Jordan - Ancient city of Petra - Passing throught the the Siq - Narrow corridor in a mountain of rock
The City of Petra was hidden in the mountains of Jordan for thousands of years when a young Swiss explorer Johan Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it in 1812. Temples, tombs, and other buildings are all carved out of the sandstone cliffs, which also gives it the name the "rose red city"
You reach the ancient city of Petra it by going through a narrow corridor in a mountain of rock. This corridor is about a mile long and just wide enough to fit a small truck - although most people go through on horseback or on foot. When you emerge, you enter a little hidden valley, which is mountain-locked. Petra was a perfect location for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in part because of its rich sense of history. It was famous around the time of Christ for being the only way through those mountains, and traders bringing back silk from China to Europe often traveled through there. Back then, the people of Petra charged a fee-and of course became quite rich. The valley is a mile long, and more than thirty temples line the canyon sides. The temple that was used was right opposite the narrow opening. Many of these temples or tombs go back to about 600 B.C., but the particular one they used was built around the time of Christ. Nobody knows for sure what it was used for. Behind the temple face are a few small, square rooms, which are completely empty. Whatever they held was stolen long ago. It's quite an incredible place - like a tenth wonder of the world."
The Siq twists and turns, the high walls all but shutting out the early morning sunlight, until abruptly, through a cleft in the rock , the first glimpse of the city of Petra can be seen. The Shiq is a great cleft in the earth, formed in the hazy depths of the geological past by the same earthquake activity that has plagued the area ever since. Its narrow, winding route through the lofty cliffs which protect the site on the east remains one of the great experiences for the visitor today, and is probably responsible for the belief that it was here that Moses struck the rock to secure water for his wandering people after the flight from Egypt - the first of the Moses-linked stories now associated with the whole Petra Basin.
Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL, f/5.6, 0.017 sec (1/60), ISO 400, 40 mm
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Comments and faves
Φ-Filippos-Κ, José Miguel - www.josemiguelmartinez.es, North Light, Miguel Ángel Yuste, and 348 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Ventura Carmona (52 months ago | reply)
Imagen fenomenal. Saludos
José Miguel - www.josemiguelmartinez.es (52 months ago | reply)
Preciosa foto!!!
iwanov [deleted] (52 months ago | reply)
nice shot
orvaratli (52 months ago | reply)
Nice shot. Would definetly like to see it one day.
North Light (52 months ago | reply)
Superb Image.
giulifff (52 months ago | reply)
bellissima immagine, ricordo perfettamente gli stessi colori e la stessa atmosfera.
Petra è indimenticabile!
Complimenti, sei bravissima..
calamorlanda (52 months ago | reply)
super photo
1D110 (52 months ago | reply)
Manifique elle est splendide
dougchinnery.com (52 months ago | reply)
you have captured the atmosphere here well - nice to have all the background info too
Goldenpixel (52 months ago | reply)
A beautiful shot! I hope to visit Petra in a near future!
nora22765 (52 months ago | reply)
Great picture and very impressive location! Thanks for the informations about this place.
Cesar R. (52 months ago | reply)
excellent catch! very nicely composed!
Wolfhorn (52 months ago | reply)
Cool shot......
lobstergirlfrommars (www.lisatattersonphotography. (52 months ago | reply)
Great shot, looks amazing.
liquidartgallery (52 months ago | reply)
Thanks for posting this shot and what a great history lesson as well. The word Petra refers to stone. I wonder if thats where the name comes from "the city of stone"?
Gabriel Lira (52 months ago | reply)
Perfect shot!
Weir_r / (Robert) (52 months ago | reply)
Truly amazing. great shot
darkenergy777 (52 months ago | reply)
Fabulous work, great capture.!!!
Capricorn45rbjd (52 months ago | reply)
Congrats on explore:-)
Gorgeous image !
tatyveli (52 months ago | reply)
Absolutely stunning capture - so well taken - and Congrats on Explore with it too :)
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Marco Sartori (52 months ago | reply)
I think this photo is a
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Spiro Anassis (52 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Flickr "BEST" Pictures (Invitation Only), and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
AndreaKamal.com (52 months ago | reply)
Woooooow ... what a fascinating place .... looks incredibly beautiful and most interesting.
I guess this place should be visited at least ones in a lifetime !!
You are my winner!
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Dailyville (52 months ago | reply)
Thank you so much for the information accompanying your photo. What an interesting place. It's hard to imagine the bustling past it must have had. Wonderful image.
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FoTógRaFoURbaNo - javiercastillofotografo.com (52 months ago | reply)
que buen lugar
que buena foto
me recuerda a indiana joneS!! jaaj
Dimitri Depaepe (52 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The Moulin Rouge - Invite Only (Read Rules Please), and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
yeoldeblackhippie (52 months ago | reply)
beautiful
Sanctu (52 months ago | reply)
Stunning composition!
Gianluca Longu (52 months ago | reply)
amazing
bart ceuppens / www.bartceuppens.be (52 months ago | reply)
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JAIRO BD (52 months ago | reply)
Amazing, fantastic, great and so on....
@nt!x (52 months ago | reply)
awesome!
Linhy (52 months ago | reply)
i was thinking of alibaba and 40 thieves
student_any [deleted] (52 months ago | reply)
superb
Kris Kros (52 months ago | reply)
most excellent
longristra (52 months ago | reply)
very nice image
aamir567 (52 months ago | reply)
A surreal and otherworldly image . . . Superb
Imapix (52 months ago | reply)
Impressive!
marek.krzystkiewicz (52 months ago | reply)
Beautiful photo, fantastic work! Congrats.
LiLi S. (52 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called First Quality (invite only) 3 Contests_Spotlight on the winners, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Fantastic.
swisscan (52 months ago | reply)
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M Giovinazzo (52 months ago | reply)
Congrats on EXPLORE - Great shot
Horse provides a sense of depth & scale.
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LLP (Recuperating... Extended Away) (52 months ago | reply)
Perfect.
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James_at_Slack (52 months ago | reply)
well done on the exposure on this one - wonderful!
1D-Photography (52 months ago | reply)
This is a great composition!
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hbierau (52 months ago | reply)
What a great photo!
marthinotf (52 months ago | reply)
Preciosa toma y bello marco para esta espléndida foto .... !!!
Saludos cordilales
Juan Rubiano (52 months ago | reply)
Great shot !.
Aquarelas (52 months ago | reply)
Com certeza uma viagem magnífica. Agora você precisa visitar o Cristo Redentor no Rio de Janeiro. Bom dia, e que bom você compartilhar essas belíssimas fotos.
Eric Rousset (52 months ago | reply)
I'm agree for explore, it's a wonderful composition !!
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