Petra is an important archaeological site in Jordan and the capital of the ancient Nabataean kingdom, whose inhabitants called it Raqmu. Petra's name, which means stone, and her name fits perfectly; it is not a city built with stone, but literally excavated and carved in stone. The settlement of Petra is located in a narrow valley, to the east of the Arava Valley, which stretches from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. The most famous remains of Petra are undoubtedly its buildings carved into the same rock as the valley (hemispeos), in particular, the buildings known as the Khazneh (the Treasury) and the Deir (the Monastery). Founded in antiquity at the end of the 8th century BC. C. by the Edomites, it was occupied in the 6th century B.C. C. by the Nabateans who made it prosper thanks to its location on the caravan route that transported incense, spices and other luxury products between Egypt, Syria, Arabia and the southern Mediterranean. Circa 6th century AD C., the change of the commercial routes and the earthquakes suffered, led to the abandonment of the city by its inhabitants. It lay by the wayside until the site was rediscovered to the Western world in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Jean Louis Burckhardt (1784-1817). Numerous buildings whose facades are carved directly into the rock, form a unique monumental complex, which since December 6, 1985 is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The area surrounding the site is also, since 1993, a National Archaeological Park. Since July 7, 2007, Petra is part of the new seven wonders of the modern world.... THE ROUTES ARE STILL IN PREPARATION!!