The Colonnaded street of Petra was the heart of the ancient city over two millennia ago, and still has lots to offer: Many of its 72 beautiful columns still stand, and visitors love to walk between them, take great pics and marvel at the beauty of the lost Nabatean capital.
This street connected the eastern entrance path to Petra to the core of the city and was designed to impress visitors and foreign dignitaries; like the rest of Petra, it was influenced by Hellenistic architecture, and beautiful marble columns accompanied visitors as they walk from the Siq path through the Street of Facades, and into the bristling urban area.
The Colonnaded Street
The Colonnaded Street was broadened to 6 meters during the Roman occupation, and received further beautification, such as a Nymphaeum fountain, bubbling with water from Wadi Musa creek. This was Petra's main street, surrounded by market areas, the town square, and the royal palace.
What to See and Do in the Colonnaded Street
The street itself is beautiful and holds plenty of photo ops behind and around every column. Pro Tip: you can sometimes see local crew dressed as Nabatean soldiers, standing guard near the old gate ruins. If you'll find the right frame, without too many tourists around, you can take a super-authentic shot.
The Palace Tomb, seen between the columns The street will lead you between some of Petra's main attractions, prime photo locations, and several spots you shouldn't miss. The street also holds some important site installations such as WiFi hotspots and bathrooms. Here are the best points of interest for you:
The Great Temple of Petra
This complex of worship was completed in the early 1st century, by order of Aretas IV, one of the greatest Nabatean kings. The great Temple of Petra used to be about 20 meters tall, and you can still see how elaborate its halls, temples, and holy groves were In ancient times. Pro Tip: This temple is elevated enough to offer great views of its surroundings, and get a nice picture of the Royal Tombs area to the East.
The Petra Pool and Garden Complex
This area was one of the most impressive and luxurious in ancient times: a garden with a large swimming pool, complete with an island pavilion – like the superb gardens of Athens or Rome. The Pool had a complicated water management system and served the Nabatean elite.
Qasr Al-Bint Temple
The Temple of Qasr al-Bint is rather unusual in the Petra scenery: It's a standard structure, which wasn't curved into the ruby cliff. It was completed around 30 BC as a place of worship, dedicated to the important Nabataean god, Dushara. The local Bedouin believes this was also a palace, built for the biblical Pharaoh’s Daughter.
This temple, dedicated to the Nabateangod of luck, is located across the street from Qasr Al-Bint. Besides worship, it was used as a holy workshop for figurines representing local deities, usually made of bronze, Iron, and marble. in time, the temple housed other workshops as well, making ceramics, and even perfumes.
The Petra Monastery
The Petra Monastery (Also known as Al Dayr) stands on a hill in the northwestern part of Petra apart from the other, more popular Petra sites. This means you’ll be able to get awesome shots of it without millions of tourists standing in your way. Note that the street won't take you there directly, and the closest you'll get is the bottom of the hill on which Al Dayr sits. Expect an 850-stone-stair climb – or Learn about easier ways to get there in this quick guide.
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