Copán Ruins

Copan is a major Maya archaeological site in western Honduras near the Guatemalan border, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. A dynasty of 16 kings ruled from approximately 426 to 822 AD, transforming the settlement into one of the Classic Maya period's greatest cities. The 250-acre site features stone temples, two large pyramids, a ball court, and the renowned Hieroglyphic Stairway with some 1,260 glyphs carved across 63 steps -- the longest known Maya text. Copan's astronomers calculated the most accurate solar calendar produced by the Maya. The city peaked at around 20,000 inhabitants before declining after 822 AD and being fully abandoned by roughly 1200 AD.