Cliff Palace is perhaps the most unique building I’ve written about. It is located in present-day Mesa Verde National Park, just outside Mancos, CO. Cliff Palace was built, used, and subsequently abandoned over 700 years ago by an ancient North American tribal people called the Ancestral Puebloans. The largest cliff dwelling in North America, it originally consisted of over 150 rooms, all sharing walls, to create a large community dwelling. The structures are made from sandstone, supported by wooden beams and held together with mortar made from ash, water, and earth. Small stones fill in the gaps. In addition to the above-ground rooms, there are 23 pit rooms called kivas. The entire structure is built beneath an overhanging cliff to provide shelter from the elements, hence the name Cliff Palace.

My grandmother lives in Mancos. In visiting her, I have visited Mesa Verde and Cliff Palace on several occasions. Each visit to this historic building has given me a greater appreciation for ancient architecture. It fascinates me to see the use of various natural materials, the flawless construction without the use of modern tools, and the number of buildings still standing after 700 years. Even though much of the palace has fallen into ruin, many buildings still remain, proudly defying the wind and rain, a testament to a mighty tribe which once dwelt in these cliffs.