Nymphaeum

The Nymphaeum in Petra is a semicircular stone fountain house positioned directly at the junction of the main colonnaded street and a side valley. Its prominent feature is a massive pistachio tree growing from the remains of the stone basin, surviving on the ruins of the ancient water system. Built in the second century, this structure provided public water to residents in a harsh desert landscape. A marble-lined channel once fed this basin, cooling the air for people passing through the city center.