The Train to Petra
The Monastery, Petra, Jordan - Photo by Diego Delso (2011)
You can’t actually take a train to the site of Petra in Jordan but trains do figure in this journey courtesy of a lovely senior citizen, Brian, who made the trek to Petra with me.
Brian is a trainspotter (not like the Scottish dudes in the film of course). He is a fan of all things involving trains.
Petra, if you have not been fortunate to visit, is deservedly one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites [1] and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.[2] A former capital of the Nabateans (a nomadic Arab tribe likely hailing from Arabia; 6th cent. BC to 2nd century AD), the site sits in the Wadi Musa, home of the desert dwelling Bedouin who survive in what is one of the most barren environments in Jordan. While we know that the Nabateans controlled much of the trade in exotic goods which made their way from Arabia by caravan towards the west, the exact function of the site is still unclear.
With its mix of elite tombs, theatre, temples for the gods Dushara & Atargatis, photogenic structures such as the Kazneh (Treasury Building), Petra has the look of a ritual center. You might have seen it appear in films as a ready-made exotic location (Indiana Jones: the Last Crusade for example) and it’s definitely on the tourist list of sites to see in the mideast.
So back to the trip…I wouldn’t advise trying to get to Petra from Amman on the King’s Highway (a 3 hour journey by car), see as much of the site as possible and do a return journey in oh..one day, but that’s what happened!
Brian was one of the volunteers on an archaeology project I worked on in Jordan and while not studying archaeology, he was an avid supporter of the field and so knowledgeable about history. And trains.
We left Amman at 5:30 am in a service taxi (shared taxi) with little time or air to spare.
After a few hours on the road, we made the mandatory pit stop for food/rest. Well I was so distracted eating falafel and fatoush salad and practicing my bad Arabic on other travellers, I didn't notice Brian was gone. When the driver abruptly announced ‘yella, ila Petra”, and people poured back into the taxi, I asked him to wait while I looked for Brian.
I didn’t see him at first until a man pointed to some railroad tracks in the distance, where sure enough Brian was walking (WHERE TO for crying out loud!). I ran over yelling at him to get back into the taxi since we were departing, but he yelled back something about trains and Lawrence of Arabia. I now was wishing the tea was beer. Running up, I asked ‘what?’.
He began a monologue on how Lawrence of Arabia would have come this way by train and he even knew the kind of train, etc. Wishing now that I had a lasso or leash, I told him that Lawrence would have to wait or we’d be making our journey to Petra on foot.
So we headed back to the taxi amidst laughter from the passengers who muttered ‘majnun’ (crazy). Brian made choo-choo sounds as if that explained the matter….
To Petra……I have to say my first glimpse of the Wadi Araba from a cliffside road was not only stunning but timeless. It sits like the cavern it is in the desert - rocky and dry although in the past, it seeped with water running through it to the Red Sea.
The calcareous deposits left behind on its walls give it an oddly alien, lunar look; one thing for sure, you know you’re not in Kansas anymore. It’s quite beautiful even with its hidden life and tentative visitors.
As for those cliffside roads, tread with caution unlike the native drivers who must see racing on them as some warped sport.
Today, Ma’an the town next to Petra, offers its visitors the usual tourist stop; amenities. A Movenpick hotel, cheaper alternatives like hostels, a few restaurants, a bus station. I wouldn’t rely on transit to visit the town. Stick to a rental car or service taxi. You used to be able to rent a horse and ride through the rocky siq (narrow entrance through the cliffs leading to the spectacular site) very much like T.E. Lawrence might have, but all that’s on offer now are donkey and camel rides.
So back to Brian and Caroline….Having looked at my watch in horror, I realised time was of the essence - so much to see! So little time to eat, haggle, pass out from the heat, pant for water..Now I’d forgotten in my mania that my fellow traveller was a senior citizen. To give the man credit, he was stronger than he looked because trust me, I dragged this poor soul all over Petra, even up to the Crusader Castle (an easy trek but not so easy in 40 degrees C).
