erected in the usual way) are very well preserved, the highway stretches for several more kilometers from west to east. In the west, the road rests on the Ed-Deir Monastery, carved into the rock, the height and width of which are about 50 meters (the fact that it was once a Christian church is indicated by crosses carved on the walls).

Currently, archaeologists have discovered more than eight hundred different attractions in the city, for which tourists from all over the world come here:

• Temples, among which the most famous is the "Cathedral", a building decorated with mosaics and decorated with marble slabs. Several administrative records written on papyrus dated to the 6th century BC have been found here. AD;
• An amphitheater carved into the rock, designed for more than 6 thousand spectators and located so that you can see the main tombs of the city;
• Palaces, tombs and crypts carved into the rocks. Among them was even discovered the tomb of Aaron, which was built in the XIII century. by order of the Mamluk Sultan. He was absolutely not embarrassed that the brother of Moses, in whose honor he built the tomb, lived several millennia before this event;
• But the most significant and eye-catching attraction, which is a real wonder of the world, without a doubt, is El Hezne.

El Khazneh

For what purpose in the I century. AD a temple was carved into the rock, the height of which was 40 m, and the width was 25 m, it is not completely clear, although hypotheses, of course, exist. For example, one of the most probable versions says that El Khazne was the tomb of the Nabatean king Aref IV Philopatra.

There is also another interesting version that it could be the temple of Isis. There are other, more incredible assumptions, for example, according to one of the legends, the pharaoh once kept his treasures in El Khazna, and according to another myth, robbers who attacked caravans hid their booty in the temple.

The architecture of El Khazneh in any case testifies to high level craftsmanship of local architects: a miracle of this magnitude is difficult to create even today. It is surprising not only the greatness of the idea and the accuracy of the calculation, but also how it was possible to knock out such a high building when there are absolutely no trees in the area to make scaffolding from.

The building itself looks great: six columns are installed at the entrance to El Khazneh, and the building itself is decorated with magnificent bas-reliefs. The most mysterious decoration is at the very top: the temple is crowned with a huge stone pot.

Why exactly it had to be created there surprises many, but the Bedouins are convinced that ancient treasures are hidden in it, and if you make a successful shot, the lucky one will be showered with gold and stones (for this purpose they even once shot him, but, of course, to no avail).

When is the best time to go to Petra

Despite the fact that Petra is characterized by a hot and dry climate, before deciding on a trip, you should take an interest in the weather forecast and take into account the time of year. For example, December and January are the coldest and rainiest months, which are characterized by a large temperature difference (it can be + 15 ° C during the day, + 3 ° C at night).

It is worth rescheduling the trip if the forecasters promise showers, because in this case the precipitation is so strong that rescuers often have to evacuate tourists, as a real flood begins in the valley.

If you plan to visit this wonder of the world in the summer, then you should definitely not forget to take a panama hat and sunglasses with you, and do not forget about water. It should be borne in mind that hot and dry air can sometimes cause nosebleeds, therefore, in order to avoid such a nuisance, experts recommend taking petroleum jelly or an ointment based on it with you and lubricating it with it to prevent bleeding. inner surface nostril.

Unique rock city, the main attraction. This "pink" city is so popular that hundreds of thousands of tourists visit it every year. They say about him: "He is as old as time itself." Petra is included in the version of our site.

The fact of the antiquity of this unusual city is indicated by the mention of it in the Bible. The first settlement in the city dates back to the time of the existence of the state of Idumea, which was about 2-4 thousand years ago. Later, the Nabataean kingdom was formed on this territory, the capital of which was Petra.

The uniqueness of Petra lies in the fact that it is located at an altitude of more than 900 m above sea level in a narrow canyon. Such a remote place was chosen by the Nabatean Arab nomads for protection. And even the famous Roman generals could not get there through a narrow gorge. The original name of the city was Sela, which means "stone" in the local dialect. Later, the Greeks renamed it in their own way, retaining the meaning.

From the 1st century AD Petra still became part of the Roman Empire. Local craftsmen erected buildings of incredible beauty right in the red sandstone rock. In order to save themselves from drought and properly use the heavy rains, they built dams, cisterns and aqueducts.

Because of what happened in the 4th century AD. After the earthquake, the city was left in ruins, only a few nomads remained in it. And starting from the 6th century, Petra was completely abandoned until 1812, when it was discovered by the Swiss traveler I. L. Burckhardt. He had long wanted to find a city lost in the rocks in the Middle East. Pretending to be a merchant, he was able to find out from the Bedouins where the Nabatean ruins were.

In fact, all the buildings of Petra belong to 3 periods: Idumean, Nabataean and Roman. What was built after the VI century practically did not reach us. According to some reports, in the XII century, the knights of the Teutonic Order took refuge in Petra. It is interesting that this mysterious city has not been fully explored. AT modern time Petra has repeatedly become the location for the filming of famous films.

Objects that are accessible to tourists include the Siq Gorge, the Pharaoh's Treasury, 80-meter sheer cliffs with ancient inscriptions and carved limestone niches for statues. One of the city's most popular attractions is Al-Khazneh (Treasury of the Pharaohs). This is a huge temple-mausoleum, presumably built in the 2nd century AD.

Another outstanding building is the Ad-Deir Monastery. Crosses are carved on its wide walls in places, which indicates that it once housed a Christian church. No less interesting are two Roman structures - the Palace and Urn tombs. There are hundreds of rocky rooms in the city, the facades of which can convey the history of this ancient area.

Petra can be reached by sightseeing buses or taxis in 3 hours from and 1 hour 50 minutes from Aqaba. The chance to visit the rock city also falls to those who have a rest in Egypt or Israel. From Taba, and Sharm el-Sheikh, day trips to the attraction are regularly organized.

Photo Attractions: Ancient City of Petra

Amphitheater

The ancient city of Petra is rightfully considered the main attraction of Jordan, which glorified this eastern country for the whole Earth, and one of the 7 new wonders of the world! In this article, you will learn in detail why this place is so popular with hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting Jordan every year.

Maybe someone remembers the old film about Indiana Jones, in which he was looking for the Grail - there was a huge temple carved into the rock =) It turns out that these were not scenery, but such a miracle really exists - in Petra!

Ancient Nabatean city Petra was founded in these rocks about 4 millennia ago (according to other sources - 2 millennia), back in the era of the Edomites - then a small but well-defended fortress was built in the rocks. Later, these lands passed into the possession of the Nabataean kingdom, which was just at that time experiencing its heyday. Petra, which served as the capital of the kingdom, gradually gained enormous influence and unprecedented fame. The emergence of the city in such a remote place became possible thanks to the ability of the Nabataeans to control the flow of water, because in fact Petra is nothing more than an artificial oasis! Flash floods often occur in this area, and the Nabataeans successfully controlled them using dams, cisterns and aqueducts, which allowed them not only to survive long periods of drought, but also successfully trade water.

In addition to the fact that the Nabataeans knew how to skillfully collect water, they also learned how to skillfully process stone. The name “Petra” literally translates as “Rock”, and it is not surprising - after all, the entire ancient city consists entirely of stone!

However, the Nabataean kingdom fell under the onslaught of the Roman emperor Trajan, and then the Roman Empire itself went into oblivion ... Since the 16th century AD, only the wind “walked” here, and then infrequently. This pearl among the rocks was forgotten for more than 2 centuries - until the moment when, in 1812, the Swiss adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt decided to find a lost city in these lands, about which there were many legends, but which, despite this, no one never saw. As a result, the Swiss found the legendary lost city, carefully guarded by sands and rocks!

All the buildings of Petra were built mainly in three periods: under the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), Nabataeans (II century BC - 106 BC) and the Romans (106-395 AD) .). In the XII century, the ancient city was owned by the Teutonic Knights. The monuments built here after the 6th century AD have practically not survived. Therefore, the appearance of Petra, which today opens up to the eyes of tourists, is the ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom.

An interesting fact is that the territory of Petra is currently only 15% explored, so it is possible that soon the mysteries of the ancient city can amaze the whole world! Now imagine that these 15% are about 800 (!) different historical objects on the territory of Petra!

Because of this huge amount centuries-old sights, even tickets here are sold for a three-day period - after all, in a day you can only briefly examine all the “treasures” of Petra known at the moment, but even a month is not enough to get acquainted with all its architectural elements in detail!

