Look East Look West: Ancient Palenque Maya Ruins

Gulf Coast Plain from the Temple of the Cross

Ancient Palenque stands at the precise point where the first hills rise out of the gulf coast plain. The dense jungle covering these hills form an evocative backdrop to Palenque's exquisite Maya architecture. It was an important ancient Maya city in architectural magnificence, cultural and historical importance.

Palace Complex

Palenque was known in the ancient times as Lakamha which means Big Water. The city-state in southern Mexico flourished in the 7th century CE. The entire site dates from ca. 200 BCE to 799 CE. The Nearby Usamacinta River placed Palenque along a main trade route and diverted water was moved through man-made canals into the city. The Otulum River, a tributary of the Usamacinta, was channeled through an ingenious 50m long canal that crosses the city.

Temple of Inscriptions

One if the first temples you come to is The Temple of Inscriptions that was begun in 675 CE and has one of the longest glyphic text known in the Maya world. It records approximately 180 years of the city's history. What the temple is most famous for now is Pakal the Greats tomb, found in 1952 by Alberto Ruz Lhuillier. After he removed a stone slab, the hole revealed a passageway and stair the led to the Pakal's tomb. It was remarkable for its large carved sarcophagus, rich objects buried with Pakal and stucco sculptures decorating the wall.

El Palacio

The Palace Complex is across the from the the Temple of Inscriptions and consists of several connected and near-by buildings and courtyards. It was built by several generations of royalty during a four hundred year period. The palace is located in the center of the ancient city. The Palace's most unique recognizable feature is the four-story observation tower which might have been used for astronomy and observation.

The Palace itself was equipped with many large baths and saunas that were supplied with fresh water from the intricate water system. The Palace Complex is the largest building group in Palenque and is unique for Maya cities as a royal residence. All of Palenque was decorated with stucco and painted in bright colors.

Temple of the Cross

The third major architectural group is The group of the Cross. This group is a collection of three temples – the Temple of the Sun, the Cross and the foliated Cross which were all built in the 7th century CE and arranged around a plaza. Each temple is placed on a raised platform and accessed by flights of monumental steps. The height of the Temple of the Cross allows for a wonderful view of the entire city of Palenque.