What Is Montezuma Castle National Monument?
Montezuma Castle National Monument is a five-level pueblo with 20 rooms, located in Arizona’s Verde Valley. The cliff dwellings were constructed by the indigenous Sinagua Indians during the 1100s. For unknown reasons, the castle was abandoned during the 1400s. In the 1860s, European settlers discovered the dwellings and erroneously named the structure after the Aztec emperor Montezuma, who the settlers thought was responsible for commissioning the pueblo. Under the Antiquities Act in 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt established the historical dwelling as one of America’s earliest national monuments. The National Park Service is responsible for maintaining and preserving the cave dwellings. In 1966, the pueblo was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The castle contains a natural overhang that offers shade and protection from precipitation. Inside, rooms are built in limestone alcoves. The structure also includes doorways, benches, storage areas, and hearths. No evidenc
