Although it is quite a trek to Palenque from Mérida, it is well worth the trouble. It is possible to get there in a day by car
and in July 2008 we took just 8 hours, including an hour's stop for a delicious fish lunch on the Gulf of México at Champoton, before turning inland to briefly cross the "saucy" State of Tabasco and on into Chiapas. We found a landscape very different to the flat Yucatán, with mountains and high jungle filled with black howler monkeys, exotic birds and butterflies, and of course the numerous fascinating Ancient Cities of the Maya. Beautiful Chiapas Countryside
The Temple of the Inscriptions
Palenque is famous for the discovery by Méxican Archaeologists of the Tomb of King Pacal inside the Temple of the Inscriptions, with his body still intact. 
Pacal ascended to the throne at the age of 12 on July 29th 615, and lived to the age of 80. The name "Pacal" means "Shield" in Maya. Pacal oversaw the expansion of Palenque's power in the Western part of the Maya States, and initiated a building programme at his Capital that produced some of the Maya Civilisation's finest Art and Architecture. Although Palenque had been examined by Archaeologists before, the secret to opening the tomb, closed off by a stone slab with stone plugs in the holes, was only finally discovered in 1948 by Mexican Archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuiller. It took four years to clear away the rubble from the stairway leading down to Pacal the Great's tomb and it was finally uncovered in 1952. His skeletal remains were still lying inside his magnificent coffin, wearing a fabulous Jade mask and necklaces, surrounded by Sculptures and stucco reliefs depicting the King's journey to the Underworld.
In 1994 Archaeologist's excavated the adjacent Temple and found the tomb, remains and Jade Mortuary mask of the "Red Queen". You can see an interesting account of the dig at the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History's (INAH) report on The Red Queen.
King Pacal's Jade Mortuary Mask and Necklaces
in México City 's Anthropology Museum
Archaeologists opening Pacal's Tomb in June 1952
Replica of Pacal's Tomb in the Palenque Museum
The "Red Queen's" Jade Mortuary Mask - click on photo for a link to more information on the discovery
View of Palenque from the Temples of the Cross
The Royal Palace with its Tower
Relief Carving at Palenque Temple 14
Palenque is very popular with Archaeologists because of the numerous carvings and hieroglyphs that adorn the beautiful buildings and give us a tantalising insight into this fascinating Ancient Civilisation. It is also very busy with Tourists, so try and get there as early as you can to try and avoid the crowds.
Originally all the reliefs and Temples would have been highly coloured but unfortunately, with the damp climate most of the colour is now lost, literally, in the mists of time. Infact Chiapas State has one of the highest rainfalls of any region in México.
However, on our recent visit we were lucky enough to find one beautiful stucco relief of the last known King of Palenque, "K'inich Ahkal Mo' Naahb" - thought to be King Pacal's grandson, still in situ with its colour almost intact, (see my photo on the left) and infact the colour was so vivid that for a moment we felt as if we had been transported back in time, an unforgettable and truly magical moment. We later discovered that this is a reconstruction of the original but it was, nonetheless, very impressive and fascinating to see how it once would have looked in its original position. And there are more exquisitely
decorated and brightly coloured stucco reliefs and stone carvings to
be seen in the excellent on site Museum (see my photos of its treasures
at Palenque Museum).
Make sure you don't miss it and infact you will need to allow a FULL day, at the very least, to see Palenque properly.
See Also its nearby Arch Rival City and attacker Toniná.
King Pacal's grandson "K'inich Ahkal Mo' Naahb" Temple 19 (reconstruction of the original relief)
Wildlife at Palenque - A Howler Monkey
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