Petra

 

The Treasury

Our forecast was for mid-40s with wind and rain with the possibility of snow. We got lucky, it was just cold and rainy. Petra became the capital of the Nabataean Empire in the 2^nd century BC. Moses was believed to have traveled here since Aaron his brother is buried at nearby Mount Hur. This was a rich area because it controlled the nearby trade routes, particularly for Frankincense and myrrh. Most of the buildings are tombs where royalty was buried. The obelisk tomb has 3 benches inside where the funeral services were held. The canyon leading to the city is a slot canyon carved out by water, it’s walls can be 300 feet high. We passed the dams which diverted flash floods into other valleys. We reached the Treasury or Al-Khazneh so called because rumor had it that the funeral urn on top held gold. It is believed to be the mausoleum of King Aretas IV in the 1^st Century Ad. The façade is a mixture of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman architecture and measures 130 by 75 feet. Nearby are a series of Nabataean tombs.

The Great Temple

Petra was annexed by the Romans in 106 AD so many of the later buildings are heavily influenced by them. As we reached the city, we passed the Great Temple, the square Qasr al-Bint Temple, and the 4000 seat Roman theatre, all built in 1^st Century AD. After lunch, most of us decided to climb the 900 steps to the Monastery. On the way we passed the Lion Triclinium, so named because of the lions on either side of the entrance. The monastery is 150 feet high and 140 feet wide. It was built in the second century and served as a meeting place for the religious and later as a Christian chapel. 

The Monastery

On the way back, I explored the Church built in the fifth century with its mosaics. Then I visited the Royal tombs: Palace tomb, Corinthian tomb, Silk tomb, and the Urn tomb, which also served as a Byzantine church. Here I had a chance to go inside and see the magnificent colors in the ceiling. We ended the day by visiting the Petra museum to learn more about the people. Much of the city was destroyed by an earthquake in 363 AD. The trade routes also moved during the Roman times. The city eventually died in the 7^th Century. We walked about 30,000 steps today. The next day Petra was closed with heavy rains and flooding.

Inside Palace Tomb