Copan is a massive and ancient Mayan city considered to be the cultural center of the Mayan world. Copan's Mayan ruins are considered a national monument and are filled with burial tombs and huge rocky tunnels. According to "Lonely Planet: Honduras & the Bay Islands," Copan's Mayan artwork includes monuments such as "intricately carved stone sculptures depicting former leaders." Adding to its ambiance, wild macaws inhabit the entrance to Copan, greeting visitors to the monument with their incessant chatter.
There is much to explore in Copan, such as the Tumba de la Bruja, which "Lonely Planet" describes as "the round tomb of a Shamana who was buried with several spectacular offerings, including two human heads." On top of daily tours that explore the ruins, tourists may also visit Copan's historical museum.
Located in the northwestern corner of Honduras is the small coastal town of Omoa. Backed by the Merendon Mountains, Omoa is home to the San Fernando de Omoa Fortress, another Honduran national monument. According to "Lonely Planet," enslaved Indians built the fortress under King Fernando VII of Spain between 1759 and 1775. Although it was meant to protect the coastline, the British captured it in 1779. By 1821, after Honduras gained independence, the fortress was turned into a jail.
Today, the Omoa Fortress is open to the public, serving as a glimpse into Honduras' colonial past with its lush gardens and huge stone walls. The 31-room fortress houses a small museum and three dozen cannons. There is also a waterfall and a swimming hole close by.
Sixty miles northwest of the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa is the little town of Comayagua. Despite its small size today, Comayagua was declared the first capital of Honduras in 1540 and retained that title until 1838. The town in its entirety was officially made a national monument in 1972 due to its history as a colonial-era city with historical importance. Today Comayagua is known for its architecture and is referred to as the cultural capital of Honduras.
Popular tourist stops in this national monument city include many churches such as the ornate Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion, which was built between 1685 and 1715. "Lonely Planet" notes that the church features Renaissance, Baroque and neo-Classical styles throughout. Also worth visiting in Comayagua are the Museum of Regional Archaeology and the Museum of Colonial Religious Art.
