Monk’s Mound

Monk's Mound is the largest Pre-Columbian earth pyramid in North America north of Mesoamerica.

Monk's Mound is located in the ruins of the former city of Cahokia ( Collinsville, Illinois, about 11 km east of downtown St. Louis) is surrounded by 60 smaller, 10-12 m high mounds. Monk's Mound itself rises in four terraces up to 30 m high, 220 m long, 170 m wide and 90 m long according to the platform and 40 m wide at the base; it contains 700,000 cubic meters of earth. Since he was probably partly removed by erosion, its original height is uncertain. The hill was in the time of the Mississippian culture to the people of Cahokia as a ceremonial site, presumably its terraces were occupied with political or religious owned premises, which seems to have been on the platform of a temple.

The present name probably comes from recently settled there monks.