About the city and the twinning
About Copán Ruinas
Copán Ruinas is a municipality in the Copán Valley of western Honduras, near the border with Guatemala. It became a municipality in 1893 and was granted city status on 21 February 1942. The modern town stands near the ruins of ancient Copán, which served as the political, civic and religious centre of the valley and became one of the leading cities of the Classic Maya period.
Maya heritage
UNESCO inscribed the Maya Site of Copán on the World Heritage List in 1980. Its plazas, carved stone monuments and altars preserve evidence of the city’s public and ceremonial life. Among its most distinctive features is the Hieroglyphic Stairway, whose carved steps record the history of Copán’s ruling dynasty and contain the longest known Maya inscription.