The pole used to tie a horse is called palenque.
Palenque is a term with various uses. Coming from the Catalan language ( palenc ), it is a fence or barrier that is used to delimit a surface or for defensive purposes. The palenque, therefore, is a delimited area in which different activities take place.
In this sense we have to say that palenque is also a plank path that is set up with the clear objective of allowing the actors in a play to comfortably access the stage.
In the River Plate countries, palenques are posts that, nailed to the surface, allow horses or other animals to be tied. These piles must be resistant to be able to withstand the animal's eventual efforts to free itself.
The Palenque of Seville
In Seville, years ago, there was what was known as El Palenque . This was a venue conditioned in the best possible way to host all types of cultural shows.
Its uniqueness lay in the fact that it was one of the most significant places at Expo 92 . It had seats for 1,500 spectators, was identified by its cone dome and had been built by the architect José Miguel de la Prada Poole.
A type of shelter or housing
A palenque can also be a type of home or shelter . This meaning is used in Nicaragua , Costa Rica and Cuba to refer to different types of residences or dwellings.
Thus, for example, in the specific case of Cuba, palenque is a place far from the rest of the citizens and difficult to access, which was formerly inhabited by black slaves who had escaped.
The archaeological zone of Palenque houses the remains of a Mayan city.
The Mexican city of Palenque
In Mexico , Palenque is the name given to a city in Chiapas . It was founded in 1567 and has more than 42,000 inhabitants . Within said municipality, there is an ancient Mayan city that, framed in a national park, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site .
The Palenque archaeological zone has yet to be explored, as the structures are hidden by the jungle. The ruins detected allow us to appreciate the remains of temples, a palace, an aqueduct and other pre-Hispanic structures.
Other places that receive this name
In Panama , Palenque is a city that is part of the province of Colón while, in Ecuador , there is a town with the same name within Los Ríos .
San Luis de Palenque , meanwhile, is a Colombian municipality that is part of Casanare , an eastern department. Almost 7,000 people live there, mostly dedicated to livestock farming.
Also in Colombia , there is San Basilio de Palenque . About 50 kilometers from Cartagena de Indias is where this enclave is located, in the department of Bolívar, which is listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. And, among other things, it is considered to be the first free town in America.
Carlos Palenque
In the same way, we cannot forget Carlos Palenque (1944-1997). This was a singer and presenter from Bolivia who even ran for president of his country.
Palenque was known for belonging to the musical group "Los Caminantes" and for giving shape to various media outlets, including Popular Television .