Water Brian? Luxury!
No time! C’mon you can do it!
I think I must have been influenced by a nearby site, Sela, where the story goes: Amaziah, a Judean king (early 8th century BC) threw thousands of prisoners to their deaths over the wadi walls. Maybe they were ancient tourists? One wonders…!
We did have rest time of course. I am being satirical in a manner but it is tough to do the site in 1 day. We had a lovely lunch viewing the site from a higher part of the site and Brian took loads of great photos as well as a few cups of tea.
By the time we returned to our service taxi at the agreed upon time, us and the other passengers were pretty well depleted of energy and after chatting about our fun day at Petra, both Brian and I passed out for a few hours until we entered Amman for the night.
He was elated to have gone as he had always wanted to see Petra and climb up its paths to those infamous structures and while I apologised for being in a rush, etc., he only had genuine gratitude for me having taken him to what is truly one of the most remarkable archaeology sites in the world.
So what can you see in the space of 5-6 hours if you had to choose? Let’s see…here’s my Top 5 of Petra:
Recommended:
The Khazneh (Treasury) - This red sandstone tomb is carved out of the Wadi and is deserving of its cinematic and global fame. You can see faint reliefs on the exteriors if you look closely. The archaeology is typical Nabatean, but also indicates some Hellenistic influence in the columns. Probably the most visited building at the site. Back when we went (2001), selfies and influencer culture didn’t exist (whew!) but no doubt it’s been the background of many a pic or Tik Tok video. You might see Indiana Jones or his clone if you’re lucky.
The Urn Tomb: Possibly built for King Malichos II (ca. 70 AD). It’s called this because of the urn carved out of the rock which sits atop a triangular pediment (indicative of Hellenistic influence). The Treasury also features a stone urn which was the source of the ‘hidden treasure’ rumours which followed tales of this building in the past.
High Place of Sacrifice - This is on my list but not the best choice if you only have 1 day to visit as it’s a bit of a hike up and back down. Head SW from the Treasury up the Gebel (there are signs directing which way to go but it starts near the Treasury/Street of facades. Built in steps ascend up to the site. If you exit down via the Wadi Farasa path, you'll see the original crusader walls still standing.
Petra Theatre - A Nabatean/Roman amphitheatre. It could hold over 8000 spectators in its day. It was damaged in 363 AD by an earthquake. Built into the sandstone and still stands to this day.
The Temple of the Winged Lion - This temple is across from the Qasr Al-Bint Temple (the only self standing temple constructed and not built into the cliffs/rocks). A rare example of an ancient workshop as well. Figurines were made here out of bronze, iron and marble. Later, ceramics were also manufactured here. Do check out the Museum near the entrance on your way out for artefact collections excavated from Petra and information on the ancient history of Petra and past and current archaeological excavations onsite.
Skip:
Unless you have 1-2 days at the site, the Crusader’s Castle is not a castle at all and rather unremarkable. More notable for WHO built it. The Crusader Knights.
Camel Rides - Unless you are really desperate for that token tourist photo of you struggling to stay on a cranky camel, I’d avoid it. It’s often over priced, although if you have more days/time and have kids, etc. it’s probably a fun ride with great photos for memories.🐪
Go earlier in the day as the site opens around 6 am with sunrise. Plus the temperatures are more bearable earlier.
The main route/road covers the Siq,[3] The Treasury, Street of Facades (aka the outer Siq and features the flat rock tombs vs the more ornate Royal Tombs up higher) & the Theatre so if hiking is impossible or holds no appeal, this is a good basic introduction to the site.
[1] UNESCO - Petra - https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/326/
[2] “In 2001, an initiative was started by the Swiss corporation New7Wonders Foundation to choose the New 7 Wonders of the World from a selection of 200 existing monuments through online votes.” Wikipedia
[3] “The Siq (Arabic: السيق, transliterated al-Sīq, transcribed as-Sīq,[a] literally 'the Shaft') is the main entrance to the ancient Nabatean city of Petra in southern Jordan.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siq
