The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings are some of the most remarkable and well-preserved archaeological structures in North America. Constructed by the Ancestral Puebloan people, these dwellings served as homes and granaries supporting entire villages.  One of the most iconic sites is known as The Cliff Palace. Built in the 12 Century CE, it’s estimated this dwelling could support approximately 100+ people. It has approximately 150 rooms and 23 kivas, or sacred buildings, that were often subterranean and circular in shape. Accessible with retractable ladders, The Cliff Palace was built high into the cliff side for reasons not entirely understood by today’s historians.