One of the most impressive ruined towns in the world must be the desert city of Petra, called “the pink city” after the characteristic colour of the rock. It was the capital of the Nabataeans, an Arab people who flourished between 110 BC and 40 AD. Right in the middle of the desert in a rocky valley, the town was only accessible via a deep and narrow chasm with the impressive grave temple at the end. The facade was hewn out of the pink sandstone complete with its mighty columns, ornaments and sculptures as well as the rooms lying within. This magnificent work of art is one of the greatest of the period. The town went to ruin under the Romans and was not rediscovered until 1812.
The 14.5 tonne block of sandstone for the model had to be procured from the Ukraine as the rock formations at Petra are protected and it wasn’t possible to get hold of the stone from there. Just like the original, the temple was carved out of a solid block.