History
Cliff Palace, an Ancestral Puebloan settlement in Mesa Verde National Park, was built into a vast alcove and occupied from about 1200 to 1300 A.D. Widely regarded as North America’s largest cliff dwelling, it combined living rooms, granaries, open courts, towers, and 21 kivas on an unusual scale, suggesting it may have served not just as a residence for about 100 to 120 people but also as a social, administrative, and ceremonial center for surrounding communities. Abandoned by 1300, likely amid stresses including megadroughts, it was rediscovered in 1888, later suffered heavy looting, and helped inspire protection of Mesa Verde’s archaeological heritage.
Hear stories like this as you drive
ExploreHere reads historical markers out loud as you pass them: over 325,000 stories across the US. No account needed.
4.7 · 800+ ratings · Free
FIND IT
Colorado · United States
