It was built in the eleventh century of the Common Era by the Sinagua people but was abandoned before being discovered by European settlers who imagined that it had been built by the Aztecs and so called it the Montezuma Castle.
The location of this beautiful "cliff dwelling" is in what I would call the perfect place for a farm.
There is a large natural cave in a sandstone cliff, elevated above the valley floor by several hundred feet--perfect for sheltering an adobe high-rise structure-- with a rushing stream of clear water a short walk from the cliff base.
The "Castle" is a twenty-room dwelling set picturesquely into the cave.
There are also the eroded remains of a forty-five room village at the base of the cliff--so the population of the farm was never very large. There are probably more tourists in the valley at any time of the day now than there ever were inhabitants of the early village.
I think the National Park Service has done a good job of protecting the ruins--there is a small museum, gift shop and restroom facilities and a crowded parking lot.
...
No comments:
Post a Comment