User:Rayajildeh/sandbox

Established possibly as early as 312 BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, this half-built, half-carved city, a symbol of Jordan, as well as its most-visited tourist attraction. It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra is said to be one of the world's most famous archaeological sites, where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. Moreover, in July, 7, 2007, Petra was announced to be one of the Seven Wonders of the world. .

Threatening factors
The structures of Petra that were stable since their creation, are deteriorating at an accelerated rate due to natural and human-induced stone decay processes. The site suffers from a host of threats, including collapse of ancient structures, erosion due to flooding and improper rainwater drainage, weathering from salt upwelling, improper restoration of ancient structures, and unsustainable tourism. The latter has increased substantially, especially since the site received widespread media coverage in 2007 during the controversial New Seven Wonders of the World Internet and cell phone campaign.

Furthermore, due to the above environmental changes, Qasr al-Bint, Petra–Jordan, has been under the constant attack of a combination of various environmental factors that resulted in severe damage and destruction to the monument. The two most important factors that have contributed to the destruction of the monument are repeated earthquakes and salt crystallization. The most obvious symptoms of damage that the monument has suffered are extensive cracks and the lost of binding mortar.