Petra Jordan. What to visit in Jordan (attractions)

People settled the territory of what is now Jordan several thousand years ago, and monuments from all major historical periods have survived to this day. In its vastness you can see both rock paintings and ancient cities of the Greeks, Romans, and Arabs. The castles-fortresses from the times of the Crusades are perfectly preserved.

The desert is a real attraction of Jordan. Many monuments are located in its spaces and allow you to examine cultural artifacts, while at the same time studying the life of the Bedouins and admiring the local landscapes. Many places in the kingdom are associated with Christian religious culture and are mentioned in biblical tales. They attract many pilgrims.

Beach holidays are possible in the country all year round. The Red Sea coast is lined with hotels and offers excellent opportunities for diving, snorkeling, sea swimming and activities aquatic species sports. One of major destinations in tourism - visiting spa resorts using water and mud Dead Sea. Many hotels on the coast are equipped with swimming pools with local sea water, which are actively used by vacationers for health and beauty treatments. Best time For tourist trip to Jordan - spring or autumn.

The best hotels and inns at affordable prices.

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What to see in Jordan?

The most interesting and Beautiful places, photographs and brief description.

Most Big City Jordan, capital. It has centuries-old history and many of its monuments, some within the walls of the archaeological museum. Located in close proximity to Dead and Mediterranean seas. It is of great economic importance for the country and is an industrial center.

Unique ancient building- a city in the rocks. Ancient Petra was the capital of a rich kingdom that collected tribute from caravans carrying spices. It gradually went bankrupt when trade routes became sea routes. An example of unique architecture, full of all kinds of mysteries. Unique landscape and the buildings have been featured in films several times. This is Jordan's most popular attraction.

The most impressive building in Petra. Mausoleum, completely carved into the rock. It is perfectly preserved, although the façade has the greatest artistic value and expressiveness. Spielberg filmed one of the Indiana Jones films here.

Huge salt Lake, water and silt deposits create a healing effect. On the Jordanian coast there are many resorts that use sea water for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Popular place recreation for the local population and tourists.

Pompeii of the East is a well-preserved remnant of an ancient city. All architectural buildings date back to the times of the Roman Empire. Eat Archaeological Museum, almost every day there is a theatrical performance based on Roman military scenes; throughout July the city is the site of an arts festival. A landmark in Jordan, the second most important after Petra.

Ancient city, built to repel military attacks. For about five thousand years, there are traces of civilization at this place. He became famous under the Greeks and thanks to the Greeks. Destroyed by earthquake. The ruins are varied: a church, amphitheaters, a forum, some of the buildings have been restored. There is a functioning archaeological museum. From the hill there is a beautiful view of the surrounding area.

Remains of buildings of the Greco-Roman city. They are called the Black Pearl of the Desert, as the buildings are made of black basalt - a rarity in ancient architecture. The buildings are well preserved for their age; among them there are two and three-story buildings. A basalt desert begins near the city.

The only one sea ​​port and Jordan resort. Located on the Red Sea coast, the length coastline almost 30 km. Sandy clean beaches and wealth underwater world do Aqaba popular resort and a diving center. Developed tourism infrastructure, many hotels of different price categories.

Leftovers ancient settlement, which was primarily defensive in nature. Located on a hill above the city, on the Jebel al-Qalaa hill. Nearby are the ruins of an ancient basilica and the Umayyad palace park.

The most significant monument of Roman civilization in the world, one of the most valuable historical monuments in Jordan. A huge, perfectly preserved amphitheater carved into the rock. It still regularly hosts city events. cultural plan(concerts, festivals). Capacity 6000 people.

Located on a hill, next to the Citadel. The collection is significant, represented by monuments from all eras of civilization, starting with the Neolithic. Particularly good are individual collections of sculptures and decorations.

The desert is grandiose in area and expressiveness of landscapes. The landscape is uneven: there are mountains, dips, and crevices. The reddish sand and other rocks created a bizarre landscape that has been used many times in cinema. "The Martian" was filmed here. The place is famous for the preserved rock paintings of ancient people. Now the Bedouins live in the desert.

Famous biblical mountain, place of the supposed death of the prophet Moses. In memory of this event, a memorial complex was built on the top of the mountain, restored by archaeologists. Now there are memorial signs, a Byzantine church with fragments of an ancient mosaic. Popular with pilgrims and tourists.

