Petra, Jordan
Located in Jordan's southwestern desert,
Petra dates back to 300 BC and was the
capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom.
The Nabateans were nomadic Arabs who,
when they came upon Petra, saw the
potential for the city to be a hub of trade,
as it was in close proximity to all the local
trade routes. Petra sits on the slope of
Jabal-Al-Madbah, in a basin among the
mountains which form the eastern flank
of Arabah valley that runs from the Dead
Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The site is only
accessible via a narrow canyon called Al
Siq. Once inside the city, there are tombs
and temples carved into pink sandstone,
earning Petra its nickname, the "Rose
City." The most famous structure to be
found in the Rose City is Al Khazneh,
a temple with a Greek-inspired facade
known as The Treasury.
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