The ancient city center★★
Beyond the Treasury — The City of Petra
Most visitors spend too much time at the Treasury and miss the rest of Petra. The actual city lies beyond it:
Street of Facades
Behind the Treasury, the valley opens up, and dozens of tomb facades line the rock walls — from simple to magnificent, in the typical sandstone colors. The "Street of Facades" showcases the full range of Nabataean tomb architecture.
The Theater
A completely rock-carved Roman theater for 3,000 spectators. Unique: Tombs are embedded in the theater's back wall, which were cut through during construction — the Nabataeans (or their Roman successors) sacrificed the dead for the entertainment of the living.
Royal Tombs
Opposite the theater, high in the rock face, lie the four large Royal Tombs:
- Urn Tomb: With its distinctive urn above the entrance and the huge forecourt (a natural rock terrace), it is the most photogenic of the Royal Tombs
- Silk Tomb: Named after the silk-like color bands in the sandstone — a natural artwork
- Corinthian Tomb: With a heavily weathered facade in Corinthian style
- Palace Tomb: The widest facade, reminiscent of a multi-story Roman palace
Colonnaded Street & Qasr al-Bint
The paved Colonnaded Street marks the center of the once-thriving trading city. At the end stands the Qasr al-Bint (Palace of the Pharaoh's Daughter) — the only freestanding temple in Petra and the best-preserved structure not carved from rock. It was the main temple of the Nabataeans, dedicated to the god Dushara.
💡 Tipp
The Royal Tombs are most beautiful in the afternoon when the sun directly illuminates the facades. The ascent to the Urn Tomb is worth it — from the terrace, you have a fantastic view over all of Petra.
