Street of Facades, Petra

The Street of Facades leads into the main center of the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. As the name suggests, the street is flanked by several outstanding facades carved into the rock cliffs about 2,000 years ago by the Nabataeans.

The Nabataean monuments along the Street of Facades are believed to have been the tombs of senior Nabataean officials in Petra dating back to the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 1st century AD.

The Street of Facades

Where is the Street of Facades?

When you enter the Petra Archaeological Park you walk through a narrow gorge called the Siq. After about 1 km the Siq opens onto a clearing where you are faced by the famous Petra Treasury (Al-Khazneh), one of the most photographed structures in the Middle East.

When you pass the Treasury, the Siq gradually widens into the Street of Facades. Follow the Street of Facades, stopping to see the various monumental structures on the way until you reach the Tomb Anesho at the far end of the street. 

The Street of Facades at dawn

What to See on and Do in the Street of Facades

The tombs that flank the Street of Facades are carved out of the rock high up on the cliffs like a row of doorways. There are more than 40 tombs and homes carved into the rock.

ProTip: The tombs are accessible to tourists, unlike many of the other structures in Petra, so you can go inside and explore.

The street of Facades

The facades have suffered weather damage over the years but if you look carefully there are some fascinating details worth noting. The facades were probably originally covered with stucco and painted in bright colors (there are traces of the paint on one of the facades).

Tombs not to miss on the Street of Facades:

Tomb 67. It has a funeral chamber high up on the cliff. Legend has it that a thief once hid in this chamber so it has been given the name “Thief's Tomb”.

Tower Tomb. This tomb is over 15 meters high and it is carved on three sides. The tomb has 17 graves with some interesting carved details on the door frame. 

Uneishu Tomb. The last tomb is the Tomb of Anesho, it was the tomb of Queen Nabatiyeh Shaqilh II who held the throne for her son Rabil II from 70 to 76 AD.

The tombs above the Street of Facades

Plan Your Visit

• Open Times: The Street of Facades is in the Petra Archaeological Park that is open in summer from 06:00-18:00 and in winter from 06:00-16:00
• Prices: Entrance is 90 JOD, but on a Petra tour from Israel the entrance is included in the tour price.
• Average Visit Duration: You have to walk down the Street of Facades to get to the rest of the Petra structures. So you could walk straight through without entering any of the tombs or you could explore the structures and take more time. The average time spent on the Street of Facades is 40-60 min. ProTip: The Street of Facades is not the most impressive part of Petra. From a distance, the tombs don’t look very interesting but you should enter at least one to get an idea of the tombs.
• Popular Times: Early morning or late afternoon to avoid the sun.
• Special Events: Petra By Night is an evening show that takes place outside the Treasury on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 20:30.
• Relevant Petra Tours: All visits to Petra will include a walk down the Street of Facades. Tours probably won’t stop at any of the tombs. If you take a two-day Petra tour you will have an extra day to explore the tombs along the Street of Facades independently. Consider taking a Petra tour from Tel Aviv so you can cover two countries in one trip.