Palenque's ball court is towards the center of the site, and overlooked by Templo X.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.13 MILES
Ancient Palenque stands at the precise point where the first hills rise out of the Gulf coast plain, and the dense jungle covering these hills forms an…
Templo de las Inscripciones Group
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As you walk in from the entrance the vegetation suddenly peels away to reveal many of Palenque’s most magnificent buildings in one sublime vista. A line…
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Perhaps the most celebrated burial monument in the Americas, this is the tallest and most stately of Palenque’s buildings. Constructed on eight levels,…
17.77 MILES
Thirty kilometers from Palenque, these 25m-high curtains of water aren't the most dramatic water features in the area, but the turquoise river pools make…
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Pakal’s son, Kan B’alam II, was a prolific builder, and soon after the death of his father started designing the temples of the Grupo de las Cruces…
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In the jungle south of the Grupo de las Cruces is the Southern Acropolis, where archaeologists have made some terrific finds in recent excavations. You…
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East of the Grupo Norte, the main path crosses Arroyo Otolum. Some 70m beyond the stream, a right fork will take you to Grupo C, a set of jungle-covered…
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In 1999, in Templo XIX, archaeologists made the most important Palenque find for decades: an 8th-century limestone platform with stunning carvings of…
Nearby Palenque attractions
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North of El Palacio is a Juego de Pelota and the handsome buildings of the Northern Group. Crazy Count de Waldeck lived in the so-called Templo del Conde,…
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This temple gets its name from Count de Waldeck, an explorer and illustrator who lived inside the temple from 1832 to 1833.
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Diagonally opposite the Templo de las Inscripciones is El Palacio, a large structure divided into four main courtyards, with a maze of corridors and rooms…
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Just north of the Grupo Norte, this small group of buildings is right before the bridge across the Arroyo Otolum, which gives access to the Grupo de los…
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On the river, overlooking the Baño de la Reina, this small group has a lovely jungle setting.
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Built in the 8th century by Ahkal Mo’ Nahb’ III and restored in 1955, the tower has remnants of fine stucco reliefs on the walls, but you’re not allowed…
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A series of small falls tumble down to form natural bathing pools. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to bathe here.