Hi everyone! How are you today? I hope you are having nice days!
Today I'm here to show you the Palenque national park, the archaeological site in the state of Chiapas.
This ancient Mayan city is incredible for how its conservation has been maintained and I will accompany you in this discovery step by step.
Outside the park you notice that we are always surrounded by the beautiful jungle and being a tourist place (but unfortunately not very visited)... a small local market cannot be missing!
Upon entering the park you immediately come across a map that illustrates how immense the Palenque national park area is!
The recommendations are rightly numerous, in fact I think they are perfect, and cover any behavior that could damage the park. Environmental protection is the main and most important aspect to protect this unique ecosystem.
This archaeological area is the nation's cultural heritage and is also part of the UNESCO cultural heritage.
The site is also a pre-hispanic city..
It is also named place of great waters..
We are at the red dot indicated on the map below. It is the main entrance that is typically followed by all tourists. On this trip I want to illustrate the entire archaeological site up to the second entrance, which will be our exit, indicated in yellow at the bottom of the map.
There is also a dedicated sign indicating that drones cannot be used in the park.
Once we have passed all the signs... we start walking in the park and immediately notice the immense vegetation and the paths available for walking in the park.
And here we are seeing the first buildings on our journey through the Mayan ruins.
The Temple of the Skull. It is also known as Temple of the Bloody Head or Temple of the Red King. This temple owes its name to the sculptural decorations representing skulls and skeletons, which are found on the upper part of the structure.
Temple of the Red Queen. It is known to have been the burial place of a Mayan queen, whose body was discovered inside the pyramid, the wife of Pakal the Great, one of the most important rulers of Palenque.
Alberto Ruz Lhuillier was a Mexican archaeologist of Cuban origin. Ruz Lhuillier has dedicated much of his career to the study of Palenque, and his discoveries have provided valuable information on the history, religion, and culture of the Maya.
Templo de las Inscripciones. The name derives from the numerous inscriptions found inside, which tell the story of Pakal and his dynasty. The structure is characterized by a nine-step pyramid, topped by a temple that houses a series of internal chambers.
The Torre del Palacio rises above the other surrounding structures.
While you have observed these first ruins of the Palenque national park these are some photos of nature which have accompanied me in this experience for now. It's beautiful right?
Around the Palacio tower it is possible to admire the engineering qualities of the Mayan civilization. the houses built on the small hill and the water canal.
After this first part we move towards a new area of the archaeological zone. The route is always fascinating... it may also be because of the weather which makes the place even more magical.
It was also very nice to be able to see the people who do the daily maintenance at the park... regardless of the weather!
The Temple of the Sun is one of the most visited and photographed sites in Palenque, thanks to its majestic architecture and its religious and cultural significance within the Mayan civilization.
Templo de la Cruz Foliada is a stepped pyramid with a central staircase leading to its upper platform, where the temple structures are located.
The Temple of the Cross was so named because of the carved cross on its facade.
The Temple XIV takes its name from the monumental censer found inside its main chamber. It was nice to photograph the tourist sitting and admiring all the beauties around him.
El Palacio it was the administrative and residential center of the Maya city of Palenque.
Juego de Pelota, or ball game, was a ceremonial and sporting activity practiced by ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Maya
After a bathroom break.. we continue reading with the final part of our journey in the Palenque national park..
A beautiful waterfall..
Steam baths were known as temazcal in the Nahuatl language, also spoken by the Mayans.
The path is almost like a labyrinth... very fascinating to walk in this ancient place..
Now we cross the suspension bridge and see for the last time the beautiful nature and a magical waterfall around us..
Thank you so much for reading my article!
Text and photos are by @andr3a1sm !