High Places, Petra

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The Theater Square lies beyond the Street of Facades. The next main monument as you pass along the road into the heart of the city of Petra is the Theater up ahead on the left.

Some of the facades are badly damaged, and flood deposits have filled many of them with mud.
Some of the canyon walls are lined with dozens of smaller tombs for the not-so-rich.
Across from the Street of Facades are tombs high on the mountain. You can scramble up the mountain at a place across from the stairs up to the High Place.

You can watch my 2 min 35 sec HD Video Jordan Petra part 6 out of my Youtube channel.

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Just a short way from where Marguerite Van Geldermalsen has her “book shop” and trinket stall you will look to your right and see that magnificent Royal Tombs.

You can brave the hundreds of steps and walk up to the tombs but, in my case, I did not brave the walk. Even though I had drank plenty of water, the heat was well over 40 degrees Celsius and I decided that I would head over to the “Royal Tomb Shop” and have lunch and a cold beer…excellent choice if you ask me!

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The High Places of Petra are a sight to see, for one thing the view from the top is incredible as it shows off the mountain range and terrain of Petra, and for another the places where the Nabetaeans preformed sacrifices are still quite visible. Its quite easy to imagine how a sacrifice might of gone down and that added to the incredible setting and view make the High Places a place to be. Its a solid 30 minutes hike to the top and the trail starts from near the Ampitheatre.

From the Monastrey and after refreshing yourself in the shade with a drink head out further on the plateau of the mountain and you will see the most gorgeous views over the mounatins. I am sure that there was a vendor selling drinks out here too, but I might be wrong.....the views are amazing and there are proper little lookout places for you to go to.

The walk up is stunning.
In the heat make sure that you cover up, wear sun screen and take plenty of water with you!

The walk up is only about 45 Minutes or so, so its not far, but it is up up up! I managed fine, stopping regularly for photo stops and water. The boys at the bottom will offer you donkeys to get you up there - which if your not a walker is another option.

On the way up you will encounter ladies and their kids selling trinkets and souvenirs, local farmers with their herds of goats and donkeys on their way up or on their back down again.

The Tombs at Petra are one of the highlights for sure! The colours of the the sandstone is amazing here, and as well as being incredibly interesting they offer a home away from the heat for a while!

The climb up is nice, its not high but it might feel it in the heat!
If you diddnt feel up to the short walk - get a donkey....or a camel.....or a ferrari!

The upper parts of Petra only give a glimpse of what is to be expected in the main city. Various buildings have been carved into the stone, some of which were used as watch buildings to protect the ancient city others as store rooms for goods that arrived here.

I found the High Place of Sacrifice to be an interesting and fun place. Not only does it have the alters and stuff but it has great views as well.

The high place has a large pool where rain water was collected and available for the priests. In front of the alter was a large open court with a strange ridge in the middle where something must have stood. Against the cliff are two alters.

The alter on the far side may have been used for blood. As animals were sacrificed the blood was drained onto this altar. It appears to have run around the outside of the altar and then down the mountain.

The main alter was for the burnt sacrifice. It contains several small steps and a niche where the fire could have been used. However, there are no evidences of fire at their altar or the other altars around Petra. Built into the two altars are wash basins.