The Enigmatic Montezuma Castle and Well in Arizona, USA | Ancient Architects

Nestled in a hollow on the face of a cliff in Camp Verde, Arizona in the united States, is an ancient, well-preserved structure known as Montezuma Castle. In this video, Ancient Architects investigates!

It was built and used by the peaceful Sinagua Native Americans, a pre-Columbian culture of southwest USA, between 110 and 1425 AD.

The main structure comprises five stories and has around 45 to 60 rooms inside. It was built over the course of three centuries.

And yes, as you may have guessed, the naming of the structure is incorrect, because Montezuma was an Aztec Emperor. When the Europeans first observed the ruins in the 1860s, they thought the structure was connected to the Aztecs, possibly the home of the emperor. At that time the structure was long-abandoned and even though we now know a lot more about its history, the name has stuck.

Of course, it has no connection to the Aztecs and archaeologists now know that the structure was actually abandoned 40 years before Montezuma was even born. It’s also not technically a castle, but more like a prehistoric high rise apartment complex.

It is situated 90 feet up a sheer limestone cliff and faces Beaver Creek. It is one of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in North America and that is because it was built inside a natural alcove with minimal exposure to the elements.

The construction project is incredible, being a precarious location to build, together with the huge floor space over its five stories. This is no easy construction and it is the work of daring builders and skilled engineers.

Watch this video to learn more about the castle and also the enormous sinkhole well. Please like, subscribe and comment below.

All images are taken from Google Images for educational purposes only.

Music Credit:

[williamkeith]

I've done a fair amount of archeological site work and exploration in that area. There are all kinds of cliff and mesa sites varying in size and complexity. Some are very remote so have not been vandalized or disturbed, still having artifacts in various states of preservation. We actually have found pottery and discarded sandals, grinding stones and hunting implements. The peoples that lived there were very agile!

[northsongs]

My late wife and I visited Mesa Verde a few years back. It's breathtaking to see these structures, but the finest moment was when I entered one of the below ground Kivas and sat there by myself for a few minutes. I could literally FEEL the history around me as I pictured the original builders gathered there with me, crossing millenia to welcome me in their home.

[jdrozmanski]

Being an Arizona native, I’ve visited this site (and the well/aqueduct system nearby) dozens of times. One of my favorite places in the State! Thanks for making this video 😀

[jamesruddy]

Finally, a place I've actually been to! And Sunset crater as well, where I helped rescues some dumb kids from a lava tube...they went in exploring using a book of matches to find their way but didn't think about needing more matches to find their way back out, and it's pitch black inside. Fortunately me and my friend had flashlights and went in to lead them back out. Their mother's were grateful. 1974.

[TheCrabError]

I went here as a child, and it sparked my lifelong love of archaeology and past cultures. I even have a picture of Montezuma Castle that my father took on our trip hanging up in my bedroom. Thanks for doing this video!

[melissaroof]

I used to love there. It’s beautiful. However I doubt Beaver Creek flooding has anything to do with it. As the sandstone and other rock continually erodes, the ground level below the dwelling keeps rising. That means it was actually lower below the dwelling than it is today. That creek doesn’t flood enough to have affected it then. Also, the well down the road has extensive irrigation work around it that is very similar to what you see in Mexico-American and South America. They controlled the water flow extremely well with those irrigation lines for their crops. They are still there today and the area is really quiet magical. There is an ancient petroglyph wall down the road at V-bar—V Ranch and it records some very important astrological events as well as beautiful artistic carvings.

The entire area all the way up past Flagstaff is full amazing archaeology. You should go sometime.

[JonnoPlays]

Not sure why YouTube put this in my feed today, but hey I'll take it. This is a fantastic place to visit if you're ever driving through the area. I've been here twice. The preservation here is absolutely incredible. It looks like it's still inhabited to some extent. Very cool site to visit. There is absolutely nothing else like it that I've ever come across in terms of the size and scale of the project.

[andrewlebaron]

I live nearby. We visited the site. It’s pretty inspiring.

[thesageoftime]

It's definitely a treat to see you covering native American architecture. I have visited this site many times before and I've seen plenty like it, this and mesa verde are my favorite glad to see it on this channel.

[juliansolros]

It also is aligned such that it catches winter sun (and is possibly aligned to the Winter Solstice), and would be mostly shaded in the summer, very smart for a hot desert area. I visited the site a year ago, lovely place, thanks for highlighting it!

[ccreel]

I highly recommended the book “The Chaco Meridian” about the archaeology of ancient southwestern native peoples.

[timberwolfenstein]

There are several amazing ancient sites throughout Northern Arizona. There's Walnut Canyon National Monument which is located only ten minutes from Flagstaff. My favorite though is Wupatki National Monument, just north of Flagstaff. There's a very scenic road that guides you through the volcano fields around Sunset Crater then loops around Wupatki. If you ever get the opportunity, it's well worth your time!

[jimbojiveable]

i visited the castle and well 2 years ago on my way to visiting sedona. the castle is a quick walk running parallel to the creek which is lined with huge sycamore trees that are yellow this time of year and stunning. you can see everything in an hour to hour and a half, but can only enjoy the dwellings from a distance. the well is a bit more immersive and just as beautiful. you can walk around the cenote and there's even a trail to get down to the water. the place is even more stunning from that perspective. there's even a trail to and along the creek which is definitely worth checking out if you go. i plan on going back to sedona next year with family who have never been and i'll definitely be taking them to both of these places!

[SCOTTBULGRIN]

I read about this cliff dwelling as a child in the 70's. I now live in Phoenix, AZ and was able to visit 4 yrs ago. It's easy to access and is only a very short walk from the visitors center. Children are free to enter. $10 for adaults if I remember correctly. Thanks Matt!😀

[alecjones]

I really want to thank you for this. This was my childhood stopping ground. I am now a world away and this really was a treat

[ambercavazos]

amazing video! I have visited this place many times. You covered the information so well. Most people dont mention the well that is nearby. It is a must see if you visit Arizona.

[eezonlysands]

A few years back, I had the privilege of hiking another Pueblo site, Chaco Canyon. I was delighted to find an actual artifact just resting on the ground near a ruined building on the high plateau above the canyon floor. It was obviously a stone grinding basin for processing meal. Apparently, it was too heavy for tourists to carry out let alone, lug down the precipitous stairway to the parking area below. I hope it remains there forever for all who dare to go that extra mile.

[ndnjoeparker]

Thank you for introducing our home in your show. There a lot more to learn about in this part of the world. Please look in to the hopi villages. As I am hopi.

[michelewhitewolf]

The stone work of this and other Anasazi sites is first rate. As a kid we visited smaller Anasazi ruins in the Green River area discovering that much of the stone work was held in place by a mixture of natural glued including pinion pine pitch still tenaciously doing it's job centuries later even in exposed areas. The respect I hold for these people is still

[andrewrehnert]

Protection from the elements, nature, enemies, and bigass man eating animals!