
Photo: via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Upon exiting the Siq, visitors can view this jaw-dropping grandeur. Be sure to note the urn atop the Treasury structure, it has been rumored that the urn contained a Pharaoh's hidden treasure, and the urn bears the bullet pock marks where Bedouin travellers throughout the years have tested the theory. Get there when the park opens at 06:00 or 06:30 (depending on the season) and you may have the Treasury all to yourself or with fewer than 5-10 people around and no vendors.
Al-Khazneh, also known as Khaznat el-Far'oun, is one of the most elaborate rock-cut tombs in Petra, a city of the Nabatean Kingdom inhabited by the Arabs in ancient times. As with most of the other buildings in this ancient town, including the Monastery, this structure was carved out of a sandstone rock face.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Past the next bend is this part also sometimes called outer Siq, a large canyon lined with the facades of various tombs.
The site at the top of the mountain contains elaborate rock altars used for sacrifices. From the High Place, one can view much of Petra from above. Beautiful scenery. It can get cold and windy up there. The trek down the back side of the mountain reveals many interesting tombs and carvings that might be missed by the average tourist. The round trip generally takes 1.5-2.5 hr. Not many people go through the back route as it's not always clear where it starts - ask or use OpenStreetMap to identify the track. You might even try to use the direct track to the Treasury, which is even harder to find and not official, even though the staircases are clearly visible from down the Treasury.
The entrance to Petra is a long, winding sandstone canyon (about 2 km). There are minor carvings spotted here and there throughout the Siq, but the most impressive sights are the colorful and unusual sandstone patterns in the rock walls. There are also remains of terracotta pipes built into the sides of the canyon that were used in Roman times to carry water.
At the end of the Street of Facades is the 7000-seat Roman Theater. The theater was created by the Nabateans but later enlarged by the Romans. It is still used for occasional performances.
On the side of the valley opposite the Roman Theater and a short walk up the hill, are the tombs. The name was given because they are quite grand in scale compared to the others in the area, but it is unclear for whom the tombs were built.
Just after the last tomb on the side of the Royal Tombs, there leads a staircase up the mountain which gives a good view of the Petra area. At the very end of this track there is a camp giving a great view from above the Treasury.