Petra impresses all tourists who have come here - even the most sophisticated ones, and I think this is due to a greater extent not so much with the ancient city itself, but with the road that leads to it - after all, the city “hid” in the very center of the rock! In order to get to Petra, you need to go down into a deep gorge called “Sik” (“Mine”), formed as a result of a prehistoric shift of the earth's crust, and walk along a narrow path for a long time (in some places only 3-4 meters wide) to its bottom, between sheer 80-meter cliffs, on which here and there there are ancient inscriptions carved in stone and even entire niches carved in limestone for recreation. At some point, it begins to seem that this gorge will have to go forever, but suddenly it breaks off abruptly and the huge Treasury of the Pharaoh (the Arabic name is El-Khazneh, from which the word “Treasury” later came) - one of the most famous monuments of ancient Petra, in front of which the ant-people froze in surprise ...

Gradually, the state of stupor recedes and is replaced by surprise and disbelief that such a hulk can be carved into the rock. The purpose of Al-Khazneh, carved into the rock around the 2nd century AD, is still unclear, but many historians and archaeologists believe that it was originally a temple of the goddess Isis

In any case, the Treasury is an example of the greatest craftsmanship of ancient architects. After all, even today it would be very difficult to create such a structure, not to mention how accurate the calculations must be and how it was hollowed out of stone in general, if there is not a single tree for scaffolding around for hundreds of kilometers!

It is also surprising that, after millennia, the facade of the Treasury turned out to be practically untouched - see for yourself!

Monument of the Pyramids in front of the entrance to the Siq Gorge

Before entering Petra, you can purchase detailed map cities and decide for yourself - whether to wander around the most mysterious nooks and crannies in splendid isolation or hire a guide

The map shows: 1 - Entrance; 2 - Al-Wuheira; 3 - The beginning of the Siq gorge; 4 - “Treasury of the Pharaohs”; 5 - Place of sacrifice; 6 - Theater; 7 - Urn Tomb or “Cathedral”; 8 - Tomb of Sextus Florentinus; 9 - “Nymphaeum”; 10 - Church; 11 - Temple of the Winged Lions; 12 - Great Temple; 13 - Temple of Uzza; 14 - Archaeological Museum; 15 - Lion's Triclinium (Roman dining room); 16 - El Deir Monastery

The ancient city stretches for several kilometers. From east to west, the main street is laid, decorated on the sides with a colonnade. At its eastern end there is a three-span triumphal arch, and at its western end there is a large temple

Early necropolis of the Nabataeans

One of the main architectural elements of Petra, along with the Treasury, is an ancient theater for 6000 spectators, completely carved into the rock and located so that from there you can see the most important tombs, among which are the “Cathedral”, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian tomb, the Tomb of the Urn and the Silk Tomb

The theater was built in Petra at the beginning of the 1st century AD, almost at the same time as the majestic bulk of the El Deir monastery carved into the rock at the top of the cliff - a huge building about 50 m wide and more than 45 m high, which, judging by the carved on the walls crosses, for some time served as a Christian church. It may seem familiar to many - most likely this is due to the fact that one of the scenes of the second film about Transformers was filmed here =)

Maybe it's more recognizable

From the slope next to El Deir, you can see Mount Jebel Haroun with a white mosque on top - this relatively small and modest in its decoration tomb of Aaron, the brother of Moses, was erected in the 13th century by the Mamluk Sultan. According to Arabic legends, Petra- exactly the place where Moses struck the stone with his staff and water flowed out of it

To the right of the Theater is the entrance to the “Cathedral”. The inscription testifies that Bishop Jason converted the Doric Tomb into the Eucharistic Hall. The same inscription dates this transformation to AD 447.

Plan of the Church of the Papyrus in the western part of the city

1 - Atrium; 2 - Baptistery; 3 - Basilica; 4 - Chair; 5 - Altar; 6 - Papyrus Room

View of the church from the altar

In the 90s during excavations. conducted by the American Center for Oriental Research, a vast building was discovered, decorated with beautiful mosaics. A number of administrative records written on papyrus dating back to the sixth century AD have also been discovered. Papyri are part of a private archive including contracts, rents, exchanges, wills, and agreements of various sorts. In the photo - a medallion with the image of Neptune

The floors of the nave and the altar are made of multicolored marble tiles. Both passages are decorated with mosaics. The mosaic style refers to the Gaza School, which is very different from the Madaba School, of which mosaic examples have been found in previous days. In the photo - the atrium of the church. The basilica was divided into three parts by two rows of columns.

