Wikipedia: “The area around Petra has been inhabited from as early as 7000 BC,[8] and the Nabateans might have settled in what would become the capital city of their kingdom as early as the 4th century BC.” The Roman Empire conquered it, and all the nice buildings are from that time. They perceived taxes from those passing through crossing the mountains.
The Roman treasury was just a cave, but they built columns at the door. Impressive.
What nature built there, cutting the mountain in two is impressive.
The main plaza is the central point.
Petra has an auditorium that can host 27,000 people. Pavarotti sang there a few months after our visit. I remember a story there. A beautiful young lady passed by, and I wanted to take a picture. She turned toward me and said in English with an angry tone: “You have to pay to take a picture of me.” I was in shock and did nothing. I regret now for not paying her.