The Treasury, Petra

Around one last bend in the Siq and we see our first glimpse of The Treasury. It's breathtaking in the afternoon sun!

Built/carved in the sheer and solid rock, it stands around 30m high and has elements representing "time" throughout. 7, 12, 24 and 31 all feature in the count of various parts of the building.

It was a functioning Treasury in its day ... Petra was located very close to the trade and commerce routes making it easy for citizens to bring their taxes of animals, food and the like to the Treasury where the taxman would collect the agreed portion. Elsewhere in this labyrinth of the Siq there are Royal dwellings, Monastry, tombs, and much more. Many are partly completed and appear abandoned when the Nabateans left.

We are not allowed inside but understand the excavation is extensive in there.

We don't have time to go to the next major building, so look around this rather large open area, still 60-odd meters below the ground above.Read more