HISTORIC RELIGIOUS SITE
Ridge Church
Wadi Musa · Byzantine church remains
- Locality
- Wadi Musa
- Tradition
- Byzantine church remains
- Type of place
- HISTORIC RELIGIOUS SITE
- Coordinates
- 30.33166° N, 35.44399° E
- Identity
- Matched to a public listing
A brief history
Built on the ridge above Petra in the third or fourth century, from reused Nabataean and Roman material, this is thought to be the oldest church building in the city. It was square, with two rows of pillars down the middle carrying the roof and a semicircular sanctuary at the end of the main chamber. It stands over two family tomb chambers, and what the church had to do with the tombs is not known.
An interesting detail
A small building beside it held a fountain, and a Greek inscription of the fourth or fifth century records that the fountain honoured someone from a prominent military family.