Copán Ruinas is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in the Honduran department of

Copán Copán is an archaeological site of the Maya civilization in the Copán Department of western Honduras, not far from the border with Guatemala. This ancient Maya city mirrors the beauty of the physical landscape in which it flourished—a fer ...

. The town, located close to the Guatemalan border, is a major gateway for tourists traveling to the

Pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

ruins of

. The Copán ruins house a UN World Heritage site and are renowned for the hieroglyphic staircase, stellae, and museum.

Project Honduras

Every year in December, the town hosts the Conference on Honduras put on by Project Honduras. The conference is an opportunity for individuals and grassroots organizations to discuss ways to improve the quality of life in Honduras through addressing the social and economic needs of the country, primarily in the areas of education, healthcare, and community building. The theme of the Conference on Honduras on 18–20 October 2012 will be "Understanding the Security Situation in Honduras".

Education

The town has many small language schools that offer classes for travelers.

Transport

The town is linked to the Honduran-Guatemalan border, approximately 20 minutes away by road to the Aduana El Florido station. Copán Ruinas Airport is a civilian-use facility about 20 km east of the town center. There is no public transport network, as most transit is done by small motorized taxi-bikes or tuk tuk. Private shuttles link Copán Ruinas to Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala, and private company buses serve daily routes to San Pedro Sula and the Honduran capital

Tegucigalpa Tegucigalpa (, , ), formally Tegucigalpa, Municipality of the Central District ( es, Tegucigalpa, Municipio del Distrito Central or ''Tegucigalpa, M.D.C.''), and colloquially referred to as ''Tegus'' or ''Teguz'', is the capital and largest city ...

References

External links

travel info and local news Community Development through the ArtsInformation on Maya culture in Copán for children 6-99 years old!Project Honduras
Municipalities of the Copán Department {{Honduras-geo-stub