Last Updated on: 14th September 2024, 09:37 pm
Along with the likes of Chichén Itzá, Palenque and Tikal, the ruins of Copán in Honduras are among the most impressive ever left behind by the ancient Maya.
Situated at the southeastern edge of the Mayan world, Copán would’ve been considered remote in its heyday, and it certainly is today. But as much of a hassle as the site can be to reach, visitors will be rewarded with some of the most elegant and refined art and architecture that the Mayans ever created.
In the following guide, we’ll be covering the history of the city followed by exactly what you can expect to see at the central ruins. Also be sure to check out our detailed guide to the neighboring site of Las Sepulturas, which is accessible with the same ticket.
While we’ll be covering some basic info about transport and accommodation at the end of the article, don’t miss our comprehensive Copán planning guide for even more details.
Hours & Ticket Prices
At the time of writing, the ruins of Copán are open daily from 8:00-17:00. It would be wise to arrive at the Copán ruins when they open in order to beat the crowds. Given how the ruins are a fifteen-minute walk from the confusingly-titled town of Copán Ruinas, this shouldn’t be too difficult.
Copán’s ticketing system is rather confusing. While we’ll be covering it in more detail in our dedicated Copán planning guide, here’s a brief summary:
The basic entry ticket for the ruins costs $20. This includes the central Copán ruins in addition to the Las Sepulturas residential area. Las Sepulturas is about twenty minutes on foot from the main site, though you can use your ticket to visit Las Sepulturas the following day if you wish.
Visitors also have the option of paying an extra $15 to enter archaeological tunnels which offer glimpses of some of the ancient city’s oldest structures. Furthermore, the on-site Sculpture Museum costs an extra $10.
But are these extra fees really worth it? Keep reading to find out.
Copán: A Brief History
The ancient Mayan civilization was spread across what’s now south and eastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and the very western edge of Honduras, home to Copán. But despite its remote location, Copán does indeed feel distinctly Mayan.
The region was inhabited from as early as 1500 BC, and monumental architecture began being built around the Late Pre Classic period (300 BC–100 AD). But unfortunately, we know very little about this era of Copán’s history.
We do, however, know quite a lot about Copán from the 5th century AD onward. It was in 426 that a king named K’inich Yax Kuk Mo came to the city and established a new royal dynasty. And over the next four centuries, 17 rulers from this dynasty would maintain control over the city, during which Copán reached its zenith of power and influence.
But who was K’inich Yax Kuk Mo, and what brought him to Copán? Notably, the ruler came from the megacity of Tikal in present-day Guatemala, and he was likely related to Tikal’s ruling family at the time.
As Tikal was then becoming involved in the affairs of many of its neighboring city-states, installing a new dynasty at Copán was likely Tikal’s attempt to expand outward and exert its influence at the far end of the Mayan world.
But Copán itself would grow and expand under K’inich Yax Kuk Mo’s royal dynasty, taking control of its own neighboring city-states. The most notable of these was Quiriguá, now located just over the border in Guatemala.
But probably under the direction of Tikal’s bitter rival Calakmul, Quiriguá would rebel against Copán in the 8th century and even sacrifice its king!
Copán would never be the same again, and the last recorded ruler of the royal dynasty would take the throne in 822 AD. By the 10th century, the city would be completely abandoned.
Despite being closely linked with Tikal for centuries, the two cities take on a very different look and feel. Tikal is known for its towering skyscraper-like pyramids, with its various districts spread far apart amidst the vast jungle.
At Copán, on the other hand, you’ll find structures that are more modest in size yet densely packed together. While it may not be as vast as other Mayan sites, you’ll need at least several hours to take in all the details.
Today, Copán is most known for its exquisite sculptures, stelae, ceramics and carved reliefs. When it comes to remarkable artwork, Copán is easily on par with Palenque for creating some of the Mayan world’s finest.
Entering Copán
As mentioned, the ruins of Copán are about fifteen minutes on foot from the nearest town, simply titled Copán Ruinas. You’ll first arrive at the ticket office, where you’ll purchase your basic ticket in addition to any additional extras, such as the tunnels and Sculpture Museum.
Past the ticket booth, you’ll then walk down a long jungle path lined with various sculptures discovered at the ruins, along with an aqueduct. Finally reaching the ruins, there are various routes you can take, but the sequence featured below is probably the most efficient.
