5 Lost Cities That Were Actually Found

Petra – The Rose-Red City Carved In Stone (Rediscovered: 1812)

The ancient capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, Petra was a thriving trade hub until a devastating earthquake in 363 AD led to its abandonment. For centuries, the magnificent city, carved directly into sandstone cliffs, was known only to local Bedouin tribes. Then in 1812, Swiss explorer Johannes Burckhardt, disguised as an Arab, convinced his Bedouin guide to take him to the “lost city”. Petra, with its stunning rock-cut architecture, was finally reintroduced to the Western world. It was a discovery that would eventually make it one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.