The Pharaoh's Column is located behind the Great Temple, forming part of a demolished and buried structure that has not yet been excavated and is now in ruins. Positioned along the ancient route to Egypt via Naqb al-Ruba'i, the column consists of 11 stone drums, with the lowermost one notably eroded due to prolonged exposure to the elements. This erosion has greatly weakened the stone on the lower side. Modern graffiti and scratches cover its surface. The presence of such tall and large columns suggests it was part of a significant public building rather than a house, a hypothesis that archaeological excavations at the site could confirm.

Frequently mentioned in the accounts of 19th and early 20th-century travelers to Petra, the column is surrounded by fallen drums, indicating its original towering height. Despite its current state of disrepair, the Pharaoh's Column remains a significant archaeological and historical landmark in Petra, bearing witness to the earthquakes of 363 and 551 that devastated the city.