The Qasr al- Bint was one of the major temples of the city of Petra, and is one of the few structures built (rather than carved into the rock ) that is still relatively intact.

The monument was built in the Nabataean period, around the year 30 BC. Yellow sandstone blocks were transported from a quarry a few hundred meters downstream in Wadi es - Siyagh. The building was 23 metres high in its original form. The name Qasr al- Bint Firaun was given by the Bedouins and means "the palace of the Pharaoh's daughter". It was in fact the largest place of worship of the city, mainly dedicated to the god Dusares, and possibly also to the goddess Al -Uzza.

After the Roman conquest it was modified and adapted to the Roman gods, possibly Apollo, and retains a central position in the city at the end of the main street (Cardo Maximus), close to the main Roman temple and the market.

The temple was almost completely destroyed by the earthquake of 19 May 363, and extensively restored in the twentieth century.