The Chiapas fog hugs the slopes of the hill on which Palenque, one of the most prestigious Mayan sites, was built. The tropical forest had taken over this huge stone sanctuary, whose peak was in the 8C AD. It wasn't dug out until the 19C, when the Englishman Catherwood's romantic drawings made it famous. Palenque is distinguished by the mastery of the sculptures covering its buildings, including bas-reliefs, sculpture in the round, and above all its beautiful calligraphy.