9 Attractions to Explore Near Petra

Supposed burial place of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Although in Jewish tradition, the location of Aaron's grave, like that of Moses, is shrouded in mystery, the Islamic tradition places it on Mount Hor, near Petra in Jordan.

A much smaller version of the grand Petra, consisting of three wider open areas connected by a 450-metre (1,480 ft) canyon. Like Petra, it is a Nabataean site, with buildings carved into the walls of the sandstone canyons. While the purpose of some of the buildings is not clear, archaeologists believe that the whole complex was a suburb of Petra, the Nabatean capital, meant to house visiting traders on the Silk Road.

A crusader castle perched on the side of a rocky, conical mountain. It was built in 1115 by Baldwin I of Jerusalem during his expedition to the area where he captured Aqaba on the Red Sea in 1116. The castle was strategically important as it dominated the main passage from Egypt to Syria. This allowed who ever to hold the castle to tax not only traders, both those who were on pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina.

The place were Lot, brother of Abraham is said to have lived in a cave with his two daughters. The place consists of a monastery, a Byzantine basilica from the 7th century A.D. and the Cave of Lot.

Known also as the Valley of the Moon, Wadi Rum is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan. It is one of the most popular attractions in Jordan, with deserts and mountains and rock formations. Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the Nabataeans–leaving their mark in the form of rock paintings, graffiti, and temples.

Valley known for its deep gorge cut through the sandstone. It gives its name to the Bronze Age ruins located at its mouth with the Dead Sea- the archaeological site of Numeira.

A large Crusader castle located in al-Karak, Jordan. It is one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant.

Historic 3rd-century church, considered to be the world's oldest-known purpose-built Christian church. Its first phase was dated between 293 and 303, which makes it older than the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, both of which were built in the late 320s.

Originally built by Crusaders in the 12th century. It was the location to the victory of the Arab Revolt, when this heavily defended Turkish stronghold fell to an Arab camel charge. Lawrence of Arabia rode triumphantly from here to Cairo to report the good news to General Allenby.