The Most Beautiful Things Said About the City of Petra

Enchanting Quotes about Petra

  • Petra, often referred to as the “Rose City,” is the undeniable jewel of the desert and the daughter of majestic mountains. It epitomizes heritage and authenticity, intertwining these qualities into a singular beauty that is Petra, standing tall as the crown jewel of Ma’an Governorate, situated between Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert in southern Jordan. Despite the absence of its ancient creators, Petra continues to shine like pure, precious gold.
  • Known as the “Bride of the Nabateans,” Petra is the archaeological treasure that remains standing as the second wonder of the world. Its enchanting beauty is beyond description, captivating visitors with its stunning red rocks.
  • Upon visiting Petra, one finds themselves astonished, pondering: how did the Nabateans design and carve this magnificent city? The mesmerizing landmarks—the Siq, the Treasury, the Monastery, the Pharaoh’s Daughter’s Palace, and the Nabatean amphitheater—truly showcase a miracle and a rich cultural heritage.
  • One of the most breathtaking experiences is witnessing the view from the Siq, which leads directly to Petra’s most magnificent facade, the Treasury.
  • The experience of Petra highlights a visit to the Petra by Night event. This magical display provides a unique opportunity to see the rock city illuminated by candlelight, unveiling the old city that is part of the New Seven Wonders of the World. This unforgettable experience begins with a stroll through the Siq, culminating at the Treasury, which is lit by 1,500 candles, showcasing Petra in its most enchanting attire for all attending visitors.
  • Experiencing the sunset in Petra is a captivating must. Nestled within a valley, one needs to venture to the outskirts of Wadi Musa to witness the breathtaking sunset.
  • As the sun sets, you can observe the mountains transform from brilliant orange to golden hues—a truly unforgettable spectacle!
  • Petra is not only one of Jordan’s most important archaeological sites but also a significant historical treasure worldwide.

Poetry about Petra

Written by Suleiman Al-Mushaini:

In Petra, the eternal smile of creation sings

Music and rhythms echo gently within.

To the second wonder of the world, a monument,

Captivating minds with its artistry and finesse.

For the great Petra has always been,

The creator of history has ultimately perished.

Ode in Description of Petra

By Saud Al-Asadi:

Pride comes with you, O Petra; you inspire

So rise high, embodying determination and fate.

And you are the sword of fate in every hardship,

So strike and bring down the plots of the treacherous.

How many verses are in the book of glory,

Concerning you, recorded by both Bedouins and townsfolk!

From “Umm Qais,” the king came bearing arms,

And the “Nabatean Fortress” guards its land with walls so firm.

From hills where the Yarmouk fell in love,

The white waves and the dark hills intertwine.

The “Qalat al-Rabad,” the mighty fortress,

Ready to spring forth, as the leap begins.

I have come, and poetry, O Petra, I stand with it,

In it the manifestations of admiration reveal the gems.

And in you is an expression derived from grains,

Upon the thirsty one, like rain, it pours.

What songs can I share of my poetry and of “Jerash?”

Epic narratives rise and fall beyond measure.

I entered, hearing the stone bemoan,

Complaining of all it endured; can it withstand oppression?

No, but the whims of fate are overwhelming,

Never has there been a time where the free were conquered!

And you, O Jordan, within you the ember burns,

So place upon it the taste of the willow and the lotus blooms.

And kindle a spark of love that will ignite,

A heart that’s longed for by flame from the spark.

In you lie the wonders the Nabateans have crafted,

Great aspirations akin to the grand visions built.

Renew the covenant of Petra, for it possesses

A spirit rejuvenated by time and eras.

I heard the whisper of stone yearning,

As if love surrounds the string with a membrane.

I was astonished, and in Petra, a miracle rests,

The stones weave tales, secrets to expose!

For Petra has its own story,

I said, “Share it, for I am all ears and eyes!”

It replied, “What do you know of secrets?”

“In a deep well, there lies a mystery untold.”

The stone turned away, ensuring no one saw,

Save me, and it whispered to me—the truth remains hidden.

I swore I wouldn’t disclose it,

So long as life treads this mortal coil.

“Dhu-Shara” knew its tales long past,

When the lord of the great idols was revered.