The Great Plaza
Upon first entering the main site, you’ll find yourself in the Great Plaza. It’s home to a small pyramid and over in a sub plaza to the north, a plethora of towering carved stelae.
The sculptures here are a mix of replicas and originals, which can be told apart by whether or not they’re protected under a roof. Of those that are replicas, you can expect to find the originals on display at the nearby Sculpture Museum (more below).
The stelae standing throughout the plaza depict the various kings of Copán’s ruling dynasty. And perhaps more so than any particular structure, the towering and intricately carved stelae have come to symbolize the ancient city and its legacy.
No less than seven of these three-dimensional stelae – all on display at this plaza – were erected by Uaxaclajuun Ub’aah K’awiil (18 Rabbit), the thirteenth dynastic king who ruled from 695–738. To this day, they’re regarded as some of the greatest Mayan sculptures ever created.
The sub plaza containing most of the stelae is surrounded by a stepped platform on three of its sides, and it was likely consecrated by Uaxaclajuun Ub’aah K’awiil as well.
While we can’t say for certain, the plaza probably hosted important rituals during the king’s reign. But today, it almost feels like an outdoor art gallery.
Back in the central part of the plaza is Structure 4 is a small four-tiered pyramid. It was probably built for the purpose of astronomical observations, and visitors are currently free to climb it.
Further south is yet another tall carved stele, following by one of Copán’s most famous structures: its ball court.
The Ball Court
While technically part of the Great Plaza, the presence of a structure known as Altar L at the north end of the court helps form what archaeologists now call the Ball Court Plaza.
Amazingly, Copán’s ball court is one of the largest ever built in the Mayan world!
Pretty much all Mesoamerican cities contained ball courts in which the highly ritualistic ball game was played that likely symbolized the movements of the cosmos.
Aside from its size, Copán’s ball court also stands out for its unique decorations. Its walls feature as many as six sculpted macaw heads – a prominent symbol of the city.
While macaws were prevalent throughout the Mayan world, it’s at Copán that they take leading roles in artistic motifs. K’inich Yax K’uk’ Mo’, the founder of Copán’s royal dynasty, for example, had both the quetzal and macaw in his name.
The macaw, in fact, represented the deity K’inich Ahau, an aspect of the Sun God.
And during your visit to the ruins of Copán, you may even spot live macaws in the jungle, with some occasionally brought here from the nearby Macaw Mountain Nature Preserve.
The Hieroglyphic Staircase
South of the Ball Court Plaza lies another one of Copán’s iconic landmarks: the Hieroglyphic Staircase. Inscribed in the 8th century AD, its staircase features the longest hieroglyphic inscription ever discovered in Mesoamerica!
More specifically, it contains over 2,000 glyphs spread out across 63 steps, largely recounting the history of Copán’s royal dynasty.
Sadly, in such a wet and humid climate, the hieroglyphs have been gradually deteriorating since Copán’s rediscovery. As such, the staircase is now protected beneath a massive tent.
The Hieroglyphic Staircase, which belongs to the structure known as Temple 26, was initiated in the 5th century AD before undergoing seven subsequent construction phases.
But the inscribed staircase for which it’s known was commissioned by none other than Uaxaclajuun Ub’aah K’awiil (18 Rabbit), the same king behind many of the city’s stelae.
Two tombs were discovered within the structure, while another anthropomorphic stele stands in front of the staircase – almost as if to guard it. This particular stele depicts King Ajaw K’ak’ Yipyaj Chan K’awiil (Smoke Squirrel), who expanded the pyramid a few decades after its construction.
Needless to say, visitors cannot climb up these steps.
At the south end of this plaza is yet another pyramid with a central staircase in its center. Officially known as Temple 11 and nicknamed the ‘Temple of the Inscriptions,’ it’s in fact not a standalone pyramid, but merely the base of the massive Acropolis.
While Temple 11’s main staircase is in no state to be climbed, visitors can indeed climb up to the top via the steps on its side.
And it’s from this point on in your visit that you have two options: Ascend Temple 11 and begin exploring the Acropolis from the upper level, or walk around Temple 11 and end up in the Western Patio, home to the famous Temple 16.
Around The Acropolis
There’s no right or wrong way to tour the ruins, but in the following guide, we’ll be starting with what you can expect to see at the upper level.
If you’ve gotten an early enough start, you should be able to enjoy clear views of the ball court and Great Plaza below with no crowds in the shot.
