Experience the Beautiful Treasury at Petra

As a small child, I remember sitting cross legged with a big encyclopedia on my lap. Reading and learning about Petra, it became my top bucket list place to try and visit in my lifetime. Well, now I am here. The feeling is indescribable. Experience the beautiful Treasury at Petra with me, my first day on site.

The Entrance

At the entrance to Petra is a large Visitors Centre complete with restaurants and souvenir shops. Inside the large building, find the ticket counters. If you arrived like I have, having purchased the Jordan Pass, you will need to show that at this ticket counter, to exchange it for an actual paper ticket. Arriving without the Jordan Pass? Simply purchase your tickets here.

Walk through the visitor’s centre now, and show your paper ticket, along with your passport, at the turnstiles. You are now inside Petra!

The Siq

The first portion of the walk towards the ancient city, is through a dry and rocky, light-coloured roadway. This segment takes approx. 25 minutes before reaching the mouth to the canyons. There are tombs to see along the way, but in the early morning (8:30am in winter) this part of the Siq is completely in shadow.

Now as you enter the gorge, the next portion of the siq is the one most recognized and photographed. These enormous red and pink sandstone cliffs engulf you and give way to a narrow path that will lead visitors to the Treasury.

In the morning, especially in the winter as it is now, the sun is so low in the sky as to not reach down to the ground. Its cold too, windy, and ever so quiet as the lack of tourists is palpable. I find myself in here, mostly alone.

Later in the afternoon, as I exit the site each day, the sun shines a little brighter and creates a magnificent warm glow upon these rocks.

Don’t miss the unique carvings inside this passage either. For example, this large one, a shepherd and his camel!

The Treasury

Once you have been walking in the canyons for 20 minutes, you begin to wonder how much longer it will be. Just when those thoughts start to enter your mind, you think you may have just seen a glimpse of something indescribable. Could it be?

Sure enough, a few paces on, and you see it again. It was at this point I burst into tears. I knew what it was I was seeing for the very first time, and my emotions consumed me. Now its a matter of a few hundred steps before you enter a vast open and level space. There, directly in front, consuming your vision, is the Treasury in all of her glory.

Its magnificent. The Treasury or Al-Khazneh (the treasury of the pharaoh). This enormous mausoleum and crypt were built by the Nebateans over 2,000 years ago. It was given this name by the Bedouins in the early 19^th century. They believed in a legend that told them the urn at the top centre was filled with treasure. Today you can see this urn is riddled with bullet holes. Their attempt to smash it and gain all of that mysterious treasure.

Walk around, have a seat at the little café, peruse some souvenirs if you wish. Visitors can walk right up to and touch the Treasury but entry inside is forbidden. This space is patrolled by various regional police including the military. It’s a wondrous sight and becomes ever so more magnificent in the afternoon, when the sunshine is setting that red limestone aglow.

Camels

Along with elephants, camels are one of my all-time favourite animals. These two seen here, seem to be resident and you will be offered a chance to hop on board for photographs and for a ride if you wish. They are sweet, friendly and really lovely to have a little chat with.

The Treasury is the most visited site in all of Petra. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, it is simply incredibly captivating. Secondly, it’s the easiest and quickest to reach from the entrance. Tourists can even rent a golf cart now and be driven through the siq to reach this place in record time. What a magical experience this has been for me; one I will never forget. Alas, its time for me to carry on, next up…..the hike to the Monastery!