Petra Treasury (Al-Khazneh): when is the facade in the sun?
Short answer: 7 Nov 2026: The Treasury facade gets no direct sun on this date above the cliffs in front of it; it stays in soft shade all day.
The Treasury is carved into a cliff facing the end of the Siq, with another cliff close in front of it. The sun only reaches the facade once it has climbed over that cliff, so direct light comes in a short window in the late morning.
Sat 7 November 2026 · sunrise 06:59, sunset 17:48
Facade in shade all day
The Treasury facade gets no direct sun on this date above the cliffs in front of it; it stays in soft shade all day.
| Direct sun | Golden light | |
|---|---|---|
| Treasury facade faces east-north-east, towards the end of the Siq | No direct sun | — |
Hour by hour
| Time | Treasury facade |
|---|---|
| 06:30 | Dark |
| 07:00 | Dark |
| 07:30 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 08:00 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 08:30 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 09:00 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 09:30 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 10:00 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 10:30 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 11:00 | In shade (cliffs or hills in front) |
| 11:30 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 12:00 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 12:30 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 13:00 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 13:30 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 14:00 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 14:30 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 15:00 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 15:30 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 16:00 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 16:30 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 17:00 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 17:30 | In shade (sun behind the building) |
| 18:00 | Dark |
Plan it
Soft, even light and fewer people come first thing (the site opens at 06:00), before the sun reaches the facade. For the facade in full sun, arrive in the late-morning window. In winter the sun stays too low to clear the cliff.
Through the year
| 15th of | Treasury facade |
|---|---|
| January | — |
| February | — |
| March | 10:10–11:10 |
| April | 09:25–11:35 |
| May | 09:05–12:00 |
| June | 09:00–12:15 |
| July | 09:10–12:15 |
| August | 09:20–11:50 |
| September | 09:40–11:10 |
| October | 10:15–10:30 |
| November | — |
| December | — |
Petra Treasury light by month
Questions
What time is the sun on the Petra Treasury (Al-Khazneh) facade?
7 Nov 2026: The Treasury facade gets no direct sun on this date above the cliffs in front of it; it stays in soft shade all day. Pick your own date above; the window moves through the year.
Is Petra Treasury (Al-Khazneh) better in the morning or the afternoon?
The Treasury facade faces east-north-east, towards the end of the Siq. On 15 June 2027 it is lit 09:00–12:15; on 15 December 2026, not at all.
When does the Petra Treasury (Al-Khazneh) facade get no direct sun?
Around the middle of January, February, November and December the Treasury facade gets no direct sun at any time of day above the cliffs or hills in front of it. It is then evenly lit by the sky, which is good for detail but looks flat.
When is the golden light on Petra Treasury (Al-Khazneh)?
On 7 November 2026 the Treasury facade gets no low golden sun. Golden light needs the sun low and on the same side as the facade.
How is this calculated?
For every 5 minutes of the day we compute the sun's direction and height and compare it with the way the facade faces. Within 40° of straight on is full front light, 40° to 70° is side light that brings out the carving, and beyond that the facade is mostly in shade. Below 10° above the horizon the light is golden. Where cliffs or mountains stand in front of a facade, the sun also has to clear them.
Calculated from the sun's position and the facade's direction (estimated from maps and photos). Nearby buildings and trees can shade the lower part of a facade earlier than shown; clouds remove direct light altogether. Times are local (Asia/Amman).