The top of Temple 11 is home to a cruciform-shaped temple with doorways oriented to the cardinal directions. The doorways are inscribed with detailed hieroglyphs, some of which detail 8th-century ruler Yax Pasai’s ascension to the throne.
Various astronomical phenomena are documented within the hieroglyphs as well.
Apparently, these are replicas, with the original carvings now on display at the Sculpture Museum.
Continuing east from the top of Temple 11, be sure to look back to the rubble to find a bodiless sculpted head depicting an old man. Moving on, you’ll encounter Temple 22A.
Also known as the Temple of Meditation, it was constructed by King 18 Rabbit in 715 AD to commemorate twenty years on the throne.
Next, you’ll encounter a large sunken plaza known as the East Court. Here you’ll find a few sculptures of things like a jaguar and the Sun God K’inich Ahau.
It’s from the East Court that visitors can access the tunnels which, as mentioned above, require a separate ticket to enter. Note that while the site opens at 8:00, the tunnels don’t open until 9:00.
Considering how the tunnel route will take you out to the eastern edge of the Acropolis, it might be best to save the tunnels for after you’ve fully explored the Acropolis area. Learn more about what you can expect to find inside below.
Skipping the tunnels for now, continue walking along the stepped platform, heading south. There was once more to this area, but numerous structures here were permanently destroyed by the changing course of the Copán River.
At the southern edge, you’ll reach the fascinating Temple 18. It consists of numerous ornate carvings, while the structure once contained the tomb of Yax Pasaj Chan Yopaat, who ruled from around 763-810 AD.
Just to the west is the back of the massive and highly significant Temple 16. But it may be more efficient to continue heading south for now, to an area below the Acropolis that’s home to an expansive residential complex.
Southern Residential Zone
Despite being a residential area, this area is oddly named the Cemetery Group. In any case, it’s a fun area to explore away from the crowds.
There are lots of different structures to explore here, though you won’t find many labels or informational signage.
As we’ll cover shortly, this is one of two residential areas at the main site, not to mention the Las Sepulturas area which is accessible with your basic ticket.
Temple 16
Coming back to the Acropolis, it’s time to take a look at Temple 16, one of Copán’s largest and most significant. While it doesn’t look particularly unique from the outside, its interior holds an amazing secret.
Within Temple 16 is a smaller structure known as the Rosalila Temple, first dedicated by King Tzi-B’alam (Moon Jaguar) in 571 AD. But despite being one of Copán’s most beautiful ever buildings, it was ultimately buried over to create the larger structure we see today.
Modern visitors can find a full-scale replica of the Rosalila Temple at the nearby Sculpture Museum. And as we’ll cover shortly, one of the main appeals of purchasing an extra ticket for the tunnels is getting the chance to see some of the surviving original artwork in person.
Standing in front of Temple 16 in the Western Court is a significant monument known as Altar Q. It’s a large monolith with carved depictions of numerous kings.
It was created in the 8th century in honor of King Yax Pasaj Chan Yopaat’s (one of the city-state’s final rulers) ascension to the throne, and the monument seems to depict his ancestors giving their approval.
The Tunnels
As mentioned earlier, the Tunnels are accessible via the Eastern Court, and it shouldn’t be difficult to backtrack there after seeing the rest of southern Copán.
The tunnels were not built by the ancient Maya, but by archaeologists. But considering how the ancient Mayans would typically build over older structures, these tunnels offer a rare glimpse into the past.
But considering how the tunnels cost an extra $15 on top of your basic ticket, are they really worth it? Hopefully the following description will help you decide.
Excavations that made use of the tunnels lasted for 12 years, and there are currently two tunnels that visitors can enter: the Rosalila Tunnel and the Tunnel of the Jaguars.
The Rosalila Tunnel is smaller and culminates in a dead end, so the staff will likely direct you there first.
The Rosalila Tunnel
As mentioned above, Rosalila was the predecessor to Temple 16 and it remains largely intact within. And the tunnel will allow you to view a few different parts of the original.
For example, you’ll find a large stucco mask that was featured on the northern end of the upper part of the Rosalila Temple. It represents K’inich Ahau, the Sun God.
Another window shows Rosalila’s northwest corner which features yet another large mask of K’inich Ahau.
Fascinatingly, the Rosalila Temple itself was built over earlier structures, with some dating as far back as 150 years before the installation of Copán’s royal dynasty.
Further below in this guide, you can find pictures of the full-scale replica of the Rosalila Temple on display at the Sculpture Museum.