The baptistery is located in a room adjoining the atrium of the Church

Interior of the Temple of the Winged Lions

A Roman inscription from AD 114 on this monumental gate praises the Emperor Trajan. The gate leads to the large courtyard of the Temple of Uzza (Kazr al-Bint)

Inner courtyard of the Great Temple of Petra. The floor is made of hexagonal marble slabs

Panoramic view of Kazr al-Bint and Umm al-Biyar peak. The Temple of Uzza was built in the early 2nd century AD.

Arch in the façade of Kazr al-Bint

The Lion Triclinium got its name from the lions that “guard” the entrance.

It is also worth paying attention to the monumental tomb structure in the Roman style, which received the unpretentious name of the Palace-Tombstone. Another interesting place is the Petra Archaeological Museum, which keeps a shadow of the history of the development, formation and decline of these lands. In the photo there are a couple of exhibits from the museum - a fragment of a capital carved in the shape of an elephant and an eagle's head found in the Great Temple

And this is one of the reddish rocks with many shades, because of which Petra was often called the “Red City” or “City of Roses”

December 6, 1985 Petra was included in the list World Heritage UNESCO - the ancient city was named “one of the most precious elements of the cultural heritage of mankind”, and on July 7, 2007 Petra was named among the “Seven New Wonders of the World”

A trip from Amman, Israel and Egypt to Petra will be much more tiring and expensive. Stops at the border are inevitable, moreover, moving from Egypt requires crossing the Israeli border, and Israeli border guards are famous for their corrosiveness and slowness. In addition, a border tax has recently been collected from those passing through the Israeli border.

In summer, the temperature reaches 50 degrees along the way, which is not very conducive to curiosity. The ideal time for a thoughtful visit to Petra is late autumn, winter, spring. At this time it is not hot, you should even stock up on a jumper.

The place is so interesting that it is worth devoting more than one day to it, although, of course, you can fit into a one-day excursion. The fact is that in order to even just get from the entrance to the city to the main interesting places, you need to walk several kilometers along the narrow (in some places about a meter) Siq canyon. Very lazy and rich tourists hire donkeys or a stroller. Pauses are inevitable for taking pictures and scratching the back of the head in astonishment.

You can stop for rest in the town of Wadi Musa near the rock city, or in several hotels directly on the territory of Petra.

City `s history

Petra, despite its unusual appearance, is historically the city - the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, which lasted seven centuries. The city had houses carved into the rock, temples, tombs. During these centuries, no one managed to take the city by storm. It's all about the right location and a fantastic communications system.

The city of Petra, in Nabataean “Nakmu”, is located at an altitude of more than six hundred meters above the surrounding area. Climbing the steep cliffs surrounding the city is very difficult. To this day, water remains the main resource of the Middle Eastern countries. The nameless builders of the city provided a system for collecting and concentrating all possible precipitation. In the Petra region, the average monthly rainfall in the wet month- January - 45 mm, in June there is no precipitation at all. All the water that flowed into spring months from the surrounding mountains, along channels carved into the rocks, flowed into pools and reservoirs, providing residents for the whole year.

The city stood at the crossroads of two trade routes - the Mediterranean Sea - Persian Gulf and Damascus - Red Sea. The spice trade brought fantastic income to the Nabataeans. Only the discovery by the Romans of new trade routes to the east led to the decline of Petra.

Walk around Petra

All visitors get off the buses in front of the entrance to the canyon. Souvenirs are sold here (residents of Bedouin settlements in several factories in the state program they process an ornamental stone), there are several coffee shops, you can hire a carriage for a trip through the canyon.

Having passed the canyon with vertical (thirty meters high) walls, you exit to the main square of El Ghazne. Usually the guides deliberately “talk their teeth” in order to guess the spectacular moment of the exit to the facade of the Treasury. The canyon makes a turn before entering the square, so all beginners look in the wrong direction. The effect is enormous.

Made famous by the Indiana Jones TV series, the building is said to have housed the treasures of the pharaohs and, later, Mediterranean pirates. No one is allowed inside. The dimensions of the Treasury are amazing - 40 meters in height and 24 in width.

