Petra

Imagine you are walking down a secret path, with tall, swirly rock walls on both sides of you. The rocks are painted with stripes of pink, red, and orange, like a giant rainbow cake. The path twists and turns, and you can only see a little bit of blue sky high above. It feels like the earth is telling you a secret. You keep walking, feeling excited about what you might find. Then, you turn one last corner, and gasp. Right in front of you is a giant, beautiful building carved into the side of a rose-red cliff. It has tall columns and fancy decorations, all made from stone. Hello. I am a secret city, a wonder hidden in the desert for a very, very long time.

My name is Petra, and I was built by very clever people called the Nabataeans more than two thousand years ago. They were smart traders who chose this hidden spot to build their home around the year 312 BCE because the tall canyon walls kept them safe. Long lines of camels, called caravans, would walk for miles to visit me. They brought wonderful things like sweet-smelling spices and soft, colorful silks to trade. The Nabataeans became very good at living in the desert. They were amazing builders. They didn't use bricks; instead, they carved their amazing temples, fancy tombs, and cozy homes right out of the sandstone cliffs. They even carved special channels in the rock to catch every single drop of rain. This way, they always had water to drink and to grow their gardens. I was a busy, happy city full of families, traders, and travelers.

But as time went on, people found new ways to travel and trade, and they slowly stopped visiting me. My streets became quiet, and the desert sands blew over my paths. I fell asleep and was forgotten for hundreds of years. I was a lost city. Then, one day in 1812, a brave explorer from far away named Johann Ludwig Burckhardt heard whispers of a secret city hidden in the mountains. He dressed up like a traveler and followed a guide down my secret, winding path. When he saw my giant stone building, his eyes opened wide with wonder. He had found me. Today, I am not a secret anymore. People from all over the world come to walk through my canyons and see the beautiful city carved from rock. I love sharing my story and reminding everyone that with a little cleverness and hard work, people can create amazing things that last for thousands of years.