Al Wu’ira

Little Petra

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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).

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Jordan has so many amazing sights like Petra, wadi rum, jerash and the dead sea 1368437783

    Petra

    0.67 MILES

    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…

  • Bedouin camels resting near the treasury of Al Khazneh in Petra. 1085537554 Jordan, Entrance, Construction Industry, Jordan - Middle East, M, Mountain, Nature, Animal, Tourist, Arabic Style, Outdoors, Religion, Ravine, Monastery, Arabia, Cultures, Petra, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wealth, Architecture, Petra - Jordan, Ancient Civilization, Built Structure, The Siq, Arts Culture and Entertainment, Camel, Travel, Exploration, Palace Tomb, Facade, Canyon, Adventure, Famous Place, Midsection, Transportation, Photography, Old, No People, Color Image, Travel Destinations, Horizontal, Cliff, Ancient, Contemplation, Tomb, Tourism, Stone Material, Bedouin, Sand, Khaznet, Sandstone, Treasury

    Siq

    0.95 MILES

    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…

  • Sacrifice place in ancient Petra, Jordan; Shutterstock ID 19855075; your: Sloane Tucker; gl: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: POI 19855075

    High Place of Sacrifice

    1.4 MILES

    The most accessible of Petra’s High Places, this well-preserved site was built atop Jebel Madbah with drains to channel the blood of sacrificial animals…

  • There is a person by the doorway to get a scale of the size. A classic view of El Deir, The Monastery in Petra. Shown in the context of the mountain that the facade was carved out of by the Nabataeans in the 1st century. The facade measures 50 metres wide by approximately 45 meters high.

    Monastery

    2.17 MILES

    Hidden high in the hills, the Monastery is one of the legendary monuments of Petra. Similar in design to the Treasury but far bigger (50m wide and 45m…

  • Lonely Planet Traveller Magazine, Issue 71, Jordan Petra Theatre

    Theatre

    1.32 MILES

    Originally built by the Nabataeans (not the Romans) more than 2000 years ago, the Theatre was chiselled out of rock, slicing through many caves and tombs…

  • Dana Biosphere Reserve landscape at sunset from Dana historical village; Shutterstock ID 474783019; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Content Asset; Full Product or Project name including edition: Jordan 2017 adventure, arabic, arid, asia, biosphere, colored, dana, dry, east, explore, islamic, jordan, middle, mountain, natural, park, path, reserve, rock, sunset, travel, trekking, wild

    Dana Biosphere Reserve

    25.44 MILES

    The Dana Biosphere Reserve is the largest in Jordan and includes a variety of terrain, from sandstone cliffs more than 1700m high near Dana to a low point…

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    Urn Tomb

    1.19 MILES

    The most distinctive of the Royal Tombs is the Urn Tomb, recognisable by the enormous urn on top of the pediment. It was built in about AD 70 for King…

  • Palace Tomb facade in Petra, Jordan.

    Royal Tombs

    1.21 MILES

    Downhill from the Theatre, the wadi widens to create a larger thoroughfare. To the right, the great massif of Jebel Al Khubtha looms over the valley…

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Nearby Little Petra 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

0.67 MILES

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

0.76 MILES

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

0.79 MILES

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

0.8 MILES

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

6. Eagle Monument

0.81 MILES

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

0.86 MILES

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

0.93 MILES

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…