Stone city in Jordan. Ancient city of Petra, Jordan. A short walk around Petra

The ancient city of Petra is rightfully considered the main attraction of Jordan, glorifying this eastern country all over the globe, and one of the 7 new wonders of the world!

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

The ancient Nabatean city was founded in these rocks about 4 thousand years 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 came into the possession of the Nabatean kingdom, which was just at that time experiencing its heyday. Petra, which served as the capital of the kingdom, gradually acquired enormous influence and unprecedented popularity. The emergence of a city in such hard to reach place became possible thanks to the ability of the Nabateans to control the flow of water, because in essence Petra is nothing more than an artificial oasis! Flash floods are common 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 to successfully trade water

In addition to the fact that the Nabateans 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 Nabatean kingdom fell under the onslaught of the Roman emperor Trajan, and then the Roman Empire itself disappeared into oblivion... Since the 16th century AD, only the wind has “walked” here, and then infrequently. This pearl among the rocks was forgotten for more than 2 centuries - until the Swiss traveler-adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt decided to find it in these lands in 1812. lost city, about which there were many legends, but which, despite this, no one had ever seen. As a result, the Swiss finally found the legendary lost city, carefully protected by sands and rocks!

All the buildings of Petra were built mainly in three periods: under the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), the Nabateans (II century BC - 106 BC) and the Romans (106-395 AD). .). In the 12th century, the ancient city was ruled by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. Monuments built here after the 6th century AD have practically not reached us. Therefore, the appearance of Petra, which is revealed to the eyes of tourists today, is the ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom

An interesting fact is that the territory of Petra is currently only 15% studied, so it is possible that soon the mysteries of the ancient city may amaze the whole world! Now imagine that this 15% is about 800 (!) different historical sites on the territory of Petra!

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

Petra makes an impression on all tourists who come here - even the most sophisticated ones, and I think this is connected to a greater extent not so much with the ancient city itself, but with the road that leads to it - after all, the city is “hidden” 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 for quite a long time along a narrow path (in some places only 3-4 meters wide) on at its bottom, between steep 80-meter cliffs, on which here and there there are ancient inscriptions carved in stone and even entire niches carved into the limestone for rest. At some point, it begins to seem that you will have to walk along this gorge forever, but suddenly it ends abruptly and the enormous Treasury of Pharaoh (the Arabic name is El-Khazneh, from which the word “Treasury” later came) opens to your eyes - one of the most famous monuments of ancient Petra, in front of which the ant-people froze in surprise...

Gradually, the state of numbness recedes and is replaced by surprise and disbelief that such a huge thing 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 to the goddess Isis

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

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

Monument to the Pyramids at the entrance to the Siq gorge

Before entering Petra you can purchase detailed map city ​​and decide for yourself whether to wander through the most mysterious nooks and crannies in splendid isolation or hire a guide

Map of the ancient city

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

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

Early necropolis of the Nabateans

One of the main architectural elements Petra, along with the Treasury, is an ancient theater for 6000 spectators, entirely carved out of the rock and located so that from there one can see the most important tombs, including the “Cathedral”, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb, the Urn Tomb and the Silk Tomb

The theater was built in Petra at the beginning of the 1st century AD, almost at the same time with 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 carvings 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 Transformers film was filmed here =)

Maybe it’s more recognizable this way)

From the slope next to El Deir you can see Mount Jebel Harun with a white mosque on top - this relatively small and modestly decorated tomb of Aaron, the brother of Moses, was built by the Mamluk Sultan in the 13th century. According to Arab legends, this is exactly the place where Moses hit the stone with his staff and water flowed from it.

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

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

1 - Atrium; 2 - Baptistery; 3 - Basilica; 4 - Department; 5 - Altar; 6 - Papyrus's room

View of the church from the altar

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

The floors of the nave and chancel are made of multi-colored marble tiles. Both passages are decorated with mosaics. The mosaic style belongs to the Gaza School, which is very different from the school of the Madaba School, mosaic examples of which were found in previous days. The photo shows the atrium of the church. The basilica was divided into three parts by two rows of columns

The Baptistery is located in a room adjacent to the atrium of the Church

Interior of the Temple of the Winged Lions

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

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

Panoramic view of Qazr al-Bint and Umm al-Biyara peak. The Temple of Uzza was built at the beginning of the 2nd century AD

Arch in the facade of Qazr al-Bint

The Lion Triclinium got its name from the lions “guarding” the entrance

It is also worth paying attention to the monumental tombstone structure in the Roman style, which received the simple name of the Tombstone Palace. One more interesting place is the Archaeological Museum of Petra, which contains the 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 sculptured in the shape of an elephant found in the Great Temple, and the head of an eagle

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”

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

I already wrote about this miracle, but then I found more photos and material. I collected it in a pile and posted it again. Admire it.

