Unfinished Tomb

The Ancient City


Offers a rare glimpse of the way the Nabataeans constructed their rock tombs, starting at the top on a platform of scaffolding and working their way down.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Ancient City attractions

1. Al Habis

0.04 MILES

Beyond Qasr Al Bint is the small hill of Al Habis (the Prison). From the Nabataean Tent Restaurant, steps lead up the hill past a disused museum around…

2. Crusader Fort

0.06 MILES

At the summit of Al Habis are the limited remains of this fort built in AD 1116 by Baldwin I. The ruins are not impressive, but the views across the city…

3. Columbarium

0.06 MILES

The multiple niches of the the enigmatic Columbarium remain a mystery; some suppose they housed votive images or urns, others say this was a dovecote for…

4. Qasr Al Bint

0.07 MILES

One of the few free-standing structures in Petra, Qasr Al Bint was built in around 30 BCE by the Nabataeans. It was later adapted to the cult of Roman…

5. Altar

0.09 MILES

The sacrificial altar in front of the Qasr Al Bint was once overlaid with marble, indicating that it was probably the main place of worship in the…

6. Temenos

0.12 MILES

The temenos was the sacred courtyard of the Qasr Al Bint and separated the commercial area of the city from the sacred area of the temple.

7. Convent Group

0.12 MILES

This dense cluster of tombs makes a striking feature during a hike around Al Habis or along Wadi Siyagh. In spring they are often decorated with flowering…

8. Basin Area

0.13 MILES

The Basin is an area just beyond Qasr Al Bint where the main wadi widens at the bottom of the valley. The area, which houses the two restaurants (Basin…