Qasr el-Bint

Qasr el-Bint is considered the most important temple at Petra. Its name is a shorter version of "Qasr Bint Phar'oun". Historians say that the name was derived from a legend about a princess who lived in the temple, complained of its lack of water, and offered to marry whoever remedied the situation.

When someone said he would bring water to he temple from "Ain Haroun" by the power of god, men and camels, and having successfully done so finally married the princess.Excavations have revealed the presence of a stone gutter and drain at the foot of the approach steps to the temple. It is also supposed to be a place where condolences were received.

Its walls are still standing 23 meters high in some places, with squared pilasters at the four corners, composing a 28 meters square size building. In the middle of the uncovered courtyard there is the alter. Three steps covered with marble paving stone lead us to three chambers forming the main sanctuary areas. These have pillars stuck to the walls as well as canals. Beyond the columns there is a portico that has a high, flat roof supported by wooden beams.

On the south side of the portico there is a huge door which once had the usual lintel across its top, with a relieving arch over it to help spread the load, only remains of which may be seen. The doorway leads to the main internal chamber of the temple the external walls of which are decorated with painted plasters.

In 1959 excavations revealed a marble fragment of a clenched human hand from a statue that would have stood nearly seven meters high-well within the space available in the central chamber. The chambers' back wall is a single (not double) and therefore required the still intact relieving arch for extra support.

The other two chambers had balcony stories above the ground floor, supported by two free-standing columns, they were reached via staircases built into the double walls in the south-east and south-west corners of the temple.