National Parks
Portfolio

Cover

Contents

Foreword

Parks vs Monuments

Acadia

Bryce Canyon

Carlsbad Caverns

Crater Lake

General Grant

Glacier

Grand Canyon

Grand Teton

Hawaii

Hot Springs

Lassen Volcanic

Mesa Verde

Mount McKinley

Mount Rainier

Platt

Rocky Mountain

Seqoia

Wind Cave

Yellowstone

Yosemite

Zion

Monuments

National Parks Portfolio

National Monuments

MONTEZUMA CASTLE

MONTEZUMA CASTLE NATIONAL MONUMENT

THIS remarkable relic of a prehistoric race is the principal feature of a well-preserved group of cliff dwellings in the northeastern part of Yavapai County, Arizona, known as the Montezuma Castle National Monument. The unique position and size of the ruin gives it the appearance of an ancient castle; hence its name.

The structure is about fifty feet in height by sixty feet in width, built in the form of a crescent, with the convex part against the cliff. It is five stories high, the fifth story being back under the cliff and protected by a masonry wall four feet high, so that it is not visible from the outside. The walls of the structure are of masonry and adobe, plastered over on the inside and outside with mud.

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Last Modified: Mon, Oct 31, 2002 10:00:00 pm PDT
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