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Well hidden
within the jungles of Chiapas, the great Mayan city of
Palenque may almost seem like a dream to
you. That may be because there’s nothing as surreal as
its beautiful buildings emerging from the mist. You have
to touch those moss-covered walls with the dew dripping
from them to prove that they’re real. You’ve got to shut
your eyes and listen to the birds, to the howler
monkeys, to the faint sound of a waterfall, to smell the
dampness; the greenness…
But in reality, what you’ll see in Palenque isn’t even
10% of what it once was. There are still so very many
traces under the ground and the trees. The paradox is
that it was here, in 1952, where one of the most
important finds with respect to the Mayan world
occurred: the tomb of Pacal, in the
Temple of the Inscriptions, that remained
concealed for twelve centuries. The beautiful
inscriptions on the sarcophagus have inspired so many
interpretations, although the one accepted by
investigators is that it represents Pacal’s
descent to the underworld as well as an allegory about
death and resurrection.
Pacal had two sons who inherited his taste
and interest in architecture, so Palenque lived almost a
century of continuous remodeling and beautification that
made it the rival of the imposing city of Tikal,
in Guatemala. Beautiful bas-reliefs found in the walls
of Palenque recreate its own history as well as that of
its lords or “ahau”, as they say in Mayan.
The tour in Palenque starts at the Central
Plaza that dominates the Temple of the Inscriptions.
To its right is the Palace, where a great number of
stucco embossments, mural paintings and monuments to
fallen warriors from conquered cities can be observed.
Further along, you’ll find the compound of the Cross,
made up of the Temple of the Sun, the Temples
of the Cross and of the Foliated Cross; a
Ball Game (a ritual related to the movement of the
heavenly bodies and to the designations of the gods) and
a series of buildings known as the Northern Group.
During your tour of Palenque you’ll also have the
opportunity to explore the Chiapanec
jungle, whose evergreen trees reach a height of 50
meters. And since access to the tomb of Pacal
is prohibited, in the Site Museum you’ll be able to
enjoy an impressive glass model replica displaying all
of the sarcophagus’ embossments and the walls
surrounding it.
Palenque has been a World Heritage site
since 1987.
Angie Galicia
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Location:
Parque Nacional and the
archeological monument zone of Palenque,
located 290 km from Tuxtla Gutiérrez,
Chiapas and 220 km from San Cristóbal de
las Casas, Chiapas.
How to get there:
Tours available from Palenque
(the town), Tuxtla Gutiérrez, San
Cristóbal de las Casas, Villahermosa
(Tabasco) and Mexico City
*
ADO buses from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, San
Cristóbal de las Casas, Villahermosa,
Mérida and Mexico City.
*
Light aircraft from Tuxtla Gutiérrez,
Ocosingo and Comitán, Chiapas.
Visiting time required:
1 day.
Visiting hours:
8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
*
"Dr. Alberto Ruz L'Huiller" site museum:
from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Entry fee:
$51.00
MXN (pesos)
Guided tours:
There are tour guides
within Palenque certified by the
National Institute of Anthropology and
History (INAH) or by the Secretary of
Tourism.
Where to eat:
Restaurante Maya,
Av.
Hidalgo, Palenque, Mexico
*
Ciudad Real Palenque, Carr. Pakal-Na,
1.5, Palenque, Mexico
*
Restaurante La Selva,
Carr. Palenque Ruinas Km. 0.5 Palenque
*
Restaurante Carretera a las Ruinas 4.5,
Palenque, Mexico
*
Restaurante Los Pinos
Francisco Mina between
4th and Periferico Sur, Palenque.
Suggestions for shopping:
The Palenque Site
Museum Shop and also vendors within the
archeological zone.
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