Palenque - The Temple of the Count

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by Dorothy Bell

Photographs by Bill Bell

Palenque - The Temple of the Count

The temple of the Count was named after Jean-Frédéric Waldeck an eccentric scoundrel who lived for two years inside the temple with his Mayan mistress.

The temple is classic Palenque Mayan pyramid and sits directly adjacent to the North group of structures and faces east towards the Ball court. It is a tall stepped pyramid with central stairwell leading up to the temple at the top. The temple has three entrances with a rear and front passageway leading to a central room and two side rooms. The pillars were covered with stucco sculptures and images. On the top it is adorned with a richly decorated roof comb.

Constructed between ad 640 and 650, it is the oldest excavated building so far. Three tombs with a number of human bodies and sacrificial offering were found underneath the portico’s floor.

Jean-Frédéric Maximilien de Waldeck (March 16, 1766? – April 30, 1875)

Waldeck was a born story teller and certainly left his mark on Mexico and specifically Palenque and other Mayan sites. Born in Europe however where is not clear. At different times he claimed to be born in Paris, Vienna or Prague and also claimed to be English German or Austrian. He called himself a count and yet at other times referred himself as a Baron or Duke.

He claimed to have travelled to South Africa and Egypt. None of his relationships his travel, the date of his birth or royal status has been verified on travel manifests or birth/baptismal certificates. He claimed he had participated in 42 revolutions, traveled with Francois Levaillant as far as the Cape of Good Hope and explored southern Africa. fought in Napoleon Bonaparte’s Italian campaign, was a pirate in the Indian Ocean and fought to help Chile achieve independence.

In 1832 he set up camp in Palenque in the middle of a jungle with hostile native, disease, incredible heat and humidity. At 66 he took a beautiful Mayan mistress and lived atop the Pyramid of the Count for two years. Here he drew the buildings, sculptures and people – embellishing them to conform to his view that the Mayans were the lost tribe of Egypt. His drawings of stucco images for example contained elephants and other elements never found in Mayan art. He published his book at 74 and it was a hit in Europe. This prompted other, more credible explorers to go to the Yucatan to document Mayan Architecture and art.

Waldeck apparently returned to Europe and married a 17 year-old girl at age ripe old age of 84 and they had a son. He apparently died when he tripped and fell in front of a speeding carriage when he was 109. It was said he was in a hurry to see a beautiful girl on the other side of the street.

Palenque - The Temple of the Count