The Petra Visitor Center sits behind a facade of rough-hewn stone blocks, designed to mimic the massive sandstone cliffs that define the ancient city beyond. Built to manage the flow of thousands of people, it serves as the official threshold for entry into the archaeological park. In the late nineteen eighties, authorities moved the original entrance gate here to protect the crumbling ruins from the mounting pressure of growing tour groups. A bronze statue of the Nabataean king Aretas the Fourth stands nearby.
Petra Visitor Center
landmark