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Why is Petra a wonder of the world?

One of 7 Wonders Renowned for its charm and ancient cultural heritage, Petra marks the achievement of an impressive civilization, the Nabataean Arabs, who perfectly carved the city into its mountains.



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Here's a list of 22 facts you might not know about this beautiful historical city in southern Jordan.
  • Petra is popularly called The Lost City. ...
  • Petra is also known as the Rose City. ...
  • Petra is one of the oldest cities in the world. ...
  • Petra means rocks. ...
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site. ...
  • Petra is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.


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On my visit to Petra, I saddled up on a camel, the way the ancient people would have traveled here, with Ibrahim Al-Wash, a local guide and Petra expert to gain insight into amazing Petra. Ibrahim explained that the Treasury in fact is not a treasury at all and no gold, jewels or grails have been found here yet.

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Despite a plethora of structures and statues in the ancient world worthy of inclusion, there have only ever been seven Wonders. The Greeks chose this number as they believed it held spiritual significance, and represented perfection.

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The Seven Wonders of the World are a group of places around the globe that are considered to be of great importance. These are: The Colosseum in Italy, Petra in Jordan, Chichén Itzá in Mexico, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Machu Picchu in Peru, Taj Mahal in India and The Great Wall of China.

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Several bullet holes on the facade of the Treasury were caused hundreds of years ago by Bedouin tribesman hoping to uncover riches that they believed were hidden within. The giant urn carved above the Treasury bears the most bullet marks as it was believed to be holding riches inside.

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Some main archeological sites inside the city are the Treasury – the tomb of a Nabatean king, the Monastery – an isolated mountain temple, a theatre, government buildings and dwelling for regular people.

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The spectacular sandstone city of Petra was built in the 3rd century BC by the Nabataeans, who carved palaces, temples, tombs, storerooms and stables from the soft stone cliffs.

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It is thought to have been built around 312BC and was rediscovered in modern times by a Swiss explorer in 1812, who uncovered Petra beneath ancient layers of sand, hence the nickname, Lost City.

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Petra Today Then, in 1812, the unique ruins of Petra were “discovered” by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. He described the ruins of the once-great city in chronicles of his travels. With the western world now aware of their existence, they soon attracted the interest of architects and scholars, among others.

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Over time, the city was lost to the outside world. More than 500 years would pass before the ancient city was rediscovered by Western explorers. A stone block inscribed with a cross was found at the Petra Church. Today, Bedouins inhabit the area of Petra.

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Now, however, archaeologists are discovering that ancient Petra was a sprawling city of lush gardens and pleasant fountains, enormous temples and luxurious Roman-style villas.

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Now, let's get back to our main question, and explore whether Niagara Falls is a wonder of the world. The answer, again, is a No! Niagara Falls doesn't even find a mention in the unofficial list of seven wonders of the world, let alone the official one [if there would be any].

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