The ancient Maya ruins at Copán are so impressive that they were UNESCO inscribed in 1980 during the 4th UNESCO session. Copán is located in western Honduras not far from the border with Guatemala and was once a flushing ancient Maya city. While the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala may have been the largest Maya city, the ruins at Copan are exceptional today.

When learning about the Mayans, this is more to be seen than meets the eye. When touring their impressive ruins plan to include tours of the caves - the caves were thought by the Mayans as conduits to the underworld. One can see how their temples on the surface were entwined with the ritualistic caves beneath.

The Ancient Mayan City State of Copan

Copán has been called the Paris of the Mayan world and was so impressive that when the Spanish Conquistadors discovered (the already long abandoned) city in 1570, they too were amazed by its greatness.

  • Discovered: In 1570

Copán was the capital city of one of the major Classic period kingdoms from the 5th to 9th centuries AD and is at the extreme southeast of the Mesoamerican cultural region. As it was on the frontier of the Isthmo-Colombian cultural region, it was almost surrounded by non-Maya peoples.

It is situated in a fertile, well-watered mountain valley enjoying an elevation of 600 meters or 2,400 feet.

Fortunately, the history of the city has been able to have been reconstructed in detail by epigraphers and archaeologists.

The city's fortunes came to an end in AD 738 with the military disaster that saw Uaxaclajuun Ub'aah K'awiil - of the city's greatest kings - captured and executed by his former vassal (the king of Quirigua).

  • Disaster: The City Suffered Disaster In AD 738

At its peak, it is the thought that the kingdom of Copán had a population of at least 20,000 and covered an area of over 100 square miles. The greater area was made up of the populated areas of the valleys was around a quarter that of the major Mayan city of Tikal.

  • Population: Between 18,000 and 25,000 People In The Valley In The Late Classic Period

Related: 25 Unimaginable Things About The Maya Civilization We're Still Discovering

The Ruins At The Copán Ruinas Archeological Park Today

Today the city is contained in the Copán Ruinas Archeological Park and is open to the public.

The Copán River has been diverted away from the city as it has already caused significant erosion to the eastern side of the acropolis. The erosion of the Copán River has not just caused damage but rather has left the largest natural archaeological cut in the Americas. This has enabled archeologists to learn bout the different phases of construction of the acropolis.

A number of archeological tunnels have been dug under the city for research and excavation. Today some of the extensive networks of tunnels that were dug under the archeological site are now open to the public. One can go into these tunnels and get a glimpse of the past and see the tombs and temples that are not in plain sight on the surface.

  • Tunnels Open To The Public: The Rosa Lila tunnel and the Los Jaguares tunnel

If one would like to learn about how the Mayans lived, then one should check out the nearby site of Las Sepulturas (meaning gravesites) around 2 kilometers away. This was the residential area of Copán's elite during the days of the reign of Yax-Pac - the last king of Copán.

  • Las Sepulturas: An Important Site Near To The Citadel Important To See

The Mayans had the custom of burying their dead in the same house that they lived in. So one will also find the tombs and graves of the elite there.

  • Burying: Mayans Buried The Dead In The House They Lived In

The Plaza of the Hieroglyphic Staircase is of exceptional note. It is a monumental staircase and has over 1,250 individual glyphs - the longest known Mayan inscription (UNSECO states there are 1,800 individual glyphs). These glyphs were partly preserved by the jungle that overgrew it after it was abandoned.

  • Glyphs: Copán Has The Longest Known Mayan Inscription Of As Many As 1,800 Glyphs

Related: Visit This Ancient Mexico Site To Discover The Mayan City of Palenque

Visiting Copán Today

  • Opening Hours: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm Daily
  • Foreign Visitors: $15.00 (Includes Visit to Las Sepulturas)
  • Museo de las Esculturas: $8.00 (Sculpture Museum)
  • Tunnels: $15.00
  • Central American Visitors: Park $8 (Includes Visit to Las Sepulturas)
  • Museo de las Esculturas: $5.00 (Sculpture Museum)

Honduras may not be a destination high on everyone's list but it is a country full of adventure. It boasts pristine beaches, stunning tropical islands, lush rainforests, and of course, some of the best of the Mayan ruins today.

Visiting Copán is a must for anyone with an interest in the deep and storied history of the Mayan Civilization of many years ago.

Next: The Complete Guide To Visiting The Most Impressive Mayan Ruins In 5 Countries