About This Location
Petra is a historical and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system. Established possibly as early as 312 BC as the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom, it is a symbol of Jordan, as well as Jordan's most-visited tourist attraction.
The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. It was described as "a rose-red city half as old as time" in a Newdigate Prize-winning poem by John William Burgon.
UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage". In 1985, Petra was designated a World Heritage Site. In 2007, it was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.