Jordan

Carved Rooftop, Petra

Photograph by Annie Griffiths Belt

The Nabataean capital of Petra is one of the many spectacular historical sites in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a country of deep traditions that has worked to preserve its ancient inheritance and natural beauty while navigating modern realities in a region of continuing conflict.

Reclining on a rooftop carved two millennia ago, a Bedouin surveys the realm of the Nabataeans, beckoning from the sands of southern Jordan. Forgotten for centuries, Petra still echoes with mysteries of the past; this immense building, Al Deir (the Monastery), was probably a Nabataean shrine.

Amman

Photograph by Kalpana Kartik/Aurora Photos

Lights at dusk reveal the expanse of Jordan’s capital city of Amman. The city’s present-day sprawl—sunbaked white homes, modern high-rises, chic hotels, and commercial districts situated on a hilly landscape—exists side-by-side with historical sites dating to periods of Byzantine, Roman, and early Islamic rule.

Uncovering Mosaics, Petra

Photograph by Annie Griffiths Belt

Petra’s heyday ended when the Romans rerouted trade in the second century A.D., sending the city into a long decline. In a fifth-century Byzantine church, archaeologists found detailed mosaics.

Treasury, Petra

Photograph by Keren Su/Getty Images

Tourists at Petra approach Al Khazneh (the Treasury), whose function in Nabataean times is still unknown. Spurred by Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel, tourism to Petra is up tenfold since 1991, boosting the economy but raising concerns about preservation.

Turkish Coffee

Photograph by Sylvain Grandadam/Photolibrary

Turkish coffee, served from an ibrik, is a popular refreshment in Jordan. The long-handled pot—traditionally made from brass or copper—is also used to brew the beverage. Very fine grounds and precise cooking methods contribute to the coffee’s strong, distinctive flavor.

Jebel Musa

Photograph by Martin Gray

A church and monastery dating to the fourth century A.D. stand at the summit of Jebel Musa, or Mount Nebo, near Madaba in western Jordan. Accounts in Jewish and Christian tradition place the tomb of the biblical prophet Moses at the site, from where he is said to have viewed the Promised Land. Today the mountain and surrounding holy sites draw pilgrims and tourists from around the world.

Red Sea Reef

Photograph by David Doubilet

Resting on a plate of stony coral, a giant carpet sea anemone coexists with bright clownfish in the Red Sea, which meets the southwest tip of Jordan at Aqaba. Isolated from the open ocean, the sea harbors a wealth of endemic marine creatures: One-fifth of the species are found nowhere else.

Wadi Rum

Photograph by Annie Griffiths Belt

Wind-combed dunes meet parched mud flats in Wadi Rum, a stark desertscape in southwestern Jordan. Revered for its dramatic sandstone and granite rock faces cut into a breathtaking span of sunbaked desert, Wadi Rum was made famous by Lawrence of Arabia, who based his operations there during the Arab Revolt.