Palenque's ball court is towards the center of the site, and overlooked by Templo X.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
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Ancient Palenque stands at the precise point where the first hills rise out of the Gulf coast plain, and the dense jungle covering these hills forms an…
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Templo de las Inscripciones Group
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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…
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Perhaps the most celebrated burial monument in the Americas, this is the tallest and most stately of Palenque’s buildings. Constructed on eight levels,…
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17.77 MILES
Thirty kilometers from Palenque, these 25m-high curtains of water aren't the most dramatic water features in the area, but the turquoise river pools make…
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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…
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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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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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In 1999, in Templo XIX, archaeologists made the most important Palenque find for decades: an 8th-century limestone platform with stunning carvings of…
Nearby Palenque attractions
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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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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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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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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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On the river, overlooking the Baño de la Reina, this small group has a lovely jungle setting.
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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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A series of small falls tumble down to form natural bathing pools. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to bathe here.