The ancient city of Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.) is a historic city in southern Jordan. It is one of the mysterious ancient cities in the desert of southern Jordan and one of the most famous historical sites in Jordan. On July 8, 2007, he was selected as the New Seven Wonders of the World. The ancient city of Petra is about 260 kilometers away from the capital Amman and is situated in an alpine valley at an altitude of 1000 meters. It's almost entirely carved out of rock. The rocks at Petra's site have a coral-like, ruby-red hue and shine in the sun. It is also called the Old City of Roses. Petra was the capital of the Nabataean (ancient Arab tribes). It flourished in the first century B.C. and was captured by the Roman Empire in 106 A.D. and became a province of the Roman Empire. Therefore, many buildings common in ancient Roman culture can be seen now. Since the 3rd century, Petra began to decline because of the rise of trade in the Red Sea instead of land trade. When it was conquered by the Arab army in the 7th century, it was an abandoned empty city. It was not until 1812 that Swiss travelers were rediscovered. It was awarded World Cultural Heritage in 1985.