This is Al-Khazneh.
Once lost to time, it was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812.
One look at it and it’s no surprise that it’s one of the 7 wonders of the world.
Nestled deep in the mountains of modern day Jordan, this amazing structure is simply breathtaking.
Al-Khazneh is thought to have been a tomb built in the 1st Century AD.
Now it serves as a tourist attraction, filling each visitor with a sense of awe.
Unique Building Technique
Unlike the vast majority of structures on Earth, Al-Khazneh was not built by stacking materials upon materials.
Instead, it was made by carving directly into the mountain. So this amazing structure was made by subtraction, not addition.
As more and more of the the sandstone rock was scraped away, Al-Khazneh began to take shape.
This method of design gave the structure strength as it was able to withstand both earthquakes and war.
The City of Petra
At it’s height, Petra is reported to have a population of 30,000 people.
The ancient city was once an important trade center, especially for spices.
Although the area is a dry desert, at it’s peak, Petra was full of lush gardens and agriculture.
Despite the dry climate, Petra was able to thrive by the usage of a system of reservoirs, dams, pipelines, and channels.
The inhabitants were able to effectively capture rainwater and water from natural springs and were able to supply water to the city using the above system.
The Design of Al-Khazneh
Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury, stands 39 meters high with massive columns at the entrance.
And walking beyond the entrance leads to massive chambers deep in the mountain.
Experts have had various theories about how it was built, but the most logical one seems to be a top down approach.
If you look to the right of the structure, you see a part of the mountain juts out. And this area is almost exactly the same height as the structure itself.
This is likely not a coincidence.
So the theory is that the outcropping of the mountain extended further to the left, and the ancient builders stood on top and carved their way down.
Conclusion
So however Al-Khazneh was built, what we can be sure is that it is an absolute marvel of engineering and design:
-It being uniquely built directly on the side of the mountain.
-It’s tall, regal columns.
-It’s intricately carved designs.
Truly, an ancient masterpiece.