Safekipedia

Petra

Explorer · ages 7 and underAdapted from Wikipedia
Al Khazneh, also called the Treasury, is a carved stone building in the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.

What Is Petra?

Petra is an old city in southern Jordan. Its name comes from an Ancient Greek word that means "Rock." In Arabic, it is called al-Batrāʾ.

A City Carved from Rock

Petra is famous for its rock-cut architecture, which means buildings carved right into the cliffs. Its stone is a soft colour, so people call it the "Rose City." Visitors walk in through the Siq, a narrow path between tall rocks.

Petra is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means it is very special to people all over the world.

Long Ago and Today

The Nabataeans lived in Petra long ago. In the second century BC, Petra became the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. The people became rich by trading, and they found ways to live in the desert by collecting rainwater.

The most famous building is Al-Khazneh, which means "the Treasury." Another large carved building is the Monastery. In 1812, a Swiss traveller named Johann Ludwig Burckhardt found the old city again.

Petra is a symbol of Jordan. Close to a million visitors come to see it every year!

Quiz time!

3 questions about Petra

Question 1 of 3

Where is Petra?

Pictures

The Theater of Petra, an ancient carved stone theater in Jordan, shaped right into the rose-colored cliffs.
Qasr al-Bint, a famous ancient stone building in the city of Petra, Jordan.
The Urn Tomb, a carved rock tomb in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan.
A scenic view from the Monastery Trail in Petra, the ancient city carved into rose-colored rock in Jordan.
A relief map showing the land features and terrain of Jordan, with higher areas and lower areas shown in different shades.
The rocky base of Mount Hor near Petra, Jordan, a famous ancient city carved into stone by the Nabataean people.
A view of Petra, the ancient city carved into rose-colored rock in Jordan.
An ancient Roman bronze coin from around the time of Emperor Geta, showing a temple from the city of Petra and a statue of Tyche, the goddess of fortune.
The Petra Church, a Byzantine church built among the ancient ruins of the city of Petra in Jordan.
A stone wall at Petra in Jordan, which may date back to the time of the Crusaders, overlooks a path near the ancient High Place of Jabal al-Madbah.
A side-by-side comparison of the Siq, the narrow canyon that leads to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, as it looked in 1947 and again in 2013.
The carved stone facades of Petra, an ancient city in Jordan famous for buildings cut directly into rose-colored cliffs.
The Siq, a narrow gorge with towering rock walls that leads to the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.
The Hadrian Gate also known as the Temenos Gate
Map of Petra
Night event at Al-Khazneh
Al-Khazneh, the most popular tourist attraction

Keep exploring

Jordan
Ma'an Governorate
Siq
New 7 Wonders of the World
World Heritage Site

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Petra, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Images from Wikimedia Commons. Tap any image to view credits and license.