City guide · البتراء Petra · Wadi Musa
Petra (Wadi Musa)
The rose-red Nabataean city, and the Valley of the Moon to the south
Petra is hidden in the sandstone canyons of southern Jordan; most visitors stay in Wadi Musa, the town at its gate. After more than a kilometre through the Siq, the Treasury suddenly appears before you; just over an hour's drive south is the Wadi Rum desert.
History
Los orígenes de la ciudad
People lived around Petra as early as 7000 BC. In the 4th century BC the Nabataeans, nomadic Arabs, settled here, and in the 2nd century BC Petra became capital of the Nabataean kingdom. The Nabataeans grew rich on the frankincense trade and survived in the desert with ingenious systems for collecting rainwater. Petra was at its height in the 1st century AD, when the Treasury was probably built as the tomb of King Aretas IV and the city had some 20,000 people. In 106 the Nabataean kingdom was annexed by Rome as the province of Arabia Petraea. In 1812 the Swiss explorer Burckhardt, disguised as an Arab, entered the canyon and made the city known in Europe again.
- 4th century BCThe Nabataeans settled at Petra
- 2nd century BCBecame capital of the Nabataean kingdom
- 1st centuryIts heyday; the Treasury (Al-Khazneh) was built
- 106Annexed by the Roman Empire
- 1812Burckhardt entered Petra
- 1985Inscribed as a World Heritage Site
Stories
Historias de la ciudad
Historia · Petra
The excuse of sacrificing a goat
In 1812 the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, travelling to Cairo under the name 'Sheikh Ibrahim', heard of ruins of an ancient city in a canyon near the tomb of Aaron (Moses' brother). Fearing that asking directly would arouse suspicion, he told his guide he wished to sacrifice a goat at Aaron's tomb, and was led through the narrow gorge. On 22 August he became the first modern European to see Petra with his own eyes.
People
Personajes vinculados a Petra (Wadi Musa)
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Before you go
Normas que debe conocer en Petra (Wadi Musa)
Jordan: stay out of canyons in the rainy season
- From November to March, check the weather before entering a canyon, and wait at least a day after heavy rain
- If a flash flood comes, move to higher ground
- Entering a canyon after heavy rain
- Trying to wade through floodwater
In the rainy season, canyons can flood suddenly and are very dangerous; call 911 for rescue.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Jordan travel advice
Jordan: no drinking in the street
- Drink in bars, hotels or private homes
- Drinking in the street
It is illegal.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Jordan travel advice
Jordan: don't stay in Petra outside opening hours
- Enter and leave at the park's set hours
- If you have questions about ticket prices or extra charges, ask at the visitor centre first
- Staying in Petra Archaeological Park after closing
You may be arrested and prosecuted; visitors have been locked in the park overnight.
Verificado el 19 oct 2026Fuente: GOV.UK: Jordan travel advice