On that day, the truth departed,

Nothing remained but the city of Petra and its columns,

The ages aged, yet they never lost their grace.

Entranced by a love that will never dissolve,

Empowered by a legacy that will never perish.

That is Petra, where all proud dwell,

Before it, all those of stature seemed small.

The city of roses and hues continuously presents,

Shining with the newness of history’s luster.

The beauty of its fabric is like sunlight,

While its backdrop is woven by the moon’s glow.

It is adorned with “Ishtar’s” garments,

An elegant raiment making fair maidens blush.

Daughters of Nabateans, and some of my poetry too is woven,

Fitting to be heard by their tender fawns.

They are the beauties adorning the festival with joy,

Sung to by maidens, bright as the stars.

They reveal the marvel of the song that echoed,

When Mudar blossomed with its prestige.

Education preserved poetry from books,

Young women of Petra penned their inspiration.

They beat their drums in divine harmony,

Between the temples, where no mortal has dreamed.

So now every waist within its grace,

It sways like the waist that eases when embraced.

What arms have wrapped around a waist,

Gently and tenderly, with patience they long to behold.

And how many lips have brushed with love’s hue,

Upon lips that press the nectar from berries.

Life calls to the dawn, at its invitation,

Thus too, the night and the vigil.

And the garden of stone in Petra flourishes,

O wretched tribe that passed through without awareness!

As if they had seen naught but the trees of its beauty,

Whose branches burgeoned, yielding ripe fruits.

Those who guard its doors stand vigilant,

With spears, and amidst the daybreak battles and victories.

Horses and night air fill with fragrant breezes,

And the scent of sage wafts sweetly.

So if I weep at its thresholds, wrought with joy,

It is but the dew that weeps for the blooming flowers.

And if I lament over its dreams with pain,

Then none shall carry the burden of Petra except me.

A nightingale of song, within that I traveled,

Is there news of “Abiedah” or “Harith”?

She said, “Indeed,” and sung over the “Treasury,”

A melodious tune that melts the granite.

As if the sweet aroma of the “Kaisum” has spread,

Or the rains have quenched its parched earth.

In her sorrow, I found my own, and in her burning,

In my fire the passion illuminates.

We weep for those lost ever since they left, alas!

Will there be a reunion after they have departed?

For we are akin, united by our love for the land,

Our fates bound through Petra’s timeless spirit.

I kiss the ground that a foot has trod,

From the land of abundance, where goodness spreads.

And since I was molded from this clay,

With love like a mother’s warmth—nurturing and pure.

This land is mine; if bondage strips me of it,

I declare that servitude is not a valid decree.

Those who take men by the sword to ensnare,

In times of deception, take the souls unaware.

From the land, I possess that which a child dreams,

I have the sea and river to my name.

I own the dew and the predawn mist,

With the gentle breeze and the thrilling journey.

And I have the swift ones: the falcon and the tiger,

The whispering thoughts and lessons bestowed.

And I hold close the silence and the wariness,

The companions of reflection and caution alike.

And in the poetry, I find my heart and soul,

In dreams, I have the beauty and the gaze.

And every night, the nightingale’s lore,

The whole of existence remembered through time.

And if people gather all around, whether present or absent,

My family remains behind me in Petra; will they listen?

My family is ahead of me in Canaan; have they known?

If I drink the intoxicating cup of longing,

For I have been enchanted by their depths before.

Thus I cried, and love continued to surround me,

Until I drearily awaited the completion of my song.

Bring back my youth again, that I may embrace it,

For a life without your presence is in vain.

If I unraveled for you the vestment of affection,

I have thrashed joyfully ‘til nothing remains.

I am nostalgia, I am yearning, I am hope,

I am roots; I am soil; I am trees.

I am a burst of emotion; I am fire; I am blazing heat,

O, bury me! I call to you; I possess intense love.

Not wanting you to die, for you are the descendants of those gone by,

I desire eternity, and I dream aloud,

In lands outside of Petra, I do not long for burial.

Mother of stones, whose embrace has softened,

Like silks of fine texture, no thorns or needles disturb.

She is tranquility, and in her folds I find peace,

No ruckus nor weariness fill her heart.

