Al Wu’ira

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Built by the Crusaders in AD 1116, Al Wu’ira was overrun by Muslim forces 73 years after construction. An impressive old bridge (previously a drawbridge) leads over the gorge to a gatehouse and the limited ruins.

The unsigned turn-off is about 1.5km north of the Mövenpick Hotel. The castle is on the left side of the road leading to Umm Sayoun and Siq Al Barid (Little Petra).

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    The 1.2km Siq, or canyon, with its narrow, vertical walls, is undeniably one of the highlights of Petra. The walk through this magical corridor, as it…

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Nearby attractions

1. Petra Exhibition

0.6 MILES

Awaiting the completion of a new home (currently being built across from the Petra Visitor Centre), this excellent exhibition makes the most of more than…

2. Petra

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The spectacular sandstone city of Petra was built in the 3rd century BC by the Nabataeans, who carved palaces, temples, tombs, storerooms and stables from…

3. Djinn Blocks

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About halfway between Petra Visitor Centre and the entrance to the Siq, look out for three enormous, squat monuments, known as Djinn Blocks or God Blocks…

4. Dorotheos' House

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Referring to a complex of ruined houses, rather than just one, this set of ruins earned its name from the Greek inscription on the triclinium. The…

5. Christian Tombs

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Many of these caves are marked with crosses, leading to the assumption that they may have been used for Christian burial.

6. Eagle Monument

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Carved into a niche in a cliff near the entrance to the Siq is a beautiful eagle with outstretched wings. This bird is often depicted in ancient times as…

7. Obelisk Tomb & Bab As Siq Triclinium

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Between the Petra Visitor Centre and the entrance to the Siq (south side of the path), there is a fine tomb with four pyramidal obelisks, built as…

8. Sextius Florentinus Tomb

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A few hundred metres around the hill from the Royal Tombs is the seldom-visited Sextius Florentinus Tomb, built from AD 126 to 130 for a Roman governor of…