Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
 Fenway Park at night
How Was Your First Trip With Your Significant Other?
Ivan the Terra Bus
The Bus, the Myth, the Legend: Ivan the Terra Bus
Pigeons were included in a series of 1891 illustrations entitled “Household Pets.”
What Makes a Pest a Pest?
Burros Alfa and Beto, seen here with Luis Soriano in 2008, have been helping the teacher deliver books for more than 20 years.
How One Man and His ‘Biblioburro’ Spreads Literacy in Rural Colombia

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Honduras Copán Ruinas Hieroglyphic Stairway of Copán

Hieroglyphic Stairway of Copán

This staircase full of Mayan hieroglyphics is perhaps the largest single text in the world.

Copán Ruinas, Honduras

Added By
nickylopez24
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The Hieroglyphic Stairway.   Peter Andersen
Staircase detail.   Dennis Jarvis
Statue at the base of the stairs   ericjlamb / Atlas Obscura User
  ski queen / Atlas Obscura User
Close up detail of the stairs   ericjlamb / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The city of Copán in what is now western Honduras served as a political, civil, and religious center of the Mayan civilization for nearly 400 years. Although the site is host to a number of marvelous ruins, the most striking of them must be the epic stairway in the temple-pyramid of Structure 26.

This construction, which forms the longest discovered Mayan text, was originally commissioned by the 14th governor of Copán, K'ak Joplaj Chan K'awiil, and eventually completed around 755 CE. At nearly 30 meters high and covered in around 2,000 glyphs, the etched pyramidal staircase is not only impressive due to its size and artistry. This collection of symbols offers a rare window into the rich history of the Copán Valley and the culture that ruled it for so many years.

Researchers, first stumped by the hieroglyphs, came to realize that the staircase is a record of the royal history of Copán, listing the names of kings, their births, their deaths, and the defining events of their rule. The happy realization that the stones were arranged chronologically was somewhat tempered by the fact that early archaeologists — not 100% clear on Mayan syntax — had liberally rearranged the stone blocks in a 1930s attempt at reconstruction. Only the bottom 15 stairs remain in their original position. However, despite the jumble, modern archaeologists have figured out that the stairs document the rule of 16 kings, beginning with Yax K’uk Moh at the bottom step and ending with the death of a ruler known as “18 Rabbit” at the top. It is also believed that there is special emphasis on the story of the 12th king, K’ak Uti Ha K’awiil, whose burial plot was discovered inside the pyramid that supports the staircase.

There is surely much left to be discovered in the ancient writings. While we wait for the next breakthrough, the stairway sits where it has been for millennia (but under a new cover for protection from the elements). It was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980.

Related Tags

Ruins Pyramids Mayan

Community Contributors

Added By

nickylopez24

Edited By

rogerbcn, hana, Molly McBride Jacobson, ski queen...

  • rogerbcn
  • hana
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • ski queen
  • ericjlamb

Published

October 23, 2015

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.penn.museum/documents/publications/expedition/PDFs/54-1/From-the-Archives.pdf
  • http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/129
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cop%C3%A1n_Ruinas
  • http://thisishonduras.com/Copan-Ruinas.htm
  • http://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/copan1.pdf
Hieroglyphic Stairway of Copán
Copán Ruinas, CA 11
Honduras
14.837291, -89.141524

Nearby Places

Rosalila Temple

Copán Ruinas, Honduras

miles away

Mayan Stelae at Quirigua

Guatemala

miles away

Cihuatán

Aguilares, El Salvador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Copán Ruinas

Copán Ruinas

Honduras

Places 2

Nearby Places

Rosalila Temple

Copán Ruinas, Honduras

miles away

Mayan Stelae at Quirigua

Guatemala

miles away

Cihuatán

Aguilares, El Salvador

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Copán Ruinas

Copán Ruinas

Honduras

Places 2

Related Places

  • View from the top

    Tikal, Guatemala

    Tikal Temple IV

    Deep in the Guatemalan jungle stands an ancient pyramid that once marked the reign of a king.

  • La Danta pokes above the tree line.

    Guatemala

    La Danta

    One of the world's largest pyramids stands within El Mirador, the "lost city of the Maya."

  • Casa de maquinas

    Aké, Mexico

    San Lorenzo Aké

    A hacienda that features all things uniquely Yucatán.

  • El Castillo (pyramid of Kukulcán) in Chichén Itzá

    Chichen Itza, Mexico

    Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chich'en Itza

    Every equinox this Maya pyramid puts on a spooky ancient light show.

  • Piramide Cihuatan

    Aguilares, El Salvador

    Cihuatán

    A major pre-Columbian archaeological site in central El Salvador.

  • Caracol archaeological site

    Chapayal, Belize

    Caracol

    This massive Maya archaeological site is home to the tallest man-made structure in Belize.

  • The “angels”

    Ekbalam, Mexico

    "Angels" of Ek' Balam

    These winged Maya figures are the subject of speculation and conspiracies.

  • The characteristic architectural feature known as the “Maya arch.”

    Cozumel, Mexico

    San Gervasio

    The ruins of an important pilgrimage destination for worshippers of a Maya fertility goddess.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.