The Treasury: Petra’s Astonishing Ancient Marvel

Petra is believed to be one of the oldest cities in the world, established around 300 B.C. This city began as a main stopping point for Nabataean and foreign traders. These nomadic merchants carried textiles, incense, spices, ivory, and other precious goods grown or manufactured in Arabia, Asia, and Africa.

The site is made up of half built / half carved rock tombs and temples, surrounded by mountains with passages and gorges - waiting to be explored. Petra gives great insight into Nabateans’ customs and values, who valued the sun and considered it sacred. The constructed structures at Petra were made to align with different solar patterns so that they would receive direct sunlight. Can you believe it? Petra was once surrounded by lush green gardens and had a complex irrigation system. The water from the system maintained grand fountains and swimming pools. 

Petra was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1985 and sees almost 1 million tourists visit the site each year. The highlight of any visit to Petra is the Treasury -the most elaborate rock-cut structure in Petra.

The Petra site spans a massive 60 square kilometres and as you start your 2km walk from the visitor information centre to the Treasury you will find yourself meandering between the towering narrow cliffs. Along this windy path you get a sense of the scale of the complex and the weight of the history within the rock. The Siq (meaning gorge) pathways build your excitement as you spot small alters and ancient irrigation systems along the pathway. As you move closer to the opening of the Treasury, the colours change in the rock from honey yellow to purple, brown and even pink. Some of the rocks along the Siq have been shaped by erosion over the centuries and the walls of the canyon look as if they belong in a chocolate fountain.

As you round the last corner of the Siq, it opens to reveal the magnificent façade of the Treasury, also known as Al Khazna. This towering 40-meter architectural wonder is one of the more elaborately decorated structures in Petra, carved out of sandstone rock face. The structure consists of two floors with a width of 25.30 meters and a height of 39.1 meters. The sites of Petra, as well as the Treasury were chiselled by hand, then covered with stucco and painted bright colours.

The Treasury has a mix of several architectural styles which was typical of Nabataean architecture in the 1st century. You can spot elements of Egyptian, Roman, Greek, and Syrian architecture in the Treasury. Try and spot the reliefs of the Egyptian goddess Isis, the Greek goddess Nike, and Dioscuri from Greco-Roman mythology.  

Although the purpose of the treasury is still debated to this day– some archaeologists believed it to be a temple, while others thought it was a place to store documents.  Locals believe it was built as a mausoleum and crypt by the Nabateans, who adorned it with symbols from the afterlife. It is also supposed to be the resting place of the Nabatean King Aretas IV. Later, the local Bedouins community believed it contained riches and renamed it ‘treasury’. The urn above the entrance may have contained great treasures of a pharaoh. You can spot bullet holes in the stone from past attempts to shoot down the urn to get the legendary treasure.

It is fascinating to think that over 85% of Petra is still undiscovered as it remains under the sands and beneath tombs. The most recent excavation in front of the Treasury has unearthed a graveyard beneath – what further wonders still lie beneath the sand?

On a Bunnik Tour, you will get to spend a fully day exploring the incredible sites of Petra and an option to return the following day to further explore or even hike the sounding regions. Petra by Night, an optional on some of our tours offers you a chance to walk the Siq donned with hundreds of lanterns before reaching the moon-kissed Treasury – this enchanting experience adds to an already magical destination. 

As Petra City is a large site, we would recommend comfortable walking shows, clothing layers (as the wind can rip through the Siq), hat and lots of water. There are a few small cafes to purchase snacks, coffee and cold drinks. The toilet facilities are basis but fulfill their purpose.

If you are planning on spending more time at the site once the guided tour has finished, we would recommend walking the 800 stairs to the Monastery or the adventurous 4 hour round trip to the Hill of Sacrifice.