About 2,500 years ago it was built in Jordan beautiful city, named Petra.

It was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, which flourished for 200 years and was conquered by the Romans, after which the city sank into oblivion.

Civilization disappeared, and the Nabatean treasures were never found. Where did they disappear to?

Treasury of Petra

The Nabateans built the mysterious Petra, and now tourists gasp in admiration when they meet the city in the rock. Information about the Nabatean state came through the works of Diodorus, Strabo and Josephus, and is mentioned in ancient Chinese sources about the Great Silk Road.

But there is no information about the origin of the Nabateans themselves. Only guesses are left. They may be descendants of Ishmael (he had a son, Nabayoth), son of Abraham, or the lost tribe of Israel from the time of the destruction of the First Temple. Or maybe they are a sect (the Nabataeans, who founded the city of Babylon after the Flood, or, according to E. Blavatsky, a mystical caste dedicated to the god of Secret Wisdom?

The early Nabataeans were ruled by a pagan cult. The main deities of their pantheon were Dushara and his female parallel Allat, the mother of all gods. The finale of the tombstone inscription that has come down to us reads: “and this mausoleum will be sacred and reserved in accordance with the custom of the sacred and reserved, which is dedicated to Dushara and declared reserved by the Nabataeans and Salamis.”

During Roman rule, Allat was identified with Athena, Venus, Dushara - with Zeus and Dionysus. And the late Greek narrative of Epiphanius draws an analogy between the Nativity of Christ and Dushara, celebrated on the same day.

The future Nabatean state covered the central and southern parts of modern Jordan, the southern and southeastern part of Israel (the Arabian Basin), the central and southern Negev, which was closely adjacent to the Kingdom of Judah. In the 2nd century BC. a powerful leap takes place in the history of the Nabateans. Over the course of a century, this people turns from nomadic to sedentary.

The Nabateans became famous as skilled architects. In addition, they mastered the science of irrigation better than other nations. The Arabian desert bloomed with gardens only under the Nabataeans.

Most of the kingdom's inhabitants became traders. Now they set their own prices and collected duties. They made Petra their capital, located at the intersection of three main trade routes, where, according to legend, they store untold wealth.

Speaking a pro-Arabic language, the Nabateans created a writing system in Aramaic, which would later significantly influence Arabic. The Nabataeans themselves switched to the Greek language towards the end of the kingdom.

The sheikhs who reign at first are replaced by kings who strive for complete deified power. Arethas IV titles himself as "he who loved his people." The Nabatean elite is related to the Jewish one. King Herod's mother was a Nabataean queen.

The capital of the kingdom of Petra was a key transit hub where all the caravan routes of the ancient world converged. The Egyptians carried their goods to the Roman Empire and Arabia. The Arabians spread frankincense and myrrh throughout the world through Petra. And in those days they were valued higher than gold.

The Nabatean city was not just a caravanserai on the route of merchants. He played the role of the exchange. Many merchants did not dare to go further through the desert and handed over the goods to the residents of Petra, who then sold it. Coins of their own mintage circulated here.

For two hundred years Nabatea flourished. In 106 AD the end is coming independent state. The Roman Emperor Troyan achieved a difficult victory. From the 4th century AD. Nabatea gradually dissolves into Christian Byzantium and disappears without a trace in the Middle Ages.

Only Bedouins have the right to live in Petra

The Mystery of the Holy Grail

Already a year and a half in hot Jordan, in ancient city An expedition of Russian archaeologists is working in Petra. Our experts are exploring the dungeons of the legendary city. It is in them, according to some sources, that the untold wealth of the Nabataeans may be hidden.

The city was built at a high architectural level: the skill of the ancient engineers, who managed to carve caves in the sandy rocks so that they would not be filled up or washed out, is admirable. Arab art historians still do not believe that Petra could have been built by people at all. They do not understand what methods were used by the nomadic Nabataeans in such high-tech construction. The city was built very quickly and was also quickly populated. Its heyday occurred in the 1st century BC, and the last mention dates back to the 7th century after the Nativity of Christ.

There are residential apartments and apartments in the rocks. Almost everywhere there are places for prayer: on one side there are recesses in the stone to make it more convenient to stand, and on the opposite side there are icons. There is a grand amphitheater that seats about 3,000 people and served as a place for lavish funerals.

According to one version, part of the treasures of the pharaohs is kept in Petra. According to another, a spiritual treasure is hidden there - the Holy Grail, in search of which the crusaders came here. Historians claim that the Nabateans themselves could well have accumulated enough gold and jewelry.

