The Temple of Qasr Al-Bint

When you visit the Petra Archaeological Park, don’t miss the Temple of Qasr Al-Bint. It is one of the best preserved of Petra’s ancient structures; This unique monument has the largest facade in Petra, making it a popular photo op.

Qasr Al-Bint temple (by ChrisYunker CC BY 2.0)

The Temple of Qasr al-Bint is one of the few free-standing structures in Petra that was not carved out of the sandstone cliffs. Qasr al-Bint is also known as the Temple of Dushara as it may have been dedicated to the important Nabataean god, Dushara.

History of the Qasr al Bint Temple

The temple was built by the Nabataeans around 30 BC and dedicated to Nabataean gods. It was one of the most important Petra temples. It was built on a raised podium and originally stood 23 meters high. Qasr al-Bint had a grand marble staircase of 27 steps leading up to the entrance. Inside there was a vestibule, chamber, altar, and cella where the image of a god would have been placed. The structure was decorated with plaster and stone reliefs.

The temple's entrance (by Derpierreder CC BY-SA 4.0)

Pro Tip: You can see some of the reliefs that once adorned the Qasr al-Bint temple at the Petra Visitor Center. Experts think that this would have been Petra’s main place of worship and that the entire surrounding area would have been part of a religious complex. An enclosing wall would have encircled the complex and two inscriptions tell us that during king Aretas IV’s reign (9BC-40AD) seats were added. 

Later the structure was repurposed by the Romans for cult worship and eventually it was destroyed in the 3rd century AD. Excavation of Qasr Al-BInt began in the late 50s and is still underway. Today we know this structure as Qasr Al-Bint or Qasr al-Bint al-Faroun, a name given to the structure by the local Bedouin meaning Castle of the Pharaoh’s Daughter. Legend has it that the pharaoh who chased the Israelites out of Egypt got tired of pursuing them and eventually settled in Petra. The legend is not based on facts but does make the Castle of the Daughter of Pharaoh a little more romantic.

Where is Qasr Al-Bint?

This Petra temple lies almost at the end of the main trail through the Archaeological Park, northwest of the Great Temple and southwest of the Temple of the Winged Lions.

Pro Tip: The Basin, the only restaurant in Petra Archaeological Park is next to Qasr Al-Bint. The food is great, but it is a bit pricey.

Qasr al-Bint, from the High Place of Sacrifice in Petra (by Bernard Gagnon CC BY-SA 3.0)

You’ll find Qasr al-BInt if you follow the main trail through Petra from the Petra Visitor Center, pass the Petra Treasury, and on up the colonnaded street. Keep going and you will reach Qasr Al-Bint before the path that leads to the Petra Monastery.

Pro Tip: If you’re a hiker you can take the Umm Al-Biyara Trail from Qasr al-Bint. It is a difficult trail but you’ll get some amazing bird’s eye views of Petra. The Jabal Haroun Trail also starts at Qasr Al-Bint and is probably Petra’s hardest hiking trail.

Suggested Route to Qasr Al-Bint

Visitor Center-Siq-Treasury-High Place of Sacrifice-Roman Theater-Royal Tombs-Colonnaded Street-Great Temple-Byzantine Church-Qasr Al-Bint. 

If you are on a two-day Petra tour you can split this suggested itinerary in two and add the Monastery.

What to See and Do at Qasr al Bint

Qasr al Bint Facade 

The temple has a square base and stands on a 3-meter-high raised platform with a flight of stairs leading up to the entrance. The wide stairs span the entire front of the facade and would have been covered with marble slabs. This temple at Petra has a facade that is 4 meters wider than the famous Treasury and the Great Temple of Petra.

Pro Tip: For a great shot of the temple crouch down in front of the facade and get a view of the temple above the stairs.

Columns of Qasr Al-Bint

At the top of the entrance stairs, you can see the remains of four columns. The column spacing is about 8 meters compared to the distance between the columns of the Artemis Temple at Jerash which is only 4.9 meters, and the column spacing in the Hercules Temple in Amman which is 5.18 meters. Each of the sections of the Qasr al Bint columns must have weighed about 7 tons and required incredible engineering and manpower to get them into place.

Pro Tip: Spot the square structure in front of Qasr Al-Bint which could have been a separate structure or a marble-covered altar. 

Plan Your Visit

• Opening Times: Petra Archaeological Park's open hours are 06:00-18:00 in summer and 06:00-16:00 in winter. 
• Prices: 90 DOJ. If you are on a Petra tour from Israel the admission price will be included in the tour. Pro Tip: If you’re not visiting Petra with a guided tour, buy the Jordan Pass for a discount at Petra Archaeological Park.
• Average Visit Duration: The average time spent at the Qasr Al-Bint Temple is 30-40 min.
• Popular Times: Petra is a large site so to fit everything into one day you need to start early in the morning. 
• Special Events: Petra at Night is a dazzling candlelight spectacle that takes place in the Petra Archaeological Park on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 20:30 in front of the Treasury.
• Relevant Tours: If you have one day in Petra you won't be able to include Qasr al-Bint; the temple is rather far from the entrance. But with a two-day Petra tour, you will see more of the site, and have time to soak up the atmosphere. Join a Petra tour from Tel Aviv if you want to see two countries on one trip.