From the sunny beaches of Cancun to the enchanting ruins of Teotihuacán, Mexico has plenty to offer visitors. But what if you’d rather head off the beaten path? There’s certainly plenty of options to choose from. Mexico is an incredibly beautiful country, filled with diverse attractions that are sure to please any nature lover, history buff, and thrill seeker. Start your trip planning by learning a bit about Palenque.
Ancient city of Palenque
Palenque is in the Mexican state of Chiapas. According to CNN Travel, it takes its modern name from a nearby 16th century Spanish town. Its Mayan name is thought to be Lakamah, which means “big water.” Palenque was excavated during the 20th century, and today visitors can marvel at the beauty of this once-busy political center. Archaeologists have dated the peak period for the city at 226 to 799 Common Era (CE). It’s thought that the city was abandoned by 900 CE.
It was in the back of the Temple of the Inscriptions that an archaeologist detected a hidden passageway, which led down to the tomb of Emperor Pakal. Scholars have used the rich treasure trove of hieroglyphs found at Palenque to uncover hundreds of years of Mayan history. And in fact, the ornately carved lid of the emperor’s tomb made a significant contribution to the conspiracy theories about the Mayan calendar and its predictions about the end of the world.
One particular group was so convinced that the world would end in December 2012 that they traveled to Palenque, some with one-way tickets. Undoubtedly, confusion reigned supreme the following day!
Cave of the Swallows
If you’re an adventurous type of traveler, consider heading to San Luis Potosi to visit the largest known cave shaft in the world. The Cave of the Swallows is so enormous that the Chrysler Building could fit inside it. The tallest side is an astounding 1,092-foot drop. The beauty of the rock formations inside the cave shaft isn’t the only reason why it’s enchanted visitors for years. Visit it at dawn or dusk, and you’ll see thousands of birds dive-bomb into it.
Yaxchilan
Also in the Mexican state of Chiapas lies the ancient ruins of Yaxchilan. It’s an impressive collection of structures located within the Lacandon Rainforest on the banks of the Usumacinta River. More than 100 monuments stand guard in this ancient city. You can thank Lord Shield Jaguar II, whose 60-year rule began in 681 CE, for some of the most impressive sculptures and buildings found here. Take note of the many carved lintels, some of which depict the sacred ritual of bloodletting. The elites of Mayan civilization regularly engaged in bloodletting ceremonies, as they were thought to maintain order.
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Additional resources:
- CNN, Mexico’s Palenque is the best historical site you don’t know about, http://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/palenque-mexico/index.html
- Khan Academy, Yaxchilán—Lintels 24 and 25 from Structure 23 and structures 33 and 40, https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/indigenous-americas/a/yaxchilan-lintels