Palenque

Palenque, one of the most beautiful ancient cities discovered in the Americas, is tucked in the jungle where the Usumacinta River drainage meets the coastal plain of the Gulf of Mexico. Due to the interest and dedicated scholarship of a number of talented epigraphers and art historians, the history of Palenque is better known than that of any other Mayan site. The rich hieroglyphic texts carved on stone panels, buildings, and monuments have brought to life the story of the rulers of Palenque, their names, dates, and historic events.You need at least one full day to explore this lovely Mayan ceremonial city. Get up early and be ready to buy your ticket as the gates open. Not only do you want to arrive before countless busloads of tourists pull into the parking lot, but morning is a magical time. The mists from the mountains hang over the ancient buildings, lending an air of mystery to the magnificent city. Stone structures of amazing beauty rise on every side as you walk among the ruins of the great castillo, the immense palace, temples, and ball court. The pyramids, crowned by temples, cluster around plazas, each temple decorated with inscribed panels and tall, soaring roof-combs of open-stone fretwork. There are guides available who will enhance your explorations, though all of the buildings have plaques describing them in Spanish, English, and Mayan. There is a treasure of wonders to see here and to get you started, we mention below a few of our favorites. Templo de Las Inscripciones (Temple of the Inscriptions): This towering pyramid that dominates the landscape is named for the stone hieroglyphic panels found within. In 1948, a Mexican archaeologist, Alberto Ruz, discovered a steep hidden stairway leading from the floor of the elevated temple deep into the heart of the tall pyramid. At the bottom of the stairway, under 400 tons of rubble which were removed by hand, he found a royal crypt occupied by Pacal, the most important ruler of Palenque. He had been buried with great splendor, and was accompanied by magnificent jade jewelry and an elegant jade mosaic mask. His sarcophagus was topped by an elaborate lid carved with figures and a hieroglyphic text tracing his dynastic descent from the gods, assuring his royal presence and rebirth in the afterlife. The discovery of this tomb was of major importance to Mayan archaeology because it definitively established that many of the massive Mayan pyramids were the sites of royal burials. Note: To the right of the entrance you will see the tomb of Alberto Ruz, who wanted to be buried next to the temple where he made his remarkable discovery. El Palacio (The Palace): This huge, imposing complex is quite unlike others in the Mayan world. It looks more like a structure one might expect to find in Europe, with a slender, tall watchtower, a labyrinth of intricate rooms, a series of inner courtyards, galleries faced by columns, and exquisite stucco designs. This building is thought to have been the dwelling of royalty, since steam baths and bedrooms were found here. What is especially interesting about this building is that many of the rooms still have roofs, making it easier to visualize what life here might have been like. It is fun to explore this maze of rooms via dimly lit passageways. El Palacio is the building that the intrepid explorer, John Lloyd Stephens, and his talented artist colleague, Frederic Catherwood, chose to make their home when visiting Palenque. These two men explored this fascinating region between 1839 and 1841, laying the groundwork for later archaeological expeditions. Before heading off to Mexico, borrow Stephens’s book, Incidents of Travel in Yucatán, Volume II, from your local library. It is enthralling to gaze at Catherwood’s wonderful illustrations, and see what Palenque looked like before being rescued from its slumber of many years within the jungle.Templo del Conde (Temple of the Count): This temple is named for Jean Frederic Maximilien de Waldec, an eccentric German count who lived here for a year in 1832 in a small temple tucked at the top of this high pyramid The count brought along his mistress, who must have been quite madly in love with him to camp high atop a pyramid in the middle of a steaming jungle without running water or air conditioning—modern amenities that today might make such a romp quite fun. No doubt the views were romantic, but the steps up and down each day must have been quite arduous. When visiting this gigantic complex, it is intriguing to realize that only about a third of this awesome city has been uncovered. It is interesting to walk along the paths lacing the dense jungle, watching teams of archaeologists going about their meticulous work.To complete your day, before returning to the hotel, be sure to stop by the fine Museum of Palenque, which you passed on the right side of the road as you drove into the site. This museum contains many objects of jade, stone, and pottery excavated at the city. In addition, in a building next to the museum is an exceptionally attractive gift shop that handles not only books and replicas of objects, but also wonderful ethnographic materials such as textiles and carvings made by modern Mayan artists.