Get to know Palenque archaeological site

The Mayan treasure of Chiapas

Eight kilometers (5 miles) from this Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) is the Zona Arqueológica de Palenque (Palenque Archaeological Zone), one of Mayan culture most important, it was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Although the area that we can visit is only a small percentage of what Palenque really was during its splendor in the Classic period, the Templo del Conde (Temple of the Count), El Palacio (The Palace) and the Templo de las Inscripciones (Temple of Inscriptions) stand out, in addition to Templos XII and XIII.

El Palacio (The Palace) is the largest area where you can see buildings such as stairways, patios, corridors and even underground passageways. The element that distinguishes this set is a four-sided tower that seems to watch over the visitors.

What to visit in the Archaeological Zone of Palenque?

The most important building is the Templo de las Inscripciones (Temple of Inscriptions), which inside preserved panels that have allowed us to know the place and its inhabitants history. This is where, in 1952, archaeologist Alberto Ruz L’Huillier discovered the tomb of King Pakal, the ruler of Palenque.

The sarcophagus where Pakal’s remains rested was inside a vault and inscriptions narrating his life. Pakal was buried with a jade mask worked in such detail that it’s still intact.

Spend a full day visiting the Archaeological Site of Palenque and make a stop at the six rooms Museo de Sitio Alberto Ruz L’Huillier (Alberto Ruz L’Huillier Site Museum) which preserves a large part of the pieces and findings that have been found in different parts of the area.