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Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona: High-Rise Living in 700 AD
Arizona Sightseeing
The year that my husband and I decided to head north from the Phoenix area to see Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, the Grand Canyon, and more, Montezuma's Castle was on our planned Arizona vacation route. We decided to take a look at this national monument, listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places. The name was intriguing to us.
The Naming of This Monument
Montezuma was an Aztec Emperor of Tenochtitlan in Mexico, where Mexico City is now located. He reigned from 1502 to 1520, the latter year being the year of his death.
Whether his death was directly due to Cortés and his Spanish troops who were beginning to explore and conquer parts of Mexico for Spanish dominion or the possibility of being stoned by his people who saw him as being weak against the Spanish invaders is open to question and differing accounts.
The Aztec empire was at its zenith when Hernán Cortés discovered it and began changing the course of history in the central part of Mexico.
The name, Montezuma's Castle, has nothing to do with the Aztec ruler in Mexico. Could it be that the temples and pyramids made of stone by the Aztecs in Mexico sparked this name when this high rise cliff dwelling built into a limestone cliff became known?
Cliff Dwelling
At one time, there was a creek in the valley below this Montezuma Castle cliff dwelling. It would have provided much-needed water for the Sinagua Native Americans who called this part of Arizona their home. The creek was named Beaver Creek. It disappeared from the surface in the 1400s.
There was a natural overhang with cave-like openings high up this stone cliff. The native Indians decided to make this natural feature more habitable.
Imagine the work that would have ensued in hauling up pieces of stone and placing and securing them with facings to the front of the cliff and making room dividers! Ropes and ladders would have been used to access the site in building and maintaining it. Imagine if you will carrying up daily rations of food and water, perhaps with a papoose on one's back!
Of course, if one could have enough provisions stockpiled within the rooms of that cliff dwelling, during times of warfare between tribes, it would have been a safe spot far removed from the open conflict and quite easy to defend. The ropes and ladders would be pulled up, and easy access denied to marauding enemies.
Location of This National Monument
Camp Verde is the location where one can find the Montezuma Castle National Monument. This small town of Camp Verde, with a population of just over 10,000 people located off of Interstate 17, has visitors arriving at all times of the year for various purposes.
During the times when people were homesteading and growing crops, this disrupted the native tribes from their hunting and gathering practices. A fort was built to help protect the settlers and ultimately to force native Americans to stay on reservations. It was not exactly a shining example of how these first peoples inhabiting these Arizona lands were treated.
The remains of these fort buildings are now part of Fort Verde State Historic Park. The Yavapai - Apache Nation currently operates The Cliff Castle Casino.
A Starbucks sign in Camp Verde that showcases the Native American legacy hosts the reputedly largest Kokopelli sign image in the world. When my German girlfriend and I were traveling from Houston to California and back visiting national parks, she fell in love with the Kokopelli image. She would have loved seeing this sign!
Montezuma's Castle
This national monument comprises 826 acres, although most people like us probably only see a fraction of it. There is an easy quarter-mile paved path from the parking lot, which takes one to an area where one can gaze up at this fantastic five-story structure built up into the cliff.
Supposedly around fifty people used to live there back when it was constructed around 700 AD by the Sinagua. It had twenty rooms. After another 700 years, it became uninhabited. Was this because the creek below dried up or went underground? Was it due to warring tribes or disease?
When the volcano at Sunset Crater erupted, the Native Americans deserted this part of Arizona. They returned sometime later. The ground now had nutrient-rich ashes from the eruption. That enriched soil facilitated the growth of corn and other crops.
We may never know why the Native Americans left Montezuma's Castle. Archaeologists will be delving into this mystery for years to come as they discover and research artifacts found on or near this historic site.
High Rise Living
When seeing this cliff dwelling for the first time, it gives a whole new meaning to high-rise living!
It used to be that visitors to the Montezuma Castle National Monument could climb up ladders and walk through some of the rooms and see this monument first hand. To protect this national monument from damage, this type of exploration has been banned for many years now, which is undoubtedly a good thing. A museum now shows visitors replicas of what the site looks like and displays interesting native American artifacts found in this area.
The address of the national monument is Montezuma Castle Road, Camp Verde, Arizona 86322. For entrance fees, and hours of operation, check the official government site in the sources below.
Any time of the year would be an excellent time to see this 700 AD high rise cliff dwelling built into the limestone cliffs. I hope you enjoyed learning a bit about this historic site via words, photos, and videos.
Have you ever visited Montezuma's Castle?
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2011 Peggy Woods
Comments are always welcomed!
I love traveling through the American South West. This is a very comprehensive overview of visiting Montezuma Castle National Monument. By the way, there is a man who was in the news recently because he is making livable art caves, so I guess living on a cliff or a cave is back.
Came back to shed some light on this excellent article. With people planning their summer vacations, this would be a great place to visit. I still don't know how I missed going there on any of my trips to and through AZ.
Hope that storm changes direction for you people down there. I know you don't need any more rain and for sure you don't need flooding. Take care . . .
Came back to share this excellent article with my followers and to pin it to my 'Travel' board.
