Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan Jan. 22, 2025

Carved into rose-red cliffs, Petra and its crown jewel, Ad-Deir, or "The Monastery," feel like stepping into a real-life Indiana Jones adventure. Tucked in the heart of Jordan"s arid desert landscapes, this ancient city once thrived as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom in the 2nd century BCE. It was also a hub of the spice trade, connecting distant regions like China, Egypt, Greece and India. The city was abandoned for around 500 years before being rediscovered in 1812, earning it the "Lost City" moniker.

© Punnawit Suwuttananun/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Hop into Lunar New Year
Jan. 22, 2024Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Jan. 22, 2026Karlovy Vary, Bohemia, Czechia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 1, 2024Lei Day
Oct. 28, 2024Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia
Jan. 2, 2024Prayer flags in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan
Jul. 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Sep. 26, 2023Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
Nov. 20, 2024World Childrens Day
May 3, 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA
Jan. 29, 2026Milwaukee City Hall, Wisconsin, United States
This blue succulent is as good as gold here
An island made from a vow
Feb. 19, 2024Toledo, Spain
Jun. 1, 2025World Reef Awareness Day
Nov. 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
The Riviera of India
Sep. 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA
May 23, 2025World Turtle Day
Jun. 4, 2024Chestnut-headed bee-eater, Bardia National Park, Nepal
A day for cousins of every stripe
Sep. 13, 2025Point Reyes National Seashore, California, United States
Feb. 14, 2024Valentines Day
Feb. 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, Utah, United States
Jun. 5, 2024World Environment Day
A day for giving
Feb. 26, 2025Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland
Dec. 4, 2023Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Jan. 16, 2024Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Jul. 3, 2025Rainbow River, Rainbow Springs State Park, Florida, United States
Nov. 21, 2024Aspen trees, British Columbia
Oct. 23, 2023Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
The ‘potato chip bird’