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Surely not even Johann Ludwig Burckhardt was aware of the majesty of the lost city he wanted to discover.
In this regard I will tell you that Burckhardt was the Swiss explorer who in 1812 discovered Petra for Europeans.
This Swiss was very knowledgeable of Arab culture and a great passionate about exploration.
So much so that in his eagerness to see the lost city he spoke of in the Middle East zone where Jordan is now , he came to convert to Islam to gain the trust of the tribes with which he lived.
When he called himself Ibrahim ibn Abdullah, he was able to see Petra’s Treasury for the first time ,
This is how we know the most majestic corner of what was the capital of the Nabateans , a civilization that developed east of Palestine from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD.
It is true that now, when you visit Petra , you will not be able to have the same sensation of discovery that Burckhart had while going through the Siq .
This is what is called the impressive one kilometer long gorge, with its walls up to 80 meters high, which from the now touristy town of Petra leads you to the lost city .
The bustle of tourists, horses, donkeys, camels and carriages prevents you from emulating that special feeling that the Swiss explorer must have had.
What to see in the Treasury of Petra
But when in one of the narrowest areas of the gorge you get to see the image of the Treasure of Petra , you will feel a great emotion to arrive before what will surely become one of the corners that you will remember most of your traveling history.
The skill of the guide who accompanies you after having distracted you, then at the most appropriate moment directing your eyes to the Treasury of Petra , will help you to magnify that emotion.
So at least I felt it in my visit to Petra when Mahmud , the guide of our group, made it a surprise to suddenly find yourself before his imposing pink facade .
The Treasure (in Arabic, Al-Khazneh ) you will glimpse between the winding walls of the gorge, and from that moment, you will begin to take photos with frenzy.
Of course, being careful not to be run over by any of the carriages or horses that circulate with tourists on that very narrow section of the Siq.
Once you reach the large esplanade that opens before the facade of the Treasure excavated in the rock, you will be absorbed by its immensity (43 meters high and 30 meters high).
It is the same feeling as the many tourists who will coincide in your visit, and after that first moment I assure you that you will spend a lot of time appreciating its beauty.
There you will see its great pink color due to the effects of oxidation on the rocks.
The Treasury of Petra is a royal tomb built in the first century BC by the Nabateans in Hellenic style, and there is a very diverse theory of why it is called treasure .
When you enjoy the contemplation of this impressive monument, you can see that the façade is divided into two floors, in which stand out its imposing columns, six in each.
In the interior, where you can not enter, there is an empty room of twelve square meters with a hole in the ground, it seems to be used for rituals dedicated to the various gods of the Nabataeans.
In the upper part of the façade, the emulation on the stone of a circular central roundabout stands out.
And on the walls of the entire facade you will find several reliefs with figures that are not in very good condition.
Approach the stairway before the door, which is fenced.
Before it you can see through a hole the entrance to a lower floor of this royal tomb, discovered in 2003 after some excavations.
The sedimentation of the stream that went down the Siq until the nineteenth century does not allow us to see the true dimension of this façade, which gives us an idea of how much remains to be excavated to finally bring to light all the immensity of Petra.
If you want to see facade illuminated by the sun, for its orientation, you will have to go to very early in the morning.
But according to sunset you can see how the sun’s rays hit the walls of the gorge highlight the strongly pink tone of the same giving the Treasure a special lighting.
In short, an unforgettable visit and an aspiration for your traveling agenda.
