Templo de las Inscripciones Group
Palenque
As you walk in from the entrance the vegetation suddenly peels away to reveal many of Palenque’s most magnificent buildings in one sublime vista. A line…
Must-see attractions in Palenque
Palenque
Perhaps the most celebrated burial monument in the Americas, this is the tallest and most stately of Palenque’s buildings. Constructed on eight levels,…
Palenque
Pakal’s son, Kan B’alam II, was a prolific builder, and soon after the death of his father started designing the temples of the Grupo de las Cruces…
Palenque
Agua Azul is a breathtaking sight, with its powerful and dazzling white waterfalls thundering into turquoise (outside rainy season) pools surrounded by…
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Palenque
In the jungle south of the Grupo de las Cruces is the Southern Acropolis, where archaeologists have made some terrific finds in recent excavations. You…
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Palenque
East of the Grupo Norte, the main path crosses Arroyo Otolum. Some 70m beyond the stream, a right fork will take you to Grupo C, a set of jungle-covered…
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Palenque
Diagonally opposite the Templo de las Inscripciones is El Palacio, a large structure divided into four main courtyards, with a maze of corridors and rooms…
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Palenque
Just off the road to the ruins, El Panchán is a legendary travelers’ hangout set in a patch of dense rainforest. It’s the epicenter of Palenque’s…
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Palenque
In 1999, in Templo XIX, archaeologists made the most important Palenque find for decades: an 8th-century limestone platform with stunning carvings of…
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Palenque
Just 20km south of Palenque, Misol-Ha cascades approximately 35m into a wonderful wide pool surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. It’s a sublime place…
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Palenque
The Templo del Sol, on the west side of the Acrópolis Sur plaza, has the best-preserved roofcomb at Palenque. Carvings inside, commemorating Kan B’alam’s…
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Palenque
Palenque’s site museum is well worth a wander, displaying finds from the site and interpreting, in English and Spanish, Palenque’s history. Highlights…
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Palenque
Steep steps climb to the Templo de la Cruz, the largest and most elegantly proportioned in Grupo de las Cruces. The stone tablet in the central sanctuary…
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Palenque
The corbel arches here are fully exposed, revealing how Palenque’s architects designed these buildings. A well-preserved inscribed tablet shows a king …
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Palenque
Discovered in 1999, Templo XX contains a red-frescoed tomb built in 540 that is currently Palenque's most active dig. Archaeologists began restoration…
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Palenque
This temple contains the tomb of a female dignitary, whose remains were found colored red (as a result of treatment with cinnabar) when unearthed in 1994…
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Palenque
North of El Palacio is a Juego de Pelota and the handsome buildings of the Northern Group. Crazy Count de Waldeck lived in the so-called Templo del Conde,…
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Palenque
Between the Cruces group and the Acrópolis Sur, this temple contains a reproduction carved panel depicting Kan B’alam, standing with a spear, with a bound…
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Palenque
Built in the 8th century by Ahkal Mo’ Nahb’ III and restored in 1955, the tower has remnants of fine stucco reliefs on the walls, but you’re not allowed…
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Palenque
Just north of the Grupo Norte, this small group of buildings is right before the bridge across the Arroyo Otolum, which gives access to the Grupo de los…
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Palenque
Main entrance to the ruins with snack bars. You're likely to be launched upon by guides; ensure they are the registered guides, identifiable by their ID…
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Palenque
In 2002, archaeologists found a throne in Templo XXI with very fine carvings depicting Ahkal Mo’ Nahb', his ancestor the great Pakal, and his son U Pakal.
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Palenque
Also called Templo XII, this temple takes its popular name from the relief sculpture of a rabbit or deer skull at the foot of one of its pillars.
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Palenque
This temple gets its name from Count de Waldeck, an explorer and illustrator who lived inside the temple from 1832 to 1833.
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Palenque
Overgrown and of little interest, Templo XI is the first structure you'll see entering the site from the main entrance.
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Palenque
Palenque's central plaza is busy any time, but comes to life after the sun goes down. Sometimes hosts free concerts.
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Palenque
The height of Templo XXIV has given rise to the theory that it may also have been used for astronomical observation.
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Palenque
A series of small falls tumble down to form natural bathing pools. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to bathe here.
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Palenque
A roundabout and a landmark featuring a large statue of a Maya chieftain’s head, at the west end of town.
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Palenque
The man who discovered Pakal’s tomb in 1952 was buried here, under the trees in front of Templo XIII.
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Palenque
A set of jungle-covered buildings and plazas thought to have been lived in from about AD 750 to 800.
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Palenque
Largely unrestored and being reclaimed by the jungle, this temple is a photographer's favorite.
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Palenque
On the river, overlooking the Baño de la Reina, this small group has a lovely jungle setting.
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Palenque
Palenque's ball court is towards the center of the site, and overlooked by Templo X.
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