This is another great travel Hub. I have visited it several times, each time rather in awe of the ancient builders. There are cliff dwellings all over Arizona. The Salado and Anasazi migrated in Arizona and other southwestern areas finding the cliffs a safe and more comfortable place to live. In Walnut Canyon and the Tonto National Monument they could walk to the bottom of the canyon and grow crops in the moist areas.
It is a fascinating subject. Thanks for the good read.
I have never been to Montezuma's Castle either, even though I toured other things in the area. A great history lesson here and as usual great photos. If I ever get back to AZ I'll have to be sure to visit this castle. Voted up, interesting, useful for helping people plan their itineraries, and will share with my followers!
What an amazing place! I have only been to Arizona once and I am sorry I missed this place. I would love to make another trip to Arizona and see Montezuma's Castle. It amazes me how difficult something like this would have been to make back then. Great information, pictures and videos. Voted up, interesting, beautiful and sharing! :)
Peggy, I'm always overawed to see the herculean task being carried out to construct all these monumental structures! With none of the modern day technology it was sheer will power that must have goaded on these people, in those times. Really amazing to see these structures still look strong enough to sustain inhabitation.
Very interesting read and it was a pleasure reading it.
Voted up and awesome, gave 5 stars and sharing it on G+1.
Oh wow amazing Peggy and another to save for my favourite hubs (my armchair travelling)slot.
Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful weekend.
Eddy.
You make me want to travel. I have itchy feet anyway but they have been settled the last few years. Some friends and I went out that way many years ago and saw some of these old dwellings. I want my son to experience such things and to keep history alive. Our school history books are so censored that children never know about great works like this unless parents open the doors.Articles like yours are wonderful because they allow us to travel and learn without leaving home which sometimes is the only option. Thank you so much.
I live not far from Montezuma's Castle. Arizona is filled with interesting ancient ruins and history. Your photos are wonderful. I hope I don't run out of places to visit and things to do right here in my own backyard. Voted beautiful.
I had never heard about this monument. Peggy, you always be my guide. Thanks for always walk in the right line, I mean in presenting fabulous place in USA. I hope I can visit this place one day. Well done and rated up (useful, awesome, beautiful, interesting).
Prasetio
Ok you convinced me I want to go there in vacation this summer.. lol.. great HUB AND GREAT WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS.. great research and what a great history lesson..
I voted up and awesome
Another great historical hub. Montezuma Castle ruins
is so very interesting and a very unusual preserved cliff dwelling. The photos and videos are very informative. It is amazing to see the stone pueblos still in tact for so many centuries. A great hub.
Nice! Very detailed and informative!
Hi Peggy,
You are indeed such a creative person and a great writer.
Thank you for all the effort that you so obviously put into each piece of art.
Take care and I wish you a wonderful day.
Eddy.
Up, useful, awesome, and interesting votes Peggy. Very well done and informed as all your articles are. If one things is for sure when I visit your writings, they are composed of the highest quality. I never heard of this when I lived out there. I missed out on this one. I always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon area, but never got around to it. At the least, I can visit them in your articles:) Great work Peggy. I hope all is well and happy holidays.
Wow! This would be a neat place to visit. I can't imagine having to climb up there carrying supplies. I guess some of the older people would have had to just stay up there and never get down.
it really does remind me of a castle. Such a neat place to have lived.
Amazing! Fancy the energy taken to build it and then to provision it- Thank you for such a different insight into America.
Howdy Peggy - This one is a great article that brings back memories of my visit to this interesting place. I really enjoyed messing around by Buffalo Creek that runs through the place. I made an interesting photo while looking at the dwelling up on the cliff face. Right when I wanted to make the picture, a jet airplane flew over the "castle." Kinda like the new juxtaposed over the old.
Gus :-)))
You bring up some good history and questions as to why Montezuma was so named and why the cliff dwelling was abandoned. No one really knows for sure is right. Thanks for bringing this out Peggy, I've never heard of Montezuma's castle and boy is it spectacular. Fort Verde sounds great too. Another one to visit if I can ever get over Arizona's way
Montezuma's Castle is one of my all-time favorite monuments in Arizona! I can't imagine being a parent with a toddler on those high rooftops! My cousin went to flight school in Prescott, so we often took a side trip to the cliff dwellings that the Sinaguans made. It is amazing. Fabulous hub!
Peggy W: No one knows the true homeland of the Aztecs. According to legend and oral history, they came from the north, possibly in the areas of modern Arizona and New Mexico. They left to carry out a prophecy that their civilization would fluorish where they found an eagle perched on a cactus, which they did in the area of their subsequent Tenochtitlán.
So the name may be due to a legend which is based on fact.
Thank you for sharing the informtion, the photos and the video.
Voted up, etc.,
Derdriu
One of my favorite trips was to see this place. It's a marvelous example of how clever and resourceful these ancient people were.
Gene
When I went to Arizona about a month ago I thought it was rather dull. However, after viewing the information that you have provided, I think I am going to schedule another trip. (Thanks for the Cookies, and happy Holidays).........Charles.
So very interesting. If I ever get to Arizona, I'll be sure and visit. Your photos and writings are superb!
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