Aztec Ruins National Monument — Attraction in Aztec

The ranger at the front is very well informed and will give you a run down on what you're looking at, what to expect, and extra things to pay attention too. Very kind and helpful. They will give you a self guided sheet, to read as you go. I believe they said that 90% of the ruins is natural, and the other 10% was reconstructed or reinforced to ensure it's preserved. This sight it extremely rare to see. The village was believed to be PLANNED . Most villages build a few structures and add to it, as the town grew. This site has some like that, but the actual plan of location, direction it faces, decor of different stone stripped down the wall, this was planned and built by "professionals". Like a construction site today. This is the only place I've been in my travels where you can walk in, through and around a keva. It's still constructed roof and all, and was a surreal experience being inside of such a room. The local tribe still uses it for ceremonies today! You can even walk through most of the rooms in the living area itself as well. See the original roofs, look in to Windows that lead to court yards with grinding stones and an authentic door tapestry that hangs in the same place it has for hundreds of years. It really is one of the best and most well preserved sites I've been to, and I'm am really happy I took the time to visit. I would have probably never heard of it, if I wasn't staying in a nearby town, and I really would have missed out on such a fantastic historical site. I'd give 10 stars if that were an option. Don't forget to check out the museum and the short video they show telling you more about the people and the site itself. Worth the time...

Surrounded by cottonwoods and other trees, the ruins came into view. I observed a group of young people, many of whom were Native American, tidying sections of the park. This act struck me as a powerful display of pride and respect for their heritage and the land their ancestors once called home.

The Aztec ruins are an engineering and architectural marvel. Even in their current state, the elegance and artistry of the construction are awe-inspiring, and it's easy to imagine their majestic grandeur when inhabited. The green sandstone inlay on one wall was particularly captivating, its undulating pattern reminiscent of snake-like designs found in cave art at the Gila Ruins, as well as in ruins in southern Mexico and Mayan ruins in Guatemala and Belize.

I learned that the site was inhabited by Ancestral Puebloans, not Aztecs, in the 11th and 12th centuries. In fact, these structures pre-date the Aztec civilization by a couple of centuries. The people who built and lived in these structures had strong connections to Chaco Canyon. The Aztec structure and it’s surrounding communities rivaled that of Chaco Canyon and flourished even after Chaco Canyon was waning around 1100 AD. So, as it turns out, the name "Aztec" was a misnomer given by later European-American settlers who mistakenly believed the Aztecs had built the site.

This site was designated as a National Monument in 1923 to protect and preserve its historical significance and in acknowledgement of the site’s importance in understanding the ancient Puebloan culture and their architectural and...

Had an amazing time here. The woman at the information center was very helpful with all our questions. And we had A LOT of questions.

This is an guided tour though I didn't ask if there was a guided tour. You get a informational guide book (that you return) that you get when you first enter. There's lots of artifacts to view and ponder in the center as well. They have a short film to watch if you want that goes to the Pueblo Indians and how they suspect they came to the region. Very interesting

When you leave the visiting center the ruins are about 25ft away. The paths are clearly marked and though you can make it around the outside of the ruins with a wheel chair, you won't be able to enter the structures themselves as the natives weren't ada compliant when they built the place 😂

Over all, my wife and I wondered around for about two hours. We weren't in a hurry and were taking lots of pictures. Make sure when you come to this truly amazing place to bring plenty of water and a really good camera. There so many things to see that to be able to go back through your pictures if advised.

We had an amazing adventure and didn't have to pay to see it. Less the cost to travel there of course. We donated 20.00 and bought a couple mementos of the visit.

Over all the...