Montezuma Castle is a National Monument just north of Verde Valley and off of I-17. The ruins structure was built by members of the Southern Sinagua culture around 1150 AD and abandoned in the 1400s. Like most dwellings built in the 1100 AD time frame, Montezuma's Castle was easily defended against enemies and as usual, nobody know why the dwelling was abandoned. The castle is a well built five-story structure that has literally stood the test of time and remains well preserved today. From the standpoint of photography, this scene is best shot in the morning.

IMPORTANT, please note ... whenever you visit a Pbase gallery for the first time, or if you have clicked on a size smaller than "original size" while visiting this or any other Pbase gallery, please be sure to click on "original" size, otherwise you will be presented with a low quality JPEG as versus the high quality JPEG (the size doesn't change, only the quality level of the JPEG compression); you only have to do this once, on the very first picture you look at.

Alternatively, on the very first picture you can add "/original" to the URL in the address bar and hit "refresh" or "go" as the case may be; again, you only have to do this once (on the very first picture). This "/original to the URL" approach is the sure-fire/no-mistake/best way to ensure you will see the highest quality JPEG presentation.