N E X T J O U R N E Y . O R G
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Located
close (9 miles) from the border with Guatemala,
Copán is the most important archeological site in Honduras. The
charming town next to the ruins is called, somewhat confusingly,
Copán Ruinas. Copán was once a Mayan community with a population of 24,000, "the Athens of the new World." The prime of Copán lasted 400 years, from 700 A.D. to 1100 A.D. give or take. If you visit early, before the buses arrive from Guatemala, you can have the whole ruins practically to yourself. Copán is, arguably, not as dramatic as Tikal, but whereas Tikal looms next to a ratty little museum, Copán has a magnificent museum close to the ruins. The Copán Sculpture Museum is as spectacular as a James Bond villain's secret lair, and it is centered around a modern replica of a Mayan temple, in the original colors. The replica is exposed to the elements, and will - in time - fade like the original structures have. |
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