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The site of Palenque was abandoned by the Maya people for several centuries, when the Spanish explorers arrived in Chiapas in the 16th century. The first European to visit the ruins and publish an account was Father Pedro Lorenzo de la Nada in 1567; at the time the local Chol Maya called it Otolum meaning "Land with strong houses", de la Nada roughly translated this into Spanish to give the site the name "Palenque", meaning "fortification". Palenque also became the name for the town (Santo Domingo del Palenque) which was built over some peripheral ruins down in the valley from the main ceremonial center of the ancient city. An ancient name for the central core of the city currently consolidated was Lakam Ha, which translates as "Big Water", for the numerous springs and wide cascades that are found within the site. Palenque was the capital of the important Classic period Maya city-state of B'aakal or B'aak (Bone), after one of the city's most frequently occurring Emblem Glyphs.
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Temple of Inscriptions
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Ecotourism |
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The Temple of Inscriptions was begun perhaps as early as 675 , as the funerary monument of K'inich Janaab' Pakal. The temple superstructure houses the second longest glyphic text known from the Maya world (the longest is the Hieroglyphic Stairway at Copan). The Temple of Inscriptions records approximately 180 years of the city's |
history from the 4th through 12th K'atun. The focal point of the narrative records K'inich Janaab' Pakal's K'atun period-ending rituals focused on the icons of the city's patron deities prosaically known collectively as the Palenque Triad or individually as GI, GII, and GIII. |
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The beautiful landscape surrounding Palenque contains fascinating places to visit such as Misol -Ha, Agua Clara, Agua Azul, Catazajá and Las Guacamayas.
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Agua Azul
Waterfalls formed by the Río Yaxhá that are strikingly beautiful because of their color and length, making this one of the most spectacular places in Mexico. Located 62 km outside Palenque on the way to Ocosingo.
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Natural Resources |
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Palenque Ruins |
In the Jungle of Chiapas, nestled on a thickly wooded ridge, are the ancient ruins of Palenque (pah-LEN-keh); situated near a town of the same name. The town itself has no real attraction to speak of, but the nearby ancient Mayan city of Palenque i
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s Mexico's most breath-taking archaeological park: in our opinion, the best you'll find anywhere in Mexico, and a must-see Mexico Experience
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It is difficult writing about the ruin sites, other than to describe the number of temples, mounds, plazas or tombs. Palenque is small compared to grander ruins like Copán, but still holds a quality in common with almost all
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the sites I have seen. Sitting on temple steps or walking through mazes of crumbling rooms, I have felt an energy that exists nowhere else. The word "magical" has often referred to that quality for lack of a better description, but this overused catchword is insufficient. |
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