Petra | La Città Rosa

Presso la cittadina araba di Ma’an, nel sud della Giordania, sorge Petra, nota anche come la Città delle Tombe o la Città Rosa, l’antica capitale del regno dei Nabatei, recentemente dichiarata dall’UNESCO Patrimonio Culturale dell’Umanità.

Petra fu l'imponente capitale del regno nabateo dal VI secolo a.C. circa.

Il regno fu assorbito dall'Impero romano nel 106 d.C. ed i Romani continuarono a espandere la città.

Ancient Jordanian site of Petra

Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is known for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourism attraction. It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.

Ancient Petra | Hellenistic architecture

Petra is known primarily for its Hellenistic architecture.

The facades of the tombs in Petra are commonly rendered in Hellenistic style, reflecting the number of diverse cultures which the Nabataens traded, all of which were in turn influenced by Greek culture.

Most of these tombs contain small burials niches carved into the stone.

Perhaps the best example of the Hellenistic style is seen in the Treasury, which is 24 meters (79 ft) wide and 37 meters (121 ft) tall and references the architecture of Alexandria.