Today, the main occupation of the local Bedouin residents is trade. They sell mainly handicraft souvenirs for tourists that have no artistic or other value. And their ancestors did not waste their time on trading trinkets and homemade consumer goods, preferring goods made of gold, silver, and precious stones.

In the city, here and there small jars with treasures are dug up. In souvenir shops you can buy jewelry - bracelets, necklaces - with stylized antique coins. And tourists constantly find something antique in the sands - fragments of pottery, funeral urns. Those with a serious interest in numismatics are referred to black archaeologists, despite the fact that illegal archeology is severely punished in Jordan. However, it’s hard to resist when caches are hidden somewhere nearby, and no one wants to believe that there are no real treasures left in such a rich city.

City of the Dead

The main place that has long been favored by treasure hunters is Al Khazneh. Translated from Arabic - treasury or treasury. In search of gold, the Bedouins even shot down the front of the building with guns. Interestingly, the top of this building is crowned with a large stone pot. Locals They cannot understand why it was necessary to decorate a majestic building with an ordinary pot, which belongs in a pottery workshop. There is a legend among the Bedouins that ancient treasures are hidden in it. They say that if you hit the pot successfully, then the well-aimed shooter will literally be showered with gold and precious stones. But this is just a legend.

But where then are the treasures that, despite all attempts, cannot be found, and were they there at all? Deputy Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences for scientific affairs, Doctor of Economic Sciences Vladimir Isaev, believes that taking into account the position of Petra in ancient world By definition, it was supposed to store untold wealth. However, the scientist suggested that they had been plundered long ago. Art critic Lev Maciel Sanchez adheres to the same version. He is confident that the valuables were gradually carried away by the inhabitants of Petra themselves, leaving the dying city, after in the 3rd century the main trade routes began to shift north, to Palmyra.

Royal Tombs in Petra

Jordanian guides claim that the legacy of the great Nabataeans has not disappeared from Petra. They say that under the visible part of the city there is a whole complex of caves, in which the Nabatean treasury is hidden.

To date, scientists have explored only a small part of the stone city. Those buildings that are close to the surface of the earth have been excavated. Only recently, literally in recent years, have archaeologists begun to delve deeper. And they were immediately rewarded: having laid an excavation in front of Al Khazneh, the scientists found hitherto unknown burials. It seems that Petra is only now beginning to reveal her main secrets.

Petra Caves

People still live in the caves of Petra

Monastery in Petra, Jordan

Petra at night

Access to the valley is possible through gorges located in the north and south, while in the east and west the cliffs drop sheer, forming natural walls up to 60 m in height. In 2007, Petra was recognized as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

These days, about half a million tourists come to Jordan every year to see Petra, whose buildings testify to its glorious past. As tourists walk through the cool kilometer-long Siq Canyon, around a bend they discover the Treasury, a majestic building with a facade carved from a huge rock.

It is one of the best preserved structures from the first century. The building is crowned by a huge stone urn, which supposedly contained gold and precious stones - hence the name “Treasury”.

The canyon gradually widens, and tourists find themselves in a natural amphitheater, in the sandstone walls of which there are many caves. But the main thing that catches your eye is the crypts carved into the rocks. The colonnade and amphitheater testify to the presence of the Romans in the city in the first and second centuries. Bedouins offer camel rides to tired tourists, sell souvenirs and water their herds of goats at city springs, the waters of which quench the thirst of people and animals.

Petra is the main attraction of modern Jordan, it is an ancient city and the former capital of Idumea or Edom, and later, the capital of the Nabataean kingdom. The remains of the city are located at an altitude of almost a kilometer above sea level and 660 meters above the Arava Valley, and located in the narrow Siq canyon. The passage to the valley where the ancient city is located lies through gorges located on the southern and northern sides of the mountain, and on the eastern and western sides, the rocks form natural walls up to 60 meters in height. The first to find the city, after many centuries of loneliness in the desert, was Johann Ludwig Burckhardt from Switzerland in 1812. In 2007, the city of Petra became one of the new “Seven Wonders of the World”. Indeed, this is one of the greatest miracles ever created by man and nature. Not far from the city and above it are the tomb of Aaron and the rock temple of Ad-Dair.

As history tells us, the city was the center of two important trade routes: one of them connected Damascus with the Red Sea, and the other connected the most populated province of Gaza with the Persian Gulf, which ran along the coast. Mediterranean Sea. These roads connected India, China and southern Arab countries with ancient Egypt, Greece, Syria and Rome. Caravans carrying the finest silk, various spices, and precious stones passed here. Columns of loaded camels and accompanying merchants departing from Persian Gulf, laden with goods brought from overseas countries, moved for weeks through the harsh Arabian desert, and when they, exhausted, reached the narrow Siq canyon, the travelers found water, food and lodging here.

