The Rock Tombs of Petra Jordan

Jordan • World Heritage Petra • Story Petra • Petra map • Sightseeing Petra • Rock Tombs Petra

The most famous rock tomb of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Petra is the so-called Al Khazneh Treasure House. Its mighty sandstone facade sits enthroned behind the rock canyon to the Petras valley and is richly decorated with decorations such as gables, columns and sculptures. But also the splendid ones Royal tombs and the unique Obelisk tomb with Bab as-Siq triclinium deserve attention and are worth every visit. Standardized grave facades, which rich traders could probably also afford, are particularly common in Petra. Depending on the architecture, these are divided into stair tombs, crenellated tombs and arched tombs. They line paths like the familiar Street of the Facades and the Theater necropolis Peter.

Is Petra a city of the living or the dead?

The rock city of Petra in Jordan was an important trading city and the capital of the Nabataeans. Ruins of theaters and temples prove that it was definitely a city of the living. Nevertheless, Petra is famous for its rock tombs. Chiseled directly from sandstone, they are well preserved, while earthquakes destroyed most of the masonry buildings. The richer the trading city became, the more people had tombs built for their families. At that time, they must have been a kind of status symbol. That is why numerous grave facades line the paths of the ancient city.

Special rock tombs of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Petra:

• • Al Khazneh Treasure House
  • Royal tombs (e.g. that Urn grave)
  • Obelisk tomb with Bab as-Siq triclinium
  • Street of the Facades
  • Theater necropolis
  • Anesho's tomb
  • Soldiers grave and Rennaisance grave
  • Block graves and burial caves
  • Turkmen tomb with Nabatean inscription

If you want to visit all known rock tombs in Petra, follow this Main trail, the Al Khubtha Trail, the High Places of Sacrifice Trail and the Back Exit Road.

Sightseeing Petra Map Jordan UNESCO World Heritage Trails Map Petra Jordan

Jordan • World Heritage Petra • Story Petra • Petra map • Sightseeing Petra • Rock Tombs Petra