Qasr al-Bint - Temple of Dushara

The Qasr al-Bint, or Temple of Dushara, is one of the few free-standing buildings in Petra that was not carved directly into the surrounding sandstone cliffs. Built around thirty BC, it stands as a prominent rectangular structure on a raised podium, distinguished by its thick ashlar masonry walls that have survived for two millennia. A grand marble staircase of twenty-seven steps once provided access to its entrance, leading toward an interior space that held the image of the deity.