Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan Jan 22, 2025

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

Jan 22, 2024Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Jan 22, 2026Karlovy Vary, Bohemia, Czechia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 26, 2023Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island, Berlin, Germany
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
June 30, 2026Giraffes at sunset in the Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Feb 22, 2024Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
Mar 29, 2024South Stack Lighthouse, Holyhead, Wales, UK
Feb 21, 2026Red fox, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States
May 26, 2025Hozugawa River in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
Feb 2, 2025Alpine marmot
Mar 18, 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
Jun 12, 2025Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas, United States
Sep 25, 2024Giant sequoias, Sequoia National Park, California, USA
June 3, 2026Bardenas Reales Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve, Navarra, Spain
Mar 7, 2024Roques de Benet, Catalonia, Spain
Apr 6, 2026Hirosaki Castle with cherry blossoms, Hirosaki, Japan
Apr 2, 2025Sandstone formations in the badlands near Caineville, Utah, United States
Jun 25, 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA
Jul 19, 2025Luna moth
May 12, 2026Atlantic puffins, Wales
Mar 23, 2024Large anvil clouds, Amazon, Brazil
Nov 25, 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Sep 11, 2025Peña Falcon rock, Monfragüe National Park, Spain
Dec 30, 2024Mount Field National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Apr 9, 2025Naxos, Cyclades, Greece
Jan 28, 2024Channel Country, Australia
May 9, 2025Common chameleon
July 24, 2026American flamingos, Isabela Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Dec 15, 2025Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam
Apr 3, 2024Rainbow across the Kakshaal Too mountains, Kyrgyzstan
Nov 4, 2023American bison
Sep 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA