Copán, the city of the Maya cultures
Copán was once one of the most beautiful and important cities of the Maya - one of the great ancient cultures of the American continent. Over the course of 400 years, the Maya people of Copán shaped a small valley in western Honduras into a great city, building pyramids, temples, plazas, sculpting intricate statues of kings, gods, and animals, and decorating it all in beautifully colored stucco. The ceremonial center at the heart of the city housed some of the best examples of Maya architecture and art to be found anywhere, some of them reflecting the Maya people's skill at mathematics and astronomy.