Excavations on top of Monks Mound revealed that a large building, 104 by 48 feet, once stood on the back end of the mound. Large pits in the center held posts supporting the roof, which could have been 40 feet tall. A fenced courtyard surrounded the building, and a large post stood in front of it. The western side of the building was damaged when the west side of the mound collapsed. From here, the paramount chief would have governed Cahokia and the surrounding region and held important rituals and ceremonies. The building was later dismantled, and several feet of soil covered the location, forming the slightly higher 4th Terrace.