Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan 22 Jan 2025

Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan

Carved into rose-red cliffs, Petra and its crown jewel, Ad-Deir, or "The Monastery," feel like stepping into a real-life Indiana Jones adventure. Tucked in the heart of Jordan"s arid desert landscapes, this ancient city once thrived as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom in the 2nd century BCE. It was also a hub of the spice trade, connecting distant regions like China, Egypt, Greece and India. The city was abandoned for around 500 years before being rediscovered in 1812, earning it the "Lost City" moniker.

© Punnawit Suwuttananun/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Hop into Lunar New Year
22 Jan 2024Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
22 Jan 2026Karlovy Vary, Bohemia, Czechia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

16 Sep 2023Oktoberfest begins
Charming Turenne
Hovering over harmonious horticulture
27 Dec 2024Lake Bled, Slovenia
25 Oct 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
8 Apr 2025Paro Tsechu Festival, Bhutan
Rising with the sun
25 Aug 2024Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
31 Mar 2026Paradise Cave, Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam
21 May 2024RHS Chelsea Flower Show
7 Dec 2023Verdon Gorge, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France
Turquoise delight
Happy New Year!
16 Jan 2026Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia
1 Nov 2024Vineyards in Varnhalt, Black Forest, Germany
12 Mar 2026Juvenile sunbittern displaying at nest, Ecuador
15 Jan 2025266 years of the British Museum
Stop and smell the Sakura
25 Sep 2024Sequoia National Park, California, USA
4 Jun 2025Cala Luna beach, Sardinia, Italy
25 Sep 2025Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India
19 Nov 2025Hungarian Parliament Building, Budapest, Hungary
Keep practising, little guy
17 Dec 2025Eurasian red squirrel in Northumberland, England
A postcard-perfect landscape
8 Feb 2025Medieval towers in Mestia, Upper Svaneti, Georgia
Icon of the Highlands
What’s your favorite colour?
29 Apr 2025Garden at Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France
Nothing says ‘San Francisco’ quite like...