About Petra: Petra was once the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, a wealthy trading civilization that carved an entire city into sandstone cliffs over 2,000 years ago. Hidden by mountains and reachable only through a narrow canyon called the Siq, Petra was lost to most of the outside world for centuries before a Swiss explorer rediscovered it in 1812. The Rose City — Petra's nickname comes from the pink and red color of the sandstone it's carved from.

Location: Ma'an Governorate, Jordan · Built: Around 312 BC · Famous Structure: Al-Khazneh (The Treasury) · Purpose: Trading capital city · Builder: The Nabataeans · Materials: Carved sandstone · Unesco Status: World Heritage Site since 1985 · Visitors: About 1 million per year · Rediscovery: Hidden until 1812