The Tunnel of The Jaguars
The Tunnel of the Jaguars largely runs beneath Temples 20 and 21, and this tunnel is the much longer of the two. And you’ll have to backtrack a bit to make sure you’ve spotted everything.
Again, you’ll find viewing areas that allow you to take a look at ancient stucco masks. Near the beginning, you’ll find Tomb 1, first excavated in 1834. Numerous funerary objects were discovered within, though their current whereabouts remain unknown.
Some of the smaller surviving decorations, meanwhile, may represent K’inich Yax K’uk’ Mo’, the founder of Copán’s royal dynasty.
You’ll then find stucco macaw masks, followed by a hieroglyphic platform.
It was constructed in 542 AD by the dynasty’s seventh ruler, and was likely later relocated here by Moon Jaguar, the 10th ruler.
You’ll then encounter another macaw mask. And later on, you’ll find rooms that likely served as a royal residence, followed by an ancient drainage system.
And near the end, you’ll encounter the best-preserved macaw mask of the bunch, though it can only be observed from an angle. Finally reaching the exit, you’ll find yourself outside the eastern edge of the Acropolis, which can be a bit disorienting.
But you may still be wondering: are Copán’s tunnels worth visiting for the extra $15? For the average visitor, the answer is no, and one has to wonder what site management is thinking by charging so much for the experience.
The masks can only be viewed via glass windows that reflect the harsh fluorescent light used to illuminate the tunnels. And the main decorations can mostly only be viewed via strange angles, so forget about taking decent pictures.
But if you’re a major archaeology and history buff who likes to see everything, you probably won’t regret paying a bit extra to see the tunnels – especially after making the long journey out to this isolated part of Honduras.
Residential Group 9L-22, 9L-23
Before leaving Copán, don’t miss the additional residential group located to the northeast of the Royal Precinct.
The area is both known as ‘Residential Group 9L-22, 9L-23’ and ‘Núñez Chinchilla,’ after a Honduran archaeologist who excavated here in the 1950s.
Located 150 m north of the Great Plaza, the complex contains 23 structures and was likely established during the reign of Copán’s 10th ruler, Tzik B’alam (Jaguar Moon) (r. 553-578 AD). It was then later expanded during the reign of the 13th ruler, Waxaklajun Ob’ah K’awil (18 Rabbit).
Given its proximity to the royal precinct, it was surely inhabited by some of Copán’s elite families.
In addition to homes, it contained workshops, kitchens and common areas.
Furthermore, numerous burials were also found within (no less than 145!), including that of a royal child.
You’ll also find a replica of Burial 124 which demonstrates the position in which in which the skeleton of a middle-aged woman was found by archaeologists.
The area has largely been excavated by an archaeology team from Japan. And in a small shelter by the side of the ruins, you’ll find information about the project in Spanish, English and Japanese.
Another notable landmark here is a pair of vertical monoliths, likely used for religious ceremonies.
Fascinatingly, rather than Mayan, their style is more representative of non-Mayan tribes that inhabited central and eastern Honduras. These immigrants likely immigrated to Copán sometime in the 10th century AD.
This is a great place to wander around and escape the crowds. But don’t think of this as a replacement for Las Sepulturas, an entirely separate area that you can access for free with your standard entrance ticket.
As mentioned, Las Sepulturas is so extensive, that we’ll be covering it in a separate guide.
The Museums
When visiting the ruins of Copán, be sure to visit its on-site museums. While there used to be a couple of additional ones in the town of Copán Ruinas, they were closed at the time of my visit with no mention of a scheduled reopening.
The Small On-Site Museum
Near the ticket booth is a small museum that’s free for everyone to enter. It contains historical information about the ancient city, while it also features a few original stelae and sculptures.
While worth checking out, it’s definitely not an alternative to the Sculpture Museum.
The Sculpture Museum
At the time of writing, the Copán Sculpture Museum costs an additional $10 on top of the regular entrance ticket. In contrast to the tunnels, which wouldn’t be worth the extra cost for many visitors, the Sculpture Museum is indeed essential.
You can find the entrance on the opposite side of the large parking area. It’s in the shape of a monster’s mouth, while visitors must walk through a tunnel in order to reach the main area.
The design is meant to symbolize Xibalba, or the Mayan concept of the underworld.
The entire museum is centered around the modern recreation of the Rosalila Temple which we described above. It’s a great way to help visitors visualize the ancient structure that remains buried beneath Temple 16.
