Hegra

Petra’s sister city, closed to outsiders for a century

The Nabataeans cut Petra out of rock in Jordan, and then they did it again 500 km southeast in what is now Saudi Arabia. Hegra was the kingdom’s second city and southern capital, built up in the first century AD particularly under Aretas IV Philopatris, who reigned 9 BC to AD 40. There are over 110 monumental rock-cut tombs standing in extraordinary condition out of 131 recorded, facades carved straight into sandstone outcrops in open desert with nothing built around them. It was effectively closed to outsiders for most of the twentieth century. Saudi Arabia began inviting archaeological expeditions after 2000, UNESCO listed it in 2008 as the country’s first World Heritage Site, and visitor access was developed after that. Medina Province, Hejaz.