At every step, Bedouin kids offer to buy souvenirs, even simple stones. Depending on the time of day, the surrounding rocks change color - from pale pink at dawn to orange at sunset. The territory of the city is gigantic, so you can walk here for several days. Some come with their tents and mountain gear to spend a few days in the surrounding mountains. Only the cost of staying on the territory of Petra changes.

The places here are harsh, so when planning a trip for several days, you need to provide yourself with a supply of water, food (we strongly do not recommend taking alcohol), strong shoes, warm clothes for the night, learn a few Arabic greetings - no one guarantees that you will be understood in Russian (although in the same Aqaba, all young people speak Russian fluently).

If you ask any local guide - how people could build such grandiose buildings without cranes, without forty-meter scaffolding (after all, there is nowhere to get so much wood here), they will answer you - they were lowered from above on ropes. Maybe. But a believer will immediately remember the words from the sixth chapter of the biblical Book of Genesis: "At that time there were giants on earth." Maybe they really lived here?

It is not at all surprising that the ancient city of Petra, which is the main one, which Jordan is rightfully proud of, was included in the list of the new seven wonders of the world. The unique feature of Petra is that the city is completely carved into the rocks, such a sight is amazing and breathtaking. By the way, the name of this unique place on the planet is translated as “stone”.

The ancient city of Petra in Jordan has more than 2,000 years of existence, and some sources even testify to 4,000 years. The history of Petra in Jordan began with the Edomites, who built a small fortress on the basis of these rocks. Then the city became the capital of the Nabataean kingdom and remained so until 106 AD. After the unusual rocky fortifications passed into the possession of the Romans, then the Byzantines, Arabs and in the XII century became the prey of the crusaders. From XVI to early XIX centuries, Petra remained empty, no one knew where the stone city was located, shrouded in secrets and legends. Only in 1812, the Petra complex in Jordan was found by a traveler from Switzerland, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Since then, for 200 years, tourists from all over the world have not ceased to admire this magnificent heritage of antiquity.

An interesting fact is that throughout its history, the city of Petra in Jordan was built up by different "owners", but before today only the most ancient buildings that arose before the 6th century AD have survived. So modern Petra is the real face of ancient Petra. You can get into the city along the only and extremely exotic route - the kilometer-long Sik gorge, which was once the bed of a mountain stream. Altars, ancient sculptures and unusual colored sands are found along the entire route of entering the city. The exit from the gorge leads directly to the majestic facade of Al-Khazneh - the temple-palace, which is called the Treasury, because according to legend, riches are stored there that have not yet been found by anyone. Amazingly, the facade of the Temple of Petra in Jordan, carved 20 centuries ago, today remains untouched by time.

Sights of Petra

The sandy mountains of Petra in Jordan contain about 800 sights, while scientists say that Petra has been studied only by 15%, and most of its mysteries will never be solved. The Nabataean ruins of Petra in Jordan stretch for miles and cannot be explored in one day. Even tickets are sold here for three days at once, so that tourists can have time to consider everything.

1. Temple of Al-Khazneh, mentioned above, did not reveal to researchers the secret of its purpose. Some believe that this is the temple of Isis, others say that this is the tomb of one of the rulers of the Nabatean kingdom. But the most main question historians - how could such a structure be created at all, if even today it seems hardly possible.
2. Amphitheater of Petra carved into the rock, can accommodate 6,000 people. Presumably, the construction of the amphitheater was started by the Nabateans, but the Romans gave it such scope, having completed this structure to such a majestic size.
3. Ad Deir- Another amazing building of the temple complex of Petra in Jordan. It is a monastery towering 45 meters on top of a cliff and 50 meters wide. Probably, Ad-Deir was a Christian church, as evidenced by the crosses carved on the walls.
4. Temple of the Winged Lions- a complex, the entrance to which is guarded by statues of winged lions. Being for the most part destroyed, it still attracts with its columns and the fact that many meaningful artifacts are found in its excavations.
5. Dushara Temple or Pharaoh's Daughter's Palace a - a separate building, which has been preserved, unlike many destroyed ones. Today it has been restored and impresses with its 22-meter walls built on a carved platform.