Of all the Mayan sites, Copan Ruinas has been a major source of information regarding the Mayan civilization. Designated by Unesco as a world heritage site, archaeologists continue to probe the site today. In contrast to Tikal, Palenque, and Tulum with their impressive architecture, Copan offers visitors a feast of Mayan artifacts to discover. The detail and sheer volume of carvings and stelae are impressive; 4,509 structures have been detected with 3,450 of the structures found only 24 sq km surrounding the Principal Group.
The Principal Group consists of five basic areas of interest:
The Acropolis - Divided in two big plazas: the west court and east court. The west court houses temple 11 and temple 16 with altar Q set at its base. Temple 11 was built as a portal to the other world. Temple 16 sits in between the east and west court; it was built on top of a previous temple without damaging it. Altar Q depicts the 16 members of the Copan Dynasty.
The Tunnels - Archeologists have dug 4km of tunnels under the acropolis to view earlier stages of Copan civilization. Two of the tunnels are open to the public for an additional fee.
The Ball Court - The ball court is the second largest to be found in Central America.
The Hieroglyphic Stairway - The most famous of Copan's monuments, 63 steps and several thousand glyphs tell the history of the royal house of Copan and is the longest known text of ancient mayan civilization. Unfortunately, the steps have fallen out of place leaving the exact meaning undeciferable.
The Great Plaza - The immense plaza is famous for its stelae and altars that are found scattered around a well groomed lawn.
In addition to the park, two museums contain more artifacts and information about the mayan civilization. One museum is housed at the archeological site, the other in the town of Copan.
About the town of Copan
The Copan Ruins are located on kilometre south of the small town of Copan Ruinas, commonly referred to as Copan; a charming town of steep cobbled streets and red tiled roofs. The parque central, with the lovely colonial church on one side is the heart of this very small town. The ruins are a short 15 minute stroll along a foot path from town. Our guests stay at La Casa de Cafe, a wonderful bed and breakfast with hammocks and outdoor seating and great views of the green mountains of Guatamala.