The city was founded during the Late Preclassic, which corresponds to the beginning of the Christian era. Palenque has been the object of interest of numerous travelers, explorers and researchers since the 18th century. The ancient city has a planned urban layout, with monumental edifices and some of the largest clearings found in all the Maya area. IntegrityOnce the ancient city of Palenque was abandoned around the 9th century, the thick jungle surrounding it covered its temples and palaces. The latter is in charge of the conservation of the natural resources within the area of the National Park, which is protected since 1981.