There, beneath the shadows of her majestic peaks,

My spirit is at rest, devoid of burdens or woes.

Amman and love keep the secrets of man hidden,

And perhaps the subtle musings escape with laughter.

O Amman, my people, to Petra I beckon you,

To excuse my absence for your sake and mine.

For rebelling against the mother isn’t worthy,

She deserves honors far greater than the insults we mutter.

Let us fulfill our promise in this resurrection,

Of the spirit of civilization we strive to enlighten.

Let’s build from the rock of Petra a renaissance,

A testament of resolve, being patient through trials.

Indeed, those who build from stone shall rise,

Embracing sincerity, allowing truth to prevail.

Lyricism about Petra

In his visit to the immortal remnants of Petra, Khalid Fawzi Abdu wrote the following poem:

Forgive me if I fall short, O Petra

Your grandeur, no matter how exalted, is Petra.

Your majestic stature is a miracle of eloquence,

For my poem lies upon the earth, and you are the sky.

How long I dreamed to behold you, yet you have entranced me,

Your beauty resonates deep within my soul.

Verses fluttered upon my lips and unfolded,

Overcome, adorned by your grandeur.

Wondrous beauty captivates my gaze,

Until I am entranced by your splendor and grace.

My eyes wandered through realms of exquisite beauty,

As if to encounter what no desert envisioned.

Rising stones towered into the skies,

And with the horizon, they engage in a sacred union.

Countless eagles soared above them with honor,

A display of majesty and dignity divine.

O towering mountains, as if they were,

Guardians of the earth, both pious and sincere.

I stood to pray in the seclusion of the devout,

To echo in the heavens, a supplication.

Astonishing is the hue that envelops them,

Like a cloak dancing beneath luminescent lights.

Yet would the redness of roses not weep,

When no scarlet blooms exist upon the ground?

How I mistook the twilight; it seemed light itself,

Yet in its embrace, darkness played no game.

Or perhaps there lies a youthful maiden, adorned beautifully,

Who blushes and graces the face with modesty.

Petra, how many melodies do you conjure in song,

For beauty inspires a poet’s voice.

Our yearning hearts have become eyes brimming with longing,

To behold you, Petra, whenever we wish.

How many marvels emerged in dreams before us,

To be seen even by the blindest of vision.

If we cannot craft poetry spun from truth,

Then know that our hearts are poems of their own.

Names have been shaped for you, yet fall short,

And thus, they waver in their quest to capture you.

For you are but the exquisite tale of ascendant glory,

And truly, you are the essence of eternal life.

So when the imagination yearns, it gazes upon you,

Adorning it with an endless gleam.

Time has aged while leaving no beauty unscathed,

Yet you remain forever a youth, full of grace.

Understanding is lost in memories and brilliance,

Where charm lingers without limit or decay.

As though the sculptor’s hands sculpted time immemorial,

Creating yesterday’s heavenly structure anew.

These splendid castles still stand as before,

Gleaming, oblivious to the passing of nobility.

People rose with pride like a phoenix,

Majestic, noble, a hymn to courage.

O, the pride in my ancestry flourishes,

For they boast a past radiant and resplendent.

How many a ruler strolled through the splendid court,

Exclaiming through corridors with their admirable arms raised.

A band of warriors surged forth for victory,

Preparations waged, their exultation reverberating.

And I caught sight of a grand banner flying high,

With its echoes filling my world.

And my kinfolk never left us for a moment,

Nor did calamities lead them astray.

The imprint of their path remains upon the soil,

Still cradled within the gentle breeze’s embrace.

Petra, you are a miracle emerging from stone,

A glorious hymn metaphorically unmatched.

Speaking in silence, a wondrous spectacle,

O, enchantment poured forth by the mute stone!

In every corner, a thrilling awe captivates,

That disarms reason, presenting a miraculous sign.

We come to you, Petra, driven by longing,

You ignite the fire of our devotion.

As if no caravans had ever ceased,

To journey forth toward your exceptional embrace.

If we drift away from your site, then in distance,

Hearts remain forever ambassadors of your essence.

Remain, O Petra, the twin of our ages,

As long as eternity recognizes the core of existence!

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