It flows into the Dead Sea, dividing Jordan and Israel. The main waterway of the country. Mentioned many times in the Bible. It was in the waters of this river that Jesus was baptized. Place of active pilgrimage. Along the banks and in the immediate vicinity there are many historical monuments of different time periods.

Built in 1184, on top of a mountain, to protect local mines. A powerful military structure, a real fortress. There are forests around the castle, from the upper observation platforms you can see Jerusalem. There is an archaeological museum attached to the castle.

The Crusader castle is located near Petra. Their last stronghold in the Holy Land. After the expulsion of the knights, it fell into disrepair and gradually collapsed. Many buildings are in ruins; ancient inscriptions can be seen on some of the buildings. A unique location allowing you to enjoy the incredible surrounding panorama.

A legendary defensive building at an altitude of about 1000 meters. Multi-storey, inside there is a real labyrinth. It is of historical value; in addition, an archaeological museum is open on the territory. A city of the same name grew up around the fortress, attractive to tourists.

About 30 well-preserved buildings for various purposes in the desert. Caravanserais, baths, hunting lodges of the nobility - each of the palaces served its purpose and had the appropriate architecture. In the palace, a former bathhouse, there are frescoes unique to Muslim culture, partially restored.

Located on the slopes of the mountains, it includes several geographical zones, with corresponding vegetation in each. The territory is huge, the flora and fauna are extremely diverse. Perfect place for hiking, especially in spring. Travel by mountain bike is possible. There are several trails in the reserve; it is better to go through them with guides. Accommodation options in the reserve are varied (hotels, camping, guest houses).

Created in the Wadi Mujib gorge, near the Dead Sea. Unique landscape - mountain ranges, gorges between which a river flows. The reserve creates its own microclimate and is home to many birds and a variety of vegetation (more than 400 species). There are routes for tourists and there are campsites.

Opportunity to dive with experienced instructors in several diving centers to choose from. One of the main attractions for tourists in the city. The Red Sea is rich in inhabitants and picturesque reefs. Turtles, octopuses, exotic fish - everyone can be seen and observed in their natural environment.

July 7, 2007 legendary cave city Petra in Jordan along with the Colosseum and the Great Chinese wall included in the list of “new wonders of the world.” The ancient city is really worthy of your visit, so we are ready to tell you exactly what is important not to miss during a tour of Petra.

The history of the city of Petra in Jordan

Petra received its name from the Semitic word for “rock,” since all the religious buildings of the city were carved from solid red sandstone rocks. The facades were carved from top to bottom, for which purpose special stone steps were placed on either side of them. It is interesting that any error in the calculations excluded the possibility of correcting anything: if the master carved a column thinner than necessary, there was no longer any possibility of replacing it. In addition, the craftsmen actually worked as climbers. For example, in the construction of any European facade, scaffolding was used in 100% of cases. There were no forests here even hundreds of kilometers away. The builders, like sculptors and rock climbers, patiently carved out the facades of the canopy.

Unusual coloring of red sandstone rocks

It is believed that the city was founded by the Edomites - distant descendants of Lot, the one who fled from God's wrath from Sodom and Gomorrah. As is known from the Old Testament history, his daughters, realizing that everything male population died, and worried about the continuation of the family, they decided to give their father some drink and, as the Old Testament diplomatically states, “they lay down with him.”

In terms of the time of construction, the city as a whole is not homogeneous. Here you can find buildings of the Nabothaeans from the 18th century. BC, as well as the “later” buildings of the Romans - some I-II centuries. already AD. It is known that Petra was at the crossroads of two trade routes. One of them went from south to north and connected the Red Sea coast with Damascus, the other - from east to west and connected the Persian Gulf with Gaza, which at that time was occupied, presumably, by the Phoenicians. The paths crossed in the Petra area, which only made the city richer every year. But with the discovery by the Romans sea ​​route to the East it was all over. The city and the city treasury were empty, the buildings fell into disrepair, and then were completely lost.

Desert ships

It’s interesting that during the Israeli War of Independence the song “Red Rock” was popular among the people and young Israeli fighters considered it daring to ride to Petra and back. In most cases, daring ended in death, but those who returned alive gained almost eternal “glory.” The management, understandably, was extremely dissatisfied with such antics and categorically did not encourage the song.

Excursion to Petra

You can easily get to Petra on your own. Most convenient way- automobile. Whether to rent a car and drive it yourself or to leave it in the hands of the driver is a controversial question. On the one hand, if you are driving, you are responsible for safe driving. On the other hand, probably only local drivers have built-in sensors that allow them to quickly respond to emergency situations, of which there may be several during your trip.

