Copán

Copán, also known as Copán Ruinas, is an ancient Maya city in the western Honduran department of Copán, near the town of Copán Ruinas and close to the Guatemalan border. The site sits in a river valley and is one of the best-preserved and most studied Maya centers, renowned for its monumental sculpture and inscriptions.

The city flourished during the Late Classic period, roughly AD 600–900, and served as a major political and ceremonial hub in the southeastern Maya lowlands. Its monuments and glyphic texts preserve dynastic history and relations with other Maya polities, making Copán an important source for Maya epigraphy and history.

Key features include the Hieroglyphic Stairway, a prominent monument bearing glyphic inscriptions; numerous stelae and altars; the Rosalila temple, preserved beneath later constructions and noted for its well-preserved interiors; an acropolis with pyramids and palaces; a large ball court; and Altar Q, a carved block illustrating the dynastic line of Copán’s rulers.

Archaeological work began in the 19th and 20th centuries, and in 1980 Copán was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Today, the site remains a major archaeological and tourist area, with a museum and ongoing excavations that continue to enrich understanding of Maya urban planning, sculpture, and epigraphy.