New7Wonders: Petra • Earth.com

New7Wonders: Petra

01-14-2017

Today’s Video Of The Day celebrates another one of the New7Wonders of the World: Petra, Jordan.

The ancient city is most famous for its stunning and elaborate architecture cut into the side of rock. Petra is also known as The Rose City, a reference to the rich color of the stone out of which the city was carved.

Petra was established as the capital of the Arab Nabataeans around 312 BC. The city became a major trading hub due to its convenient location to several major trade routes.

Petra is located 240 km south of the capital Amman and 120 km north of the red sea town of Aqapa.

The Nabataeans were also very advanced in their advanced ability to control the water supply in such a dry, desert climate. Using dams, cisterns, and water conduits, the Nabataeans avoided damage from flash floods, and then were able to store that water during periods of drought.

At one point, Petra was annexed by the Roman Empire. But in 363 AD, a catastrophic earthquake hit that destroyed much of the city and its surrounding trade routes. As a result, Petra was left largely abandoned.

The incredible beauty of The Rose City has been featured in such high profile films as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Mummy Returns, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

For hundreds of years after its fall, Petra remained completely unknown to the western world. It wasn’t until Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt stumbled upon the ancient city in 1812 that it was finally introduced to the rest of the world.

Don’t forgot to enter our amazing competition where you stand the chance of winning a an all-expenses paid trip for two to one of the New7Wonders of the World!

Click here to enter!

By Rory Arnold, Earth.com Staff Writer

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