Montezuma Castle National Monument Arizona
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Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona, like other historical sites is misnamed because discoverers lacked information or understanding. It has nothing to do with the Aztec Empire.
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It was named from a mistaken belief that the cliff-dwelling was a castle Aztec refugees built for their emperor. It is now known Montezuma never strayed this far north from his mexican home, but the name has stuck.
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Sinagua people built it over 100 years before Montezuma lived. The Castle is a 20 room, 5 storey structure built in a limestone cliff about 70 feet above the ground.
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It was built near the top of a Verde Valley cliff & is one of the best preserved cliff dwellings in North America.
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Access to the ruins by climbing ladders had been allowed prior to 1950.
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It was stopped due to extensive damage of the dwelling from visitors to the site.
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These cliff dwellings are not as well preserved since they were not set in as good a location in the cliffs as the Castle
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Other Cliff Dwellings
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Ruins now probably the home of some sort of birds or other animals
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An interesting old tree at Montezuma Castle