Montezuma Castle National Monument

Montezuma Castle National Monument is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the United States. The site was built by the pre-Columbian Sinagua people around 700 AD and features a museum that highlights the builders of this historical fortress. The Sinagua were a mystery to early archaeologists, as they left no written record of their culture or history. However, modern research has revealed a great deal about these fascinating people. The Sinagua were farmers and traders who lived in small villages scattered throughout what is now Arizona and New Mexico. They constructed their dwellings out of stone and mortar, using wooden beams to support the roofs.