The museum has a large opening in its roof, meaning that the time of your visit will determine which angle looks best.
Surrounding the Rosalila Temple are various sculptures and temple facades spread across two stories. While we can’t get into everything on display at the museum here, what follows are some of the highlights.
On the ground floor, you’ll find various smaller pieces, such as sculpture pieces found within Temple 26 (the one with the Hieroglyphic Stairway), along with various pieces discovered in the East Court.
As mentioned, the stelae in the Ground Plaza that aren’t covered over are replicas, but you can expect to find some of the originals here.
One example is Stele A, widely considered one of the finest stele found at the site. It depicts the city-state’s 13th ruler, Waxaklajun Ubaah K’awiil.
Nearby is a sculpture representing a bat emerging from the Underworld, originally found at Temple 20.
Elsewhere in the museum, you’ll find skulls that once adorned the side of Temple 16, Copán’s largest structure. And you’ll also find the original version of Altar Q. As featured above, a replica now stands in front of Temple 16.
You’ll also find more temple decorations from buildings like Structure 26, Structure 29, and Structure 32, among others.
The main problem with the Sculpture Museum, however, is that it’s often unclear which parts of these are original pieces and how much has been reconstructed for show. It also makes one wonder how many of the decorations at the site itself are actually original.
Other notable pieces, meanwhile, include some of the original hieroglyphs from the top of Temple 11, and even some of the original macaw sculptures from the ball court.
Even More
As we’ll be covering in a separate guide, the Las Sepulturas residential district – accessible with your basic Copán entry ticket – is well worth the time and effort to see.
It lies about twenty minutes on foot from the main site, revealing how Copán was originally much more expansive than what we see today.
But even closer to the main site, there appears to be more of Copán that has yet to be excavated. While walking between the town of Copán Ruinas and the archaeological site, be sure to walk on the north side of the main road.
Across a large grassy field are unexcavated mounds. And while I’m no expert, at least a couple of them appear to be manmade.
And it’s also around here that you’ll find even more of Copán’s iconic stelae: Stele 5 and Stele 6. Both were dedicated during the reign of the royal dynasty’s 12th ruler, K’ahk’ Uti’ Ha K’awiil.
According to the accompanying signage, numerous tombs were found within this area, but who knows what else will be revealed in the future.
Additional Info
Given how dense and rich in symbolism the runs of Copán are, some travelers may prefer to explore the site in the company of a local guide.
If you’re already based in the town of Copán Ruinas, this tour will take you to all of the site’s main landmarks in addition to the Sculpture Museum.
But if you don’t have time to spend a few nights in the area, this tour can take you to the ruins as a day trip from San Pedro Sula.
The ruins of Copán are situated just outside the confusingly-named town of Copán Ruinas. It’s quite a charming small town with plenty of accommodation options, and regardless of where you stay, you should be able to walk to the main ruins in 15-20 minutes.
I stayed at a hotel called Hotel Brisas de Copan, which was a short walk from the central square. The positives were that I had a private bathroom and management responded promptly to all my questions before my arrival. The negatives were that it was quite noisy in the evenings, while the internet barely functioned.
Other popular options to consider include Berakah B&B- Central Park, Hotel Acropolis Maya and Hotel La Escalinata.
Despite being one of Honduras’ most popular tourist destinations, Copán Ruinas is far from easy or simple to reach. It lies at the far western edge of the country near the border with Guatemala, and is far from any major city.
We’ll be going into more details on transport in our extensive Copán planning guide. But in summary, when it comes to domestic bus travel, Copán Ruinas is currently only directly linked with San Pedro Sula.
Previously, a bus company called Hedman Alas ran direct routes between Copán Ruinas and Tegucigalpa, but it’s currently out of business due to ‘Incidents of extortion towards our company,’ according to their website (Welcome to Honduras!).
Therefore, to get to/from either Tegucigalpa or La Ceiba (from which ferries to Utila and Roatán depart), you’ll have to transfer in San Pedro Sula.
Given its proximity to Guatemala and Honduras’ poor transport infrastructure, you’ll likely have an easier time getting there from Guatemala instead.
While basic public transport exists to and from the borders on both the Honduran and Guatemalan sides, most travelers end up paying for private tourist shuttles. There are abundant routes from Antigua, while I also managed to find one from San Salvador, El Salvador.
Again, learn more details in our dedicated planning guide.