The Siq — The Entrance★★★
The Siq — A Path Like in Another World
The Siq is the 1.2 km long, narrow canyon that forms the only access to the ancient city of Petra — and at the same time one of the most dramatic stagings in architectural history. The Nabataeans deliberately designed this natural rock fissure as a processional way: The walls rise up to 80 meters high and are only 2 meters apart at the narrowest point. The light falling through the narrow opening paints spectacular patterns on the red, yellow, white, and violet sandstone.
Along the walls, traces of the Nabataean water channel are still visible — channels that led water from the mountains into the city. On the rock walls, small deity figures and reliefs of camel caravans can be found in niches. The entire path is a slow crescendo of tension.
And then, at the end of the Siq, the gorge becomes even narrower, the light even more dramatic — and suddenly a narrow gap opens, through which the iconic facade of the Treasury appears in the pink sunlight. It is one of the most moving moments that travel has to offer.
💡 Tipp
Walk the Siq slowly! Many visitors rush through to get to the Treasury. But the Siq itself is a wonder: Notice the color layers in the sandstone, the water channels, the deity figures in the niches. And keep taking photos looking back — the perspective changes with every step.