For centuries, trade brought unprecedented wealth to the ancient capital. But this did not last forever, until the Romans discovered sea ​​roads, then the overland trade in spicy spices and Chinese silk was reduced to a minimum and the city gradually became empty, lost in desert sands and time. Many structures of the city of Petra were carved in different eras and under several owners of the city, including the Edomites (XVIII-II centuries BC), Nabataeans (II century BC - 106 AD), Romans (106-395 AD), later Arabs and Byzantines. In the 12th century AD. its owners were the Crusaders.

The entrance to the city stretches through a narrow gorge one kilometer long. The gateway to Petra is the long and winding Siq gorge. Petra is located among red sandstones, which are well suited for construction, which allowed the then residents of those places to quickly build living quarters. Using terracotta pipes, the architects of Petra created a complex water supply system and despite the arid climate, the city's residents never needed water. Around two hundred reservoirs were placed throughout the city, collecting and storing rainwater for some time. In addition to connecting the reservoirs, terracotta pipes collected water from all sources within a radius of 25 kilometers. The most famous buildings these days are: Al-Khazna, which means treasury or treasury; jewelry, gold and everything valuable that was in the city were stored there and eventually became the tomb for one of the rulers of the city. Al-Khazna is one of the best preserved structures of the first century. Al-Khazna can be seen directly from the entrance to the rock city. The massive facade is 30 meters wide and 43 meters high, carved into a solid dark pink rock, everything around seems to be made of coral, creating unforgettable experience. The construction of the Al-Khazna temple was carried out in the former river bed. To build this structure, the architects changed the river bed. A tunnel was cut into the rock to divert the flow of water and a series of dams were built. In addition to this famous building, there are many colorful buildings for different purposes. Place of sacrifice, Roman amphitheater for 3000 spectators. Temples, obelisks, colonnades, holy sacrificial altars and the majestic, famous Ad Deir Monastery, which is reached by 800 steps carved into the rock.

The city of Petra has two museums - the Archaeological Museum of Petra and the Nabataean Museum of Petra. The exhibits that can be seen here are archaeological finds from the outskirts of Petra, they provide an opportunity to better understand the history of the ancient city.

The list of attractions and monuments of Petra is very large; it will take several hours to list everything; in total there are more than eight hundred historical sites. The most popular and visited: Sakhrij (“Blocks of the Jinn”), Mugar An-Nasara (“Caves of Christians”), sacred mountain Jebel Al-Madbah ("Mountain of Sacrifice"), the Byzantine church behind the ruins of the Nymphaeum, Qasr Al-Bint ("Palace of the Pharaoh's Daughter"), Mount Jebel Haroun (Mount of Aaron) and the Temple of Ad-Dair.

Today Petra is the most visited place in Jordan. Local traders sell souvenirs and offer tourists camel rides.

In the heart of Jordan, in the Wadi Musa valley, deep in the sandy mountains is located amazing city antiquity of Peter. For many centuries, this unusual city carved into the rock has amazed the imagination of people who come here with its majestic appearance and the pink-red color of all its buildings.

Despite large number interesting archaeological finds, Petra is the most recognizable landmark of Jordan and its unique symbol.

Petra was originally a temporary refuge for the nomadic Nabatean tribes. From several fortified rock caves, it gradually grew into a large fortress city.

Petra is the most famous landmark in Jordan, located 133 km from Aqaba and 262 km south of Amman. There is only one way to get to the city - through the narrow Siq gorge, which was once the bed of a mountain stream. Petra still belongs to the Bedouins, who warmly welcome guests on their land, make and sell souvenirs, and offer tourists rides on horses and camels.

It can take two to three days to explore Petra's more than 800 attractions. The temple-palace of El Khazneh, carved into the rock, has become world famous; its height is 42 m and its width is 25 m. There are many secrets and mysteries associated with this amazing ancient structure.

The exact date of construction of the amazing palace is not known - presumably it is the 1st or 2nd century BC, i.e. the period when Petra was under the rule of the Roman Empire. The true purpose of El Khazneh is not completely clear. The bizarre interweaving of various architectural styles suggests that there could be a temple of Isis or a tomb of ancient kings. Until now, scientists cannot say exactly how the palace was built.

The beautifully preserved Nabataean city of Petra is listed world heritage UNESCO and annually attracts many tourists from all over the world with its beauty and mystery.

Al-Khazneh Temple-Palace, Petra, Jordan