Once home to an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 Mississippian Native Americans, the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville is one of only eight United Nations cultural World Heritage sites in the United States.

The area once included over 100 mounds, with the largest, Monks Mound, at nearly 100 feet tall. The grounds also included a circle of wooden poles known as Woodhenge, used as a solar calendar, and a series of plazas used for public gatherings and festivities.

While many of the original mounds no longer stand, others have stood the test of time, including Monks Mound with stairs allowing visitors a view from the top. The Cahokian Interpretive Center gives visitors insight into what life was like for the Mississippian culture and includes many artifacts excavated from around the site.

Learn more:
Cahokia Mounds - State Historic Site
World Heritage List - Cahokia Mounds
Sacred Destinations