Ma'an: Petra and archaeological diversity

Ma'an Governorate is located in southern Jordan and is the country's largest governorate by area. It covers an estimated 32,832 km², around 37 percent of Jordan's total area. Petra is a prominent archaeological focus.

Petra and the archaeological landscape

Petra Archaeological Park is located in Wadi Musa and encompasses rose-colored rocky mountains. At its heart is Petra, the ancient Nabataean city carved into the rock more than 2,000 years ago. Petra is a protected area within the park, which is managed by Jordan's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Petra's archaeological remains include extensive tomb and temple architecture as well as religious places of worship. They also include channels, tunnels, diversion dams, cisterns and water reservoirs. This range brings together architectural, religious and water-related evidence. For historical context, you can therefore distinguish between building forms, religious sites and infrastructure for water management and storage. This reveals Petra from several perspectives, rather than reducing its archaeological remains to a single type of structure.

Petra Archaeological Park is located in Wadi Musa; this location can help you tailor your search to your preferred place to stay.

A broader view of Jordan

In the wider destination of Jordan, the Jordan Trail passes through wooded hills in the north, rugged wadis and cliffs above the Jordan Rift Valley, through Petra and as far as the Red Sea. The route thus connects diverse landscapes with the archaeological focus of Petra and offers another perspective on the country.

For an architectural comparison within Jordan, turn to Umm Al-Jimāl. Its basalt architecture reflects local Hauranian building styles for residential and religious buildings. The settlement developed from around the 5th century AD on the site of an older Roman settlement and remained inhabited until the end of the 8th century AD. In contrast to Petra, the Nabataean city carved into rock, Umm Al-Jimāl offers a different architectural emphasis: basalt architecture for residential and religious buildings shapes this comparison.

The baptism site of Bethany Beyond the Jordan (Al-Maghtas) is also part of the wider destination of Jordan. It comprises two archaeological areas: Tell el-Kharrar, also known as Jabal Mar Elias, and the area of the Churches of St John the Baptist. Most Christian denominations regard it as the place where Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist. Generations of monks, hermits, pilgrims and priests stayed at and visited the baptism site; evidence of their religious activities dates from the 4th to the 15th century AD.

These perspectives appeal to different interests: Petra combines rock-cut architecture, religious sites and water installations; Umm Al-Jimāl offers a comparison based on building materials and styles, while the Jordan Trail puts landscapes in the foreground. This allows you to weigh archaeological, architectural and landscape highlights when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ar Rajif, Wadi Musa, Amman, Madaba Governorate, Irbid Governorate, Zarqa, Aqaba, Mafraq Governorate

For the wider travel overview: Jordan.