The Treasury, Petra

The first sight of the Treasury as we emerged from the Siq is an image that will stay with me forever!

The Nabateans who built it in the first century were very clever. They carved it into a sandstone cliff from the top down and positioned it in such a way that it was protected from the worst vagaries of the weather. As such, it remains in an excellent condition today.

The structure is thought to have been built as the mausoleum of the Nabatean king Aretas IV. It became known as Al-Khazneh (The Treasury in Arabic) in the early 19th century by the area's Bedouins as they believed it contained treasures.

We paused in front of the Treasury for a much-needed falafel sandwich before continuing our tour 😀Read more