Important! If you are in Jordan for more than one day, then a ticket to Petra magically turns from 90 Jordanian dinars into 50. And don’t forget to take a map at the entrance to the tourist center - it’s calmer and clearer with it.

1. Genie tanks

The first thing you will encounter on your way is several square stone blocks, which the Bedouins who lived here nicknamed “Tanks of the Djinns,” naively believing in the demonic origin of the stones. By the way, most of the modern names of Petra came to us from the Bedouins, who gave names to certain monuments to the best of their understanding.

Genie tanks

On the road to the gorge on your right there will be a “Bedouin highway” - be careful - this road is for Bedouin carts boldly pretending to be chariots. They rush along it at an insane speed, often turning over and scaring tourists to death.

"Bedouin high way" :)

Typical carts with tourists in Petra

2. “Obelisk” and Triclinium Bar As-Sik

Almost opposite the “Gin Tanks” there is a mysterious building - the “Obelisk” and the Bar Al-Sik triclinium. It consists of two levels: the upper one is an early Nabothaean burial, marked by four obelisks, and the lower one is a triclinium or, in our case, a funeral hall. In the Roman tradition, the triclinium consisted of a table and three benches surrounding it in the shape of the letter "P". The dishes were served from the fourth side. This hall has suffered significantly in recent centuries from countless attempts to find Nabothaean treasures.

Obelisk Tomb

3. As-Sik Gorge

After walking another 400 meters, we will approach the ancient entrance to the As-Sik gorge. It is also the entrance to the Nabatean city of Petra. The length of the gorge is 1200m, and the bizarre natural coloring of the rocks is due to the local rock - red sandstone.

Siq Gorge

The play of sunlight gives an additional “zest” to the unusual coloring of the gorge

To the right of the entrance is a dam. It was built to turn around a mountain river and save the city from spring “floods”. As you enter the gorge, pay attention to the drainage on the right side. The peculiarity of these places is that since ancient times the question of water here was “to be or not to be.” In a year in these parts it fell in best case scenario 15 cm of precipitation. But the Nabataeans were very inventive and created an entire drainage system, collecting rainwater within a radius of 25 km. Along the entire gorge on both sides of the road there is a drain for fresh water. Whether this water was intended for animals, ablution, or drinking water is now impossible to know.

Drain in the As-Sik gorge

4. Al-Khazneh

Or the “vault” was built by the Nabataeans in the 1st century. AD. The purpose of the complex is still unclear. There is an assumption that the temple was dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, whose bas-relief was barely preserved in the pier between the columns in the central part of the facade. The two-level facade is entirely carved from rock. On both sides there are steps - these are what the ancient builders used. The lower tier of the six-column Hellenistic façade is crowned by an atypical portico, seemingly divided into three parts. In the spaces between the columns there were bas-reliefs of gods and goddesses. A round urn is visible at the top center. In the 19th century, the Bedouins, thinking that all the treasures of the temple were stored in it, tried to shoot it down with guns.

Al-Khazneh Treasury in Petra

The temple became a global celebrity thanks to Steven Spielberg's film Indiana Jones and the Last crusade", where the hero was looking for the holy grail. And that’s why there are always a lot of tourists here too. You have virtually no chance of taking a photo alone with Petra in the background. But opposite the façade there is a small cafe whose benches you can use as a photo podium. This way you will get good pictures, and the crowds of tourists in the background will only add color, and will not spoil the frame with their curious pugs :)

The majestic façade of Al Khazneh

5. Street of facades

Upon exiting the gorge, on the right side there will be the so-called “Street of Facades” - these are the tombs of noble and wealthy Nabateans. History has not left us any more significant details.

Street of facades

From the “street of facades” we climb up to the royal tombs, reach the remains of a Byzantine church and through the “street of colonnades” and the ancient theater we return again to the “street of facades”.

6. Royal Tombs

The first three tombs you will encounter on your way are the Urn Tomb, the Silk Tomb and the Corinthian Tomb. The “Tomb of the Urn” was supposedly created in the 70s AD, and in the mid-15th century. was converted into a Byzantine church.

Royal Tomb

The scale of construction in Petra is truly amazing!

By the way, if you deviate from the route and go towards the ancient theater, which was clearly visible from the “street of facades,” you will have a stunning view of the gorge and the road. This is where rare photographic ecstasy occurs. The main thing is that the sun does not let us down.

7. Palace Tomb

You and I move on and go to the Palace Tomb. You will recognize it by its wide facade. It is believed that this facade resembled Roman palaces, hence the assumption that only royal or especially noble persons could be buried in such a grandiose building. Which, however, is not confirmed by written sources.

Palace Tomb

8. Tomb of Sextius of Florence

Behind the Palace Tomb is the only building for which scientists know for certain for whom and when it was built. Sextius was the Roman governor of Arabia and, as sources tell us, he wanted to be buried in Petra, for which purpose in 126-130. and this tomb was hollowed out.

Ad-Deir Monastery

Camels are the safest way to get around Petra. They are difficult to disperse on the local highway

11. Colonnade Street

Along the Roman street of colonnades we return back to the gorge. There will be remnants on your right side temple complex, which without undue modesty is called the Great Temple. Pay attention to the columns lying on the ground in a beautifully sliced ​​sausage - this is the result of a powerful earthquake in the 8th century. Next we go to the ancient theater, now we have a chance to look at it up close.

Among the rocks that are truly valuable, it’s easy to find mountains of Bedouin “remake” :)

12. Ancient theater

The theater was carved out of the rock in the 1st century AD and originally seated 3,000 spectators. Later it was expanded by the Romans to 7000. If you look closely, you will see three tiers of spectator seats, divided into sectors by stairs. The front façade of the theater once faced the road. On its sides there were still black eye sockets of the entrances through which spectators entered the building. Only a few columns have survived from the portico, but at the time of its greatness the stage was decorated with a row of seven small Ionic porticos.

Ancient theater in Petra

Having completed your tour of the theater, you have a long way back. Of course, you can take the Bedouin Highway and even take part in the Chariot Races. But is it worth it? Take care and have a nice trip!

The original city on the rocks is mentioned in ancient legends, in the speeches of sages and even in the Bible. At this place, Moses called water from the rock, so a small local river still bears his name - Wadi Musa, that is, “the river of Moses.” The city of Petra in Jordan is full of mysteries and unique events. It belongs to the new wonders of the world, so today it receives our attention.

From the history

In the city of Petra, Jordan not only created history, but filled it with divine meaning. The modern location of Petra is near the resort of Aqaba, which is located near the Dead Sea. This is where the “path of incense” once lay. The city is located on the site of the ancient state of Edom, which, according to historical information, was an enemy of Israel. The city of Sela, which means “stone,” is the first settlement on the site of the current settlement. Subsequently, "stone" was translated into "Petra". Rock City is a telling name, isn't it?

In the 3rd-4th millennium BC, Arab nomads from the Nabateans decided to settle in the area. They began to lead a sedentary life, making Petra their fortified capital. There was only one gate in the city, which was visible right through. This really saved the Nabateans from raids. Even the army of the Roman Empire could not take the people prisoner. The Nabataeans themselves joined the Romans in the first century AD.

After the nomads settled in the rocks, the best era for their kingdom began. Petra at this time became a city of political significance. She became widely known. Petra turned into an artificial oasis, where the flow of water was strictly controlled. It happened that the capital of the Nabataean kingdom was flooded by downpours, but the local population used a system of aqueducts, dams and cisterns, thanks to which they not only provided for themselves fresh water, but also supplied it for sale.

The rock city of Petra in Jordan predetermined a certain way of life for the people who inhabited it. It is difficult to build houses, raise livestock and engage in farming on steep cliffs. Thanks to the tricks of the architects, the city of Petra became a beautiful monument of Roman architecture in harsh conditions. In the 4th century, the buildings were badly damaged and the population had to leave their homes. Since then, only nomadic tribes have stayed there.

Following the fall of the Nabatean kingdom, the Roman Empire ceased to exist. In the 16th century it was impossible to find a single inhabitant in this lifeless desert. There were legends about the city of Petra in Jordan.

The capital of the Nabateans was discovered by the Swiss scientist I.L. Burckhardt in 1812. He had to dress up as a merchant in order to find out from the local hermits the place where the city of Petra was located. Jordan, whose history is full of tragic battles, is inhabited by secretive people. It was only by chance that Burckhardt managed to find out how to get to Wadi Musa and see the ruins of Petra.

Architecture

The structures of the city of Petra, carved into the rock, belong to three periods of world history:

1. Idumean (XVIII-II centuries BC);

2. Nabatean (II century BC - 106 BC);

3. Roman (106-395 AD).

In the Middle Ages, the Teutons and crusading knights lived in the city, but everything that they left behind was destroyed by time. Only the rocks withstood the pressure of wind, sun and earthquakes.

The territory of the city of Petra has not been 100% studied; 85% of the buildings remain a mystery. Many more amazing discoveries await us, especially considering that the studied area includes more than 800 architectural monuments.

What does the city of Petra look like?

From the very beginning of the journey, the tourist is plagued by difficulties. The narrow gorge called the Siq, through which one can enter the city, is enclosed in high sheer cliffs. The sun's rays do not touch the bottom, so you will have to navigate the road in the dark. Sometimes the width of the passage narrows to 4-5 meters. Gradually brightens and becomes visible stone statues On the sides of the passage there are carved inscriptions and niches. This passage was formed by nature itself - the gorge was formed as a result of ancient shifts of tectonic plates.

When you finish your journey through the gorge, the sun will blind your eyes with its unusually bright light. The first thing anyone who enters here sees is the building of El Khazneh, or the Treasury of the Pharaohs. This is a local sanctuary that is both a temple and a mausoleum. The date of construction is the 2nd century AD. Why the Nabateans needed this building, history is silent. Only a few scholars believe that the Pharaonic Treasury is ancient pagan temple goddess Isis. But you and I can admire the work of ancient stonecutters who managed to create a beautiful temple out of rock.

The process of turning stone into a building remains a major mystery for scientists. From the point of view of modern construction, it is not possible to create high building without the use of special scaffolding. But in rocky areas there are no trees to build auxiliary platforms. Presumably, the stonecutters had to climb to the very top of the rock without a safety net, using only their hands, and chisel away at the wall from there. How it was possible to create such a symmetrical and graceful building without the use of bricks and boards is also unknown for certain.

Al Khazneh blocks the view of the Old city on the rocks. Going around the temple, we see a large number of stone houses for various purposes, markets, administrative buildings. The Roman influence is clearly felt in the columns framing the avenue-street. Larger buildings have their own purpose. For example, Ed-Deir is a monastery that crowns one of the peaks of the rocks. The structure is huge - 50x50 m. Once upon a time there was a Christian church here.

Other more and majestic building- Roman palace. The three-story building is also called the Palace Tomb. Next to it there are other ritual buildings. An amazing feeling is experienced by a tourist who tries to imagine the huge time gap between him and the beginning of the construction of structures. The buildings have been preserved almost in their original form, because the stone of the rocks is extremely strong.

In the city of Petra in Jordan, whose history is based not only on a religious cult, there are not only sanctuaries. Here you can see the usual outbuildings, burial grounds and other premises. Cliff dwellings are interspersed with temples. The picturesque Qasr al-bint is a temple dedicated to the Great Mother Goddess.

Tourists are offered to buy detailed map and explore the surrounding area on your own. In addition to the buildings we have designated, you can see a theater, a church, the Temple of the Winged Lions, a real Roman dining room and much more. The territory of the facility is several kilometers.

The ancient theater of Petra seats 6,000 visitors. It is also entirely made of rock and is located in the center of the city. From the spectator rows you can see the burial grounds and main tombs. The time of construction dates back to the first century AD, that is, at the same time when l-Deir arose in Petra.

Not far from El Deir is Jebel Harun. This is the beautiful tomb of Aaron, crowned with a snow-white mosque. Aaron is the brother of Moses, and the structure was erected in his honor during the reign of the Mamluk Sultan.

The cathedral, discovered in the 90s by American archaeologists, is a building extensively decorated with mosaics. Here, in ancient times, documents were kept, written on sheets of papyrus and of great value to the city in the 6th century. All documents were kept in a private archive along with family documents. The decoration of the cathedral is amazing. The nave and altar are made of small marble tiles different colors. All arches are covered with mosaic patterns.

What's special

Petra has more than a hundred rock structures. On the facades, one might say, the entire history of the construction of the city is carved. Here, in the neighborhood, there are rough, uncouth premises and exquisite ancient temples.

Do not forget that the Nabateans were just nomads, and these tribes are not distinguished by the desire to leave behind a memory for many centuries. The amazing architecture of this people is exclusively a figment of the imagination of the eternal traveler, driven by fear into the rocks, to a place where enemies cannot reach and ruin the tribe.

The city of Petra in Jordan, which for a long time belonged to the closed Nabatean tribe, is distinguished by its originality. His appearance original and unlike any other city in the whole world. The extraordinary city, carved into the rock, constantly attracts tourists who are interested in the city of Petra, Jordan, history and architecture.

Fun fact: Petra is sometimes called the “city of roses.” This was due to the rock having a specific red hue.

In 1985, Petra came under the protection of UNESCO as an important element cultural heritage of humanity, and in 2007 Petra was awarded the title of a new wonder of the world.

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This post about the ancient city of Petra in Jordan is unusual because it will not have the traditional “view” of Petra as tourists usually see it. I will show you a behind-the-scenes view of this ancient city and tell you about all the different ways to visit it - in particular, how to get to Petra for free, entering, so to speak, from the back door. I will share my impressions of what we saw after going this way. Unfortunately, for some reason I didn’t take many photographs then, so most of photographic material by Pasha Vorobyov, for which many thanks to him.

By the way, we went to Petra after visiting Mount Nebo and visiting an ostrich farm. I wrote about this: read it if interested.

The ancient city of Petra in Jordan - what is it?

I think it’s worth talking very briefly about this attraction. Petra is a national treasure of the country, it is not for nothing that this ancient city is depicted on the stamps that are pasted at the border for visas.

In fact, Petra is an ancient city, surrounded on all sides by mountains, which can be reached through a two-kilometer narrow passage. This passage is called the sik. Many of the city's buildings are carved out of the rock, roughly speaking, they are made from one piece of stone. The city was founded before our era and at different times it was ruled by different peoples. Petra was the capital of the Nabatean kingdom and of some more ancient state. Then there were the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Crusaders. They all left something of their own in the architecture of the city, which is why it is especially interesting here.

The ancient city of Petra in Jordan is also the Eighth Wonder of the World and is included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

Petra's most famous building is Al Khazneh or the treasury. It is carved entirely into the rock. You feel the similarity between the words “treasury” and “khazneh”. It turns out that the word “treasury” is not ours, and its ancestor is the Arabic language. Well, this building is also well known from the film about Indiana Jones: in fact, according to the script, it collapses.

We were not able to visit it: we were escorted out of this city by a security guard for not having a ticket. But more on that below. I only got a couple of photos. Pasha reproached me for a long time that I photographed him poorly against the backdrop of this most important historicity. So. Well, yes, it's my fault. But in general, isn’t it impudent to stand and pose while you’re being escorted?

How much does a ticket cost and how to visit the ancient city of Petra in Jordan: different options

Visiting Petra is a very expensive experience, but there are different ways to do it.

To buy a ticket. Trite and expensive. Since you can’t see all of Petra in one hour, tickets are sold for one, two, three days. Accordingly, the price is different. When we were there, the ticket cost about 35 dinars per person. And now, they say, it costs about 90 dinars. A nightmare, of course, because the dinar is even more expensive than the euro. If you buy a ticket for three days, then on the fourth day you go for free. Personalized tickets. In short, an expensive pleasure.

Ask those leaving for a ticket. The point is this. Let's say someone bought a three-day ticket to visit the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, but only used it twice and decided that on the third and fourth days they would not go there again. This means that such a citizen only needs a ticket as a souvenir. He can simply give it to the needy and poor, that is, to us. Once a generous visitor to Petra gives you a ticket, he will certainly meet his happiness. This method requires patience and good knowledge of English. You need to pick out those leaving Petra and ask them for such a ticket. We tried, but somehow inactively and timidly, and besides, the complete lack of knowledge of English led us to the idea that this was not our option.

Buy a used ticket. Same way. The difference is that you don’t have to ask to give you a ticket for free, but to buy it at half price from the same citizens. By the way, this is more realistic if you are staying in a hostel: there is more communication with people and a low-budget traveler will easily agree to return part of the expended resources back. Hostels may also have advertisements for the sale of such tickets. Although the ticket is personalized, the identity of the name on it and your body is rarely checked: many visitors go to Petra and there is no time to do this.

Enter Petra through the back door. Free and most interesting way. We succeeded: read more about this option of getting into Petra below.

How to get to Petra for free, long, hard, but interesting

Actually, we didn’t come up with this method. We just found it on the Internet. Its essence lies in the fact that the ancient city of Petra in Jordan has several entrance paths, and they are located quite far from the main guarded entrance. In fact, we had a handwritten map of how to wander between the mountains to reach these passes. True, the map had a big error, because of which I would either break my neck or simply go back if we had not figured out this error and corrected it.

So, I give the same description that we had, with comments on how to get to Petra.

A handwritten map of the passage to the Ancient City of Petra in Jordan with an error corrected.

We walk down the road leading to the siku (main ticket entrance). Near the bourgeois hotel Movenpick, we turn right and move along the asphalt road. We walk about 3 km and come to the village of Umm Seykhun, everyone knows it simply as “Bedouin Village”. Souvenir merchants who sell in Petra live there. Near the village there is a secret entrance number 1 to Petra. But he is of little use because he is known to the police. Souvenirs are brought into Petra through this entrance.

There is a campsite 3 km from the village. It is a sandy area, fenced with a net, and surrounded by mountains. Officially, you can’t spend the night near Petra: the cops can catch you. The ancient city of Petra in Jordan has security both inside and outside: patrols travel around the perimeter at some intervals and catch people like us. We stayed with the owner for a bit - drank tea and watched how he prepared food from tomatoes and canned beans. We sat with him for a while and went to look for a place to spend the night, as things were getting closer to nightfall.

And the night there is wonderful: thick, thick darkness, like ink, and the wind is also thick. In general, we climbed in the dark and found a passage between two rocks into some kind of stone “well”. It was a fairly large area surrounded by rocks. The most interesting thing about this place was that there was no wind exactly in the middle of this site. If you move a little to the side, there is a whirlwind there, but if you go into the middle, it’s quiet. In this place we set up a tent.

I woke up at night to someone shining a lantern from above onto our tent. I was a little taken aback, and then I realized that it was just a full moon in a completely cloudless sky. I will remember it for the rest of my life!
In the morning we took pictures of our overnight spot, ate something like halva for breakfast and then went on with the flow of events.

We move on to the Ancient City of Petra in Jordan. After 2 km we approach a paved intersection. The road leads straight into the Rift Valley, not far to the right is the village of Beida, and to the left is the little-known interesting landmark of Little Petra. It is free, also contains a sik and a mini-temple like El Khazneh in Greater Petra.

Attention: there is an error in the handwritten map! We walk straight along the small sik and come to the riverbed between the rocks. In our case, the river was dry. We go downstream and come to a sharp descent. Oddly enough, you can go down there, only very carefully and not after rain. We turn right and pass through the Bedouin camp.

Here in the map there is a serious inaccuracy. There is no point in following the river and going down. Pasha, for example, descended into the first ravine in the rock, and further, he says, it was even steeper and with heavy backpacks - a problem. I didn’t even climb the first descent: if I’m not sure, don’t meddle. We regretted that we did not have a rope. In general, we decided to return to the entrance to Little Petra. By the way, here is a photo of Pasha with the skull of some animal that he found below. How this skull got there is unclear, probably also a free rider.

So it is not necessary to walk along the river bed and go down either. You can explore Little Petra and return to the entrance. Then you need to walk about 300-400 meters along a dirt road that goes to the left of the entrance, and then you will find yourself in a Bedouin village - the same one that is written about on the map and which supposedly can only be reached if you crawl down the river bed.

In the village, children pestered us. Here they took a picture of the girl. In general, they are quite enterprising there. We took a picture of her, and she said: “Give me one dollar,” and we shushed her. We also saw sheep grazing on the slopes of the mountains: it is not clear what they eat there, just thorns among the stones. Several spent cartridges were also found near the village. The village actually has just one name, it’s not clear whether it’s barns or huts. The ancient city of Petra in Jordan was very close.

The attitude towards stowaways there is calm, but it’s better not to go at night: there are angry dogs (just like at the entrance to Little Petra). You can walk straight along the road, but there may be cops there. You should turn right and walk along the field to the cliff. Then we turn left and carefully walk along the terrace along the cliff. As a result, we certainly end up at the monastery, which is located in Bolshaya Petra.

On the way to the village we came across two guys: apparently, they were walking from Petra to the village. They tried to intimidate us: they say you can’t walk here and all that. In general, they talked a little impudently, but then they got rid of it and went their way, carrying some kind of package.

That's it, you are in the city of Petra. When we descended from the last cliff to finally get into the city, some foreign tourist looked at us. He stands and watches as two citizens climb over the “fence.”

I remember one more thing: the descent was complicated by the fact that Pasha carried all sorts of fragile things with him in his backpack: smuggled coral from Egypt, a hookah and an ostrich egg, which was given to him at an ostrich farm about . In short, he's tired of his backpack. My backpack was simply thrown off, and they lowered it so gently. In general, Pasha, greetings to you, if you read these lines, and good health to your family and child. Come visit.

We walked around Petra for only about two hours at most. We were given backpacks as stowaways; we just had to hide them and explore the attraction lightly. And if one more day was needed for inspection, then one would simply have to hide in some cave carved out of the rock and spend the night.

Well, that’s about how we had an unforgettable acquaintance with the city of Petra in Jordan.

Petra is an ancient city, the pearl of Jordan. Located one kilometer from the city of Eilat.

The city of Petra was the capital of the ancient Nabataean state, which arose in the 7th century BC. A significant part of the architectural objects of Petra are carved directly into the red sandstone rocks.

In ancient times, the city was located at the crossroads of important trade routes, which ensured its prosperity. But after the opening of sea trade routes, the city fell into decline. Gradually, the sands hid the amazing architecture of Petra from view. Forgotten for centuries, it was discovered only in the 19th century.

Now majestic buildings ancient capital attract about half a million tourists annually.

Byzantine church

Petra is an impressive Nabatean ancient city in Western Jordan. All its magnificent massive facades, carved from red sandstone, and the surrounding rugged landscape dotted with historical monuments - real paradise for travelers. Petra was and is a great religious city. There are many tombs, temples, sanctuaries and altars here.

One of these gems is the Byzantine Church. It was built on Roman ruins around 450 AD. The church was a three-nave basilica with total area about 400 square meters. All the passages of the temple are paved with amazingly preserved mosaics depicting local and mythical animals. The cruciform font was surrounded by four columns, possibly supporting a dome. Around 600 AD, the church suffered a major fire and was abandoned until it was finally destroyed by earthquakes.

Its excavations began in 1992, archaeologists discovered 152 papyrus scrolls. The Byzantine church is unique historical monument ancient civilization and is of great interest to tourists.

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Canyon Siq

Siq Canyon is located in Jordan, its length is one and a half kilometers, and it ends with the ruins of Al Khazneh. Previously, this gorge served as the main entrance to the ancient city and was used by royal caravans.

At the very beginning of the canyon you can see the remains of a stone arch. Here stood the massive gates of the Roman legion, which made it possible to tightly block the passage and hold the defense with minimal forces.

Karak has been known since ancient times. The castle is a huge labyrinth with gloomy arches and endless passages. It is so high that you can see the Dead Sea from its windows.

Karak is located on the so-called “Royal Road” (or “Road of the Kings”), the caravan route between Syria and Egypt. It is not for nothing that bloody wars were fought over this territory for many centuries.

The castle was built by the Crusaders in 1136. The fortress of Karak became at that time the main center of the Crusaders in the area. Later it became a fortified point of the Mamluks and Ayyubids.

The main thing in Karak is the numerous tunnels, underground passages, labyrinths, rooms. It is very easy to get lost in them and, moreover, interesting. Some places are simply pitch dark, so a flashlight will come in handy.

Tomb with urn

The urn tomb is one of the many unique structures in Petra. This is one of the five so-called Royal Tombs, which were used for the burial of kings and high-ranking persons. It gets its name from the urn that tops the central pediment.

The tomb was built on high mountain and dominates the neighboring facades. To get here, you need to climb several flights of stairs. Presumably this is the tomb of King Malchus II, who died in 70 AD. The impressive façade has stood the test of time. The tomb stands on an open platform, with several pairs of columns along the northern terrace. The inner chamber is quite impressive, its area is about 400 square meters.

In 477, the tomb was converted into a church, as evidenced by the dedication record on the back wall of the hall. This impressive structure is very popular among tourists. There is a café here for visitors wide choice refreshments and a cozy hotel located a few kilometers away.

Aneisho Tomb

The Aneisho Tomb is one of the many attractions in Petra. It was created around 50 AD. The monument is located on a hill, so it immediately attracts attention.

This majestic structure is named after the brother of the Nabatean queen Shagilat. It has a beautiful façade with double cornices. Its structure intertwines Greek, Egyptian and Nabatean architectural styles. The tomb was a two-tier room with a total area of ​​about 400 square meters. There was a room equipped with a massive table and two benches in which the sacred holidays with honoring the dead.

This place is of great interest to visitors. Next to the tomb there is a small cafe with a wide selection of soft drinks. Cozy hotel located a few kilometers away, you can stop here for the duration of the excursion tour.

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