If you have ever visited the tiny yet charming town of Crestone, Colorado, you may have noticed a strange, castle-like dwelling atop a hill. Is it a castle? Why does it look so different from other castles? What is the deal with the winding staircase? Come to find out, it is not a castle, but rather the Crestone Ziggurat, which comes complete with a fascinating history:

Home to less than 150 residents, Crestone may be a seemingly small town. Still, what it lacks in size it makes up for in diversity, with local religions consisting of everything from Catholic to Protestant to New Age, Buddhism, and Zen.
Jeffrey Beall/Wikimedia Commons
Nicknamed the "New Age religious capital of the world," Crestone is home to several churches, spiritual centers, and other unique places of worship, including the castle-like Crestone Ziggurat.
Google/William Brown Tangleoak Woodshop
Built by Najeeb Halaby, the father of Queen Noor of Jordan, in 1978, the Crestone Ziggurat was once a private place for prayer and reflection but has since opened to the public, who are invited to come to explore and spend time in meditation. 
Google/Scott Posilkin

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What is a Ziggurat? Initially built in ancient Mesopotamia out of sun-dried bricks, Ziggurats are shrines erected as dwelling places for the gods, making the open-to-the-public one in Crestone all the more unique. 
Google/William Brown Tangleoak Woodshop
When you visit, be sure to climb to the top of the Crestone Ziggurat's tower, which offers jaw-dropping and heavenly views that you will not see anywhere else. 
Google/William Brown Tangleoak Woodshop
While you are there, you are also encouraged to arrange rocks in a personal design, so as to make the experience even more unique to you. 
Google/Debbie aka Ms Mindfulness
The Crestone Ziggurat is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. 
Google/Jeremy A Lingle

Do you have a place that you would like to see featured on Only in Colorado? Nominate it here! In addition to the Ziggurat, Crestone is home to the only funeral pyre in the country, which you can learn more about via You May Be Surprised To Learn That This Colorado Town Is Famous For This Morbid Reason.

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Crestone, CO 81131, USA