One of the cultures to build homes here was probably the Hohokam. Where the water leaves the Well and flows out of the narrow cave, these early farmers channeled it a thousand years ago think about that!
By the s, the people of the Sinagua culture began building small dwellings in the cliffs around the Well. Over time, they built more than 30 rooms along the rim.
The Hopi, Zuni, and Yavapai all recount oral histories of their ancestors living here. There are 2 parking areas at the Montezuma Well section of the park. One is the picnic area. Along the way, there are plenty of signs to read and learn more about how the plants and land were used.
I was blown away by how big and high it was on the rock. Just incredible. The Sinagua were the group of people who lived in the dwellings at Montezuma Castle. Although people were living in the area much earlier, it is estimated that the Sinagua began building permanent living structures the dwellings you see at the monument in the early s.
Montezuma Castle is five stories tall, has 20 rooms, and covers 3, square feet of floor space. Its alcove is about 35 feet deep. After becoming a national monument, it quickly became a destination for America's first car-bound tourists.
Early visitors to the monument were allowed access to the structure by climbing a series of ladders up the side of the limestone cliffs. You can see some really cool historic photos of that time here. Due to extensive damage, public access into the ruins was discontinued in When you get to the Montezuma Castle parking area, the castle itself is just a short 2-minute walk from the car.
How much time do you need at Montezuma Castle? One day is enough to see both the well and the castle. I would visit the well in the morning, then drive to the castle. Pack a nice picnic lunch and hang out at the picnic tables within the park and enjoy the scenery for lunch. How much does it cost to visit Montezuma Castle?
Anyone who is age 15 or younger is free. Good for unlimited entry for seven 7 days. Of Course, it would be crazy to think you could. It would be quite the adventure to get up into the Castle, but once up there, the amount of traffic that would visit would definitely do some serious harm to the site.
As cool as it would be to tour the inside, it is still pretty fun to just look at it from the cliff bottom. The Sinagua people were an agricultural society that hard farmlands below the cliff dwellings that thrived with irrigation coming off the nearby Verde River. Your email address will not be published. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.
Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. The Greek Islands are fast becoming something of a global tourism hotspot, attracting holidaymakers and celebrities from around the world. About 50 feet west of the main ruin is a much less well preserved complex named Castle B, consisting of a few rudimentary rooms also on several levels.
About 11 miles away about a minute drive is Montezuma Well , another part of the Montezuma Castle monument. Montezuma Well is a flooded limestone sinkhole about 55 feet deep formed by the collapse of a large underground cavern.
The local inhabitants of the era used the waters from the well to irrigate their crops. Neither part of the monument's name, "Montezuma Castle," is correct.
When European-Americans first came upon the ruins in the s, by then long-abandoned, they named them for the famous Aztec ruler Montezuma in the mistaken belief that he had been connected to their construction. In fact, the dwelling was abandoned more than 40 years before Montezuma was born, and was not a "castle" for royals, but instead functioned more like a high-rise apartment dwelling for many residents.
Tuzigoot National Monument is a remnant of a Sinaguan village built above the Verde Valley about 1, years ago. Tuzigoot, an Apache word meaning "crooked water," is a two- to three-story pueblo ruin on the summit of a limestone and sandstone ridge just east of Clarkdale, Arizona, feet above the Verde River floodplain.
The Tuzigoot monument comprises stone masonry rooms. It is thought that the population here, and the building of additional rooms as a consequence, was comprised of farmers leaving the drought in outlying areas. Visitors are invited to walk in and around Tuzigoot to try to imagine the daily life of the Sinagua who farmed, hunted, and created pottery and artwork in this area hundreds of years ago. The museum at Montezuma Castle provides good information but needs a bit of refurbishment.
The Visitor Center at Tuzigoot, however, is very well done. Both monuments are very interesting, but for the younger crowd, Tuzigoot will be the more popular of the two since you can actually walk up, in, and around the structure.
Set aside a few hours to explore the museum, which was reopened in June at the Tuzigoot Visitor Center. Then roam the trail through the Tuzigoot pueblo and Tavasci Marsh. Spend time with a ranger and learn about the Sinagua and the lives they led in the Verde Valley. Food is not available at any of these locations, so bring some food and drink.
0コメント