The Palace is a complex building, constructed at different times, divided into four main courtyards, with a maze of corridors and rooms that give shape to a rambling administrative and residential block. Its square tower dominates the rectangular building, filled with art in many different parts. Stuccoed reliefs, with large human figures... A whole court filled with kings on blocks... Tunnels with beautiful light filtering from the outside, will all transport you back into the time when this place was alive and important political decisions were made at this very place!

It is the largest compound in Palenque, measuring 97 mts x 73 mts at its base. This rectangular building has the most constructive volume in the city and covers the most surface too. The first buildings date from the Early Classic period, called subterraneos, and built on a platform 3 mts high. This buildings were built on a low lying platform during the Vth Century. They were later on dismantled and buried when the height and the extension of the original platform were augmented by the end of the VIth century. The buildings you may see there now are a on platform 10 mts high. House E was one of the first buildings to be constructed over the new and spacious base. It was commissioned by Pakal around 650 AD. After that houses A, B and C and the subterranean were added... When exploring the building do not forget to take pictures in the subterranean. These buildings were the base for new constructions. They were built in this order E, J+K, B, C, A, D, A-D, Tower, Toilets, H+G, I, F and L. The following rulers continued buiding structures on the platform, thus reducing the interior patios. They were Janaab Pakal, Kan Balam II, Kan Chitam II and Kuk Balam II. The Palace got its final appearance around 790 AD, as a result of a long series of modificiations. Now the building boasted amazing stairways, galleries, corridors, sanctuaries, pasageways, latrines, steam baths, and a peculiar 4 story tower.

The compound had political and administrative functions and was, at the same time, the residence of the Palenque Dynastic Rulers. Apparently, the galeries of the subterraneans such as those of House E were designed so as to be the halls where enthronement ceremonies were held. The subterraneans represented the Underworld and maybe that was why when a ruler died his throne was placed in this part of the building, so as to indicate the ending of its functions. It is like a momorial or like if we placed Washington's chair or Jefferson's pen in a museum. However, for the Maya the building itself, the particular part of the building, the particular place to put the throne, all had a spiritual and deeply meaningful symbolism. It may be considered as highly speculative to say this, but of course the idea on this website is not only to report archaeolgoical findings, but to also interpret some of their possible meanings. All buildings in the Palace were painted in red, the only exception is House E, painted in white.

The Slave Patio

The northeastern part of the Palace is adorned by an exquisitely harmonious patio, bordered by Houses A, B, C and AD. It has a decorated stairway with glyphic inscriptions, as well as stone panels representing several captives, thus receiving the name of the Slave Patio. It is highly possible this was the place where the political and administrative organization leaders responsible for the provinces subject to Palenque met and discussed the affairs of those states!

The relief sculptures one may appreciate in this part of the Palace seem disproportionately large for their setting: its conjectured that they represented conquered rulers and that they were brought from elsewhere. It is not certain that all of them are captive though. The little figures and the two near the glyphed stairway are. But the nine on the disproportionate stones may be sublords, because they are not bound, they are dressed in full regalia and wear earpplugs but don't have a band! The gesture alone says nothing.

Inside is House D. House D has serval pillasts decorated with stuck reliefs. The stucco tablet decorating one of those pillasts shows the main character performing a dance, holding an axe and a supernatural snake. The woman who is also depicted on this bas relief holds the snake too. But it may be that this is not a dance at all. Maybe the person has a deformity in one of his feet. It could well be that the man is Pacal and the Lady his mother, Lady Zac-Kuk, or his wife Lady Ahpo Hel. On Pillast B, in House D you may also see a person sitting on a throne.

The Oval Plaque is in House E and represents the enthronement ceremony of Pakal II who is sitting on a bicefalous jaguar throne, receiving the insignia of power from his mother Lady Sak K'uk (White Quetzal). In the interior of House E there is a painted details forming the body of the Cosmic Monster, a mythological being. The signs of the mooo n are observed, the Sky and the Sun. At the Center is a a mask and Itsam Ye's wings extended. Itsam Ye is the main Bird God. The Cosmic Monster represents the passage of the stars and all the heavinly bodies in the celestial abode...

The Palace Tablet

On House AD in the Palace tablet was found that registers biographical data from Kan Joy Chitam II, his birth in 644 AD, his designation as the heir to the throne in 684.

The enthonement of Pakal II is also consigned: in the monument commissioned by Chitam II. Chitam initated the work on the building. This gallery connected the houses A and D. In the center of this building was set the Palace Tablet. But he only starts with that project and was unable to complete it... In 711 AD he was captured by the lords of Tonina. The tablet and the building were finalized by his succesor and younger brother U K'aba Ox Yo Tsan (His Name, that of Three Thrones, who appears with the name of K'inich Ahkal Mo' Naab III) who registered his own succesion in 720 AD, in the last column in the inscription.

Kan Balam II's death in 702 AD is also mentioned in this text. That year Kan Joy Chitam I got his title at age six and was enthroned as the Lord of Palenque.

The scene shows Pakal's grandson K'inich Ahkal Mo' Naab III receiving the insignias of power from his parents Pakal II and Lady Ts'ak Ahaw. The characters are portrayed sitting on the throne of creation, are also linked to the name of the new ruler, and they are his mother, Lady Kinuw and his father, Batz Chan Mat. (Batz Chan Mat was son of Pacal II and Lady Tz'akb'u Ajaw. He came into power 721 A.D.)

The asumption is that the tower was built so that Mayan royalty and priests could observe the sun falling direclty onto the Temple of the Inscriptions during the winter solstice. Archaeologists believe the tower was probably constructed by Kuk Balam II, between 764 and 783.

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