Municipality of Santa Rosa de Copan
Santa Rosa de Copán, known as the Sultan of the West, is the most important commercial and political city in the western part of the Republic of Honduras. It is the head of the municipality of the same name and the capital of the department of Copán in Honduras.
Due to its heritage and cultural history, the city was declared a National Historic Monument through Executive Agreement No. 344 in 1991.
History
Foundation
The site that now comprises Santa Rosa was originally the territorial property of the Lenca people, as it had previously been for the Maya civilization. When the Spanish colony was established in Honduras, it became part of the Spanish captaincy stationed there, which was governed by the «Audiencia of the Confines,» a High Monarchic Court located in Gracias a Dios (now Gracias, Lempira). «Los Llanos» was founded in this territory during the 18th century, becoming a well-known plateau crossed by the road from the city of Gracias to Santiago de los Caballeros in Guatemala.
In 1705, Spanish Captain Juan García de la Candelaria bought the territory with the intention of establishing his estate. Then, in 1750, the inherited lands of the García family included the sites of El Derrumbado, El Rosario, El Salitrillo, Las Delicias, and Los Naranjos, where the cultivation of maize and beans thrived. Indigo and tobacco were also cultivated for commercial purposes, and the land was used for cattle ranching.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it was believed that Santa Rosa had been founded between the late 18th and early 19th centuries by a married couple of Spanish youth, Don Martiniano García López and Doña Manuela Díaz Matamoros. However, this was clarified by the historian Professor Mario Arnoldo Bueso Yescas in his book «Santa Rosa de los Llanos, Cradle of the Republic.»
Growth
Due to the boom in tobacco cultivation, people began to migrate to the haciendas of Los Llanos from places such as Quezailica, Comayagua, and Gracias a Dios. These settlers formally established themselves by acquiring their own lands and became known as «llaneros,» although Los Llanos still fell under the jurisdiction of the colonial city of Gracias a Dios.
In 1766, the Royal Tobacco Rent was established, and a significant portion of the product was purchased for transport to the Iberian Peninsula. On January 31, 1976, architect Bartolomé Quevedos completed the construction of the Royal Tobacco Factory, costing 19,600 pesos. It became a driving force for the regional economy.
In 1798, the Parish of Los Llanos was founded, and the Virgin of the Rosary was chosen as its patron saint, separating it from the Quezaílica Curate. Its first parish priest, Presbyter Pedro Antonio Pineda, completed the construction of the Cathedral of Santa Rosa de Copán on August 20, 1803.
Municipality
According to Doctor Vallejo in his «Treaty of the History of Honduras,» Santa Rosa was designated as a town with municipal status in 1802. As a result, it was renamed Los Llanos de Santa Rosa in honor of Santa Rosa de Lima. The first Municipal Mayor was Mr. Mariano Pineda, and the construction of the Constitutional Town Hall was ordered, completed in 1810, facing the Central Park «Jardín La Libertad.»
In a population count in 1817, it was estimated that there were 300 families residing formally in Los Llanos. Later, in 1822, the municipal authorities opposed the annexation to the First Mexican Empire under Agustín de Iturbide and remained loyal to the Declaration of Independence proclaimed in 1821. In 1823, it was renamed Villa Nacional de Santa Rosa by Decree No. 53 of the National Constituent Assembly of the United Provinces of Central America. On April 12, 1843, the village was granted the title of city under the presidency of General Francisco Ferrera.
Capital of the State
The city of Santa Rosa has been the capital of the State of Honduras on several occasions. In 1852, during the administration of President José Trinidad Cabañas, he mobilized to Santa Rosa with his troops to defend the tobacco factory, plantations, and tobacco production from invasions by Guatemalan and Salvadoran armies.
The most solemn occasion was in 1862, during the administration of President Victoriano Castellanos Cortés, a native of this town. During that year, the headquarters of the Legislative Chamber, meeting at the Casa Castellanos in the city, issued Decree No. 3 on May 7, which designated the country as the «Republic of Honduras,» ceasing to be called the «State of Honduras.»
In 1863, Guatemalan President Rafael Carrera y Turcios declared war on El Salvador and attempted to overthrow General Gerardo Barrios. He sent General Vicente Cerna Sandoval with his troops to invade Honduras again. The Guatemalan troops also supported Senator and General José María Medina in taking power in Honduras, which was under the interim rule of José Francisco Montes Fonseca. After Medina declared himself president, Santa Rosa once again became the seat of the government. On February 21, 1868, Medina established the first Honduran decoration, the Order of Santa Rosa and Civilization of Honduras, through a decree.
Departmental Headquarter
On May 28, 1869, the Department of Copán was created, and the city was renamed Santa Rosa de Copán, becoming the headquarter and seat of the departmental government under the leadership of Mr. Francisco Fiallos Cevallos. As the government institutions of the Department of Copán were concentrated in Santa Rosa, it became the largest and most important city in western Honduras.
The city as a strategic point
Santa Rosa has been considered the capital of western Honduras, which is why it has experienced several battles throughout its history since the 19th century. After Santa Rosa was elevated to municipality status in the early 19th century and the Town Hall was built, it served as both municipal and governmental offices and as a barracks for the stationed troops. This building, constructed of reinforced adobe with a wooden beam roof, served as a bastion for the defense of the city during frequent rebellions. It was demolished in the mid-20th century to make way for the Dr. Vicente Fernández Mejía Health Center.
In 1838, after the State of Honduras was declared, Guatemalan General Indalecio Cordero, a republican ideologist, attacked western Honduras and captured the Villa of Santa Rosa de Los Llanos during a transition in the Honduran presidency between José María Martínez Salinas and José Lino Matute. In response, Unionist General José Trinidad Cabañas immediately ordered the movement of troops, commanded by General Eusebio Toro and General Ciriaco Braan y Carrascosa, to defend the city and its residents’ properties. After being cornered, General Cordero retreated to Guatemala in defeat.
Again, in 1853, Guatemalan General Rafael Carrera sent General Ignacio García Granados with a strong contingent to invade Honduras on July 19. Guatemalan forces plundered the towns in the western part of the country, with the Villa of Santa Rosa de Los Llanos being the most affected. President General José Trinidad Cabañas decided to move his government and army to this city to defend it from constant invasions by Guatemala and El Salvador, causing the invading troops stationed near the border to withdraw.
During the revolt of 1903 for power in Honduras, Santa Rosa was attacked by nationalist troops under the command of General Manuel Bonilla, who was heading towards the capital against the «usurper government» of liberal Dr. Juan Ángel Arias Boquín. At that time, the defeated city came under the control of officers loyal to Bonilla.
Subsequently, the First Civil War of Honduras occurred in 1919. On August 16, Santa Rosa was attacked by rebel forces from Intibucá led by Colonel Gregorio Ferrera, Colonel Vicente Tosta Carrasco, and Colonel Flavio Delcid. The Commander of Arms, Lawyer Jesús María Rodríguez, General Alfonso Ferrari, and Colonel Vicente Ayala, commanding 400 soldiers and civilians, prepared to fight to defend the city, which was captured and looted by the rebels.
The same happened during the Second Civil War of Honduras in 1924. General Gregorio Ferrera, Colonel Pedro G. Domínguez, Colonel Domingo Toroz, Colonel Blas Domínguez, and Colonel Manuel Darías took the city with a strong army of 800 soldiers, which was defended by General Filiberto Díaz Zelaya, General José León Castro, General Andrés Evelio Díaz, and General Vicente Ayala, commanding 3,000 men.
In 1931, General Gregorio Ferrera gathered his officers and followers and invaded the western part of the country on April 30, which was under the presidency of liberal Doctor Vicente Mejía Colindres. General Ferrera, accompanied by his officers General Justo Umaña, General Domingo Toroz, and General Carlos Sanabria, attacked the city of Santa Rosa de Copán, defended by the stationed militia. In the bloody battle, the Political Governor of Copán, César López Urquía, a Commercial Expert, and the Commander of the garrison, Colonel Diego García, were killed. After seizing their spoils, General Ferrera marched north in Honduras, and after several fierce battles with government forces, his troops were ambushed near the Chamelecón River, where he died. In 1932, General Justo Umaña once again took control of Santa Rosa, besieged it, and forced the Casa Bueso company to support his cause.
During the presidency of Doctor and General Tiburcio Carías Andino (1936-1949) and with General Vicente Ayala as the Commander of Arms in Santa Rosa de Copán, the Honduran army was reorganized, and the construction of a new barracks in the city was ordered to relocate the troops stationed in the now insufficient Constitutional Town Hall. The building was inaugurated after seven years of construction. In 1958, during the presidency of Doctor Ramón Villeda Morales, the Honduran army was reorganized once again, with Santa Rosa and the Francisco Morazán Barracks serving as the headquarters of the Third Military Zone of Honduras, under the command of Colonel José David Chinchilla, in charge of the military force in the departments of Copán, Ocotepeque, Santa Bárbara, and Lempira.
During the 100-Hour War or Football War between El Salvador and Honduras in July 1969, Santa Rosa was a strategic target to be taken because it had both a military barracks and an airport. Consequently, Salvadoran Air Force planes bombed the city before moving their troops. The city mobilized its active and reserve soldiers, as well as civilian volunteers, to defend the Honduran national integrity. The Hospital de Occidente received many wounded from the battles that took place south of the city, preventing Santa Rosa from being reached by the Salvadorans.
Contemporary Era
In 1874, the building of La Real Factoría de Tabacos was handed over by President Ponciano Leiva to house the Scientific Institute of San Carlos. On April 3, 1879, under the presidency of Dr. Marco Aurelio Soto, it became the home of the newly founded National University of Occidente, which offered programs in Law and Medicine but disappeared a few years later. That same year, the Copaneco Casino Society was founded in the Arias House, the former residence of President Juan Ángel Arias Boquín’s family. In 1880, the commercial store Casa Bueso y Hermanos was established, which still imports products from around the world and has branches in El Paraíso and Macuelizo, among others.
By the end of the century, the city was experiencing orderly growth, with the installation of telegraph lines and later postal services, which virtually eliminated its isolation from the rest of the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were water supply and sewage systems in place. The Central Park La Libertad and the first kiosk were built in 1900 by the city’s mayor, Engineer Manuel Bueso Cuéllar. On April 5, 1908, the El Porvenir Artisans Society, later known as the Copaneca Society of Workers since 1912, was founded, becoming one of the oldest trade guilds in Honduras. In 1909, Bishop Juan Caliero was sent as the apostolic nuncio of the Holy See to the Bishopric of Honduras, which was located in Comayagua.
In 1911, Dr. Juan Ángel Arias Boquín sold the house that once belonged to the Milla family to the government, and between 1914 and 1979, it housed the Álvaro Contreras National Secondary School. Subsequently, it became the Licenciado José Cecilio del Valle Experimental School and the headquarters of the Honduran Red Cross, and in the 1990s, it was completely renovated to house the House of Culture, which includes a library, exhibition hall, classrooms, workshop rooms, and a theater.
In 1912, the Municipal Market was completed to accommodate local vendors and traders. The Water Board Society was established a year later with the aim of improving sanitation services in the city. In 1916, the diocesan territorial division took place, creating the Archdiocese of Tegucigalpa as the Catholic hierarchical headquarters and several departmental dioceses, including the Diocese of Santa Rosa, with its first bishop being Monsignor Claudio María Volio y Jiménez. In 1920, the Hospital de Occidente was inaugurated, ten years after its creation was conceived in a local activist meeting.
In 1930, the first electric power plant was installed on the Higuito River, but it was washed away during a flood and rendered unusable. A temporary plant was installed in the El Salto area. The same year, the first water treatment plant was established, using water from the La Honduras sector. In 1934, an airstrip was constructed in the Miraflores area, serving as an airport for TACA Airlines and National Air Transport, as well as for airmail, which were newly founded in the country. The Episcopal Palace was built in 1935.
On January 24, 1940, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Copán was founded, becoming one of the oldest in Honduras, with Engineer Manuel Bueso Pineda as its first president. On September 1, 1951, the first local banking agency, Banco de Occidente, S.A., opened its doors. A year later, the road connecting the city to the northern region of Honduras and the borders of Guatemala and El Salvador was inaugurated, becoming one of the busiest in the western part of the country. Also in the same decade, the first television signal repeater antenna was installed, and it was not until 1985 that cable television services were introduced.
On January 26, 1975, the Miraflores Municipal Stadium, now known as the Abogado Sergio Antonio Reyes Mejía Stadium, was inaugurated to promote sports in the community. On August 28, 1985, the Santa Rosa Floral Games were inaugurated, which later became internationally recognized, and they are celebrated during the city’s Patron Saint Fair. On April 24, 1991, the city of Santa Rosa was declared a national historic monument in Honduras, and on October 23, 1996, the Regional University Center of the West (CUROC-UNAH) was founded. In 2011, the Uniplaza shopping center was inaugurated.
Geography
The municipality covers an area of 293.10 square kilometers and is connected by the Inter-American Highway of the West to the city of San Pedro Sula to the east and the borders of El Poy, El Salvador, and Agua Caliente, Guatemala, to the west, making it a significant geographic point. The main part of the city of Santa Rosa is located on a plateau surrounded by hills and abundant pine forests, with a steep slope in the southern part that gradually descends northward.
The population is 63,829 inhabitants, including hamlets and villages, of which 36,924 people are of working age, composed of 47.7% men and 52.3% women. The urban population is 45,216 people. The economically active population is approximately 19,875 people, of which 67.7% are men and 32.3% are women.
The municipality has 21 villages, with Santa Rosa de Copán being the main city:
- Santa Rosa de Copán
- Calzontes
- Conal Trincheras
- El Callejón
- El Carrizal
- El Conal
- El Corralito
- El Derrumbo
- El Periconal
- El Pinalito
- El Rodeo
- El Rosario
- El Salitrillo
- El Zapote
- Inchuma
- Las Delicias or Las Pilas
- Las Sandías
- Oromilaca
- Potrerillos
- Quezailica
- Yarushin
Climate
Santa Rosa de Copán has a tropical highland climate due to its altitude. It has an average temperature of 19°C. Due to its latitude, the temperature does not vary much throughout the year. In the coldest month, January, the average temperature is 17.5°C, while in the warmest month, May, it is 22.0°C. Frost is almost unknown in the area but can occur. Hailstorms are more frequent but also occur sporadically.
Economy
The importance of Santa Rosa de Copán dates back to the Spanish colonial era when it was under the authority of the Captaincy General of Guatemala and the Intendancy of Comayagua. In its surroundings, through the Real Factoría de Tabacos de Los Llanos, high-quality tobacco was cultivated, produced, and distributed, used for making cigars and handmade cigarettes. Subsequently, the cultivation of indigo, various types of coffee, as well as palm, banana trees, citrus trees, and other basic crops, was initiated. The surrounding areas have also been dedicated to both pig and cattle farming, including poultry farms. In the 1940s, the company Copán Industrial, S.A. was founded, producing Copan Dry soft drinks and El Bebé cornstarch. In the 1970s, Pasaje Urquía, one of the first shopping centers with rental spaces, was established. In the 1980s, a historic building in the urban area was renovated and named Pasaje Reyes. Various commercial establishments emerged and still prevail. In the 1990s, the first shopping center, cinema, and parking lot, Centro Comercial Saavedra, were inaugurated. Historic buildings were subsequently remodeled for rental purposes, such as Casa Arias and Casa Castejón, among others. In the 1990s, the Copaneco Industrial Polygon was founded, where various artisanal products are made.
According to a study conducted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Copán in 2011, 6.9% of the urban population is engaged in commerce, while 1.5% is involved in agriculture and livestock. Today, Santa Rosa is the main center of commerce in the western region of Honduras. As a result, the city serves the residents of the neighboring departments of Ocotepeque and Lempira for administrative procedures. In addition to tobacco and coffee cultivation, local and international entrepreneurs are transforming the city into an important tourist destination due to its proximity to the Copán archaeological site.
Transportation
In the 1980s, the Miraflores Bus Terminal began operating, and in 1982, the Circular Urban Bus, with a single line and several stops throughout the city, also started running. Additionally, with the establishment of the Regional University Center, a university transportation system was created, which operates along the same route as the urban transportation. Taxis, whose units are white, are currently in service within the city.
Education
Santa Rosa de Copán has 20 preschool centers, 17 schools, 11 high schools, and approximately five universities: the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH-CUROC), the Regional University Center of the West, the Catholic University of Honduras (UNICAH), the National Pedagogical University Francisco Morazán, and the Metropolitan University of Honduras. Within technical education, there is an INFOP center (National Institute of Professional Training), which has been operating since the 1980s.
In terms of primary education, one of the first schools founded in the 19th century is the Presbyter Pedro Antonio Pineda School. In 1843, the Aurora Lancasterian School was established exclusively for boys, now known as the Licenciado Jerónimo J. Reina School. At the secondary education level, there is the official Álvaro Contreras Institute, founded in 1874, the Salesian Institute María Auxiliadora (1927), the official Santo Domingo Savio Institute (1960), the private Nