Petra, ancient city, center of an Arab kingdom in Hellenistic and Roman times, the ruins of which are in southwest Jordan. The city was built on a terrace, pierced from east to west by the Wadi Musa (the Valley of Moses)—one of the places where, according to tradition, Moses struck a rock and water gushed forth.

Petra is a World Heritage site and a stunning example of ancient Nabatean and Roman architecture carved from pink sandstone. Learn how to get there, when to visit, and what to see in this comprehensive guide.

Petra is an ancient city that lies in present-day Jordan and dates back to the fourth century B.C. Ruins of the once-great metropolis and trading center now serve as an important archeologic site...

At the heart of the ancient city of Petra, Jordan, carved into pink sandstone cliffs, lies an elaborate monument known as the Khaznah, or the Treasury.

Petra became the main focus of the Nabataeans, who were used to living in barren deserts, and was particularly skillful at harvesting rainwater, agriculture, and stone carving.

Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. An ingenious water management system allowed extensive settlement of an essentially arid area during the Nabataean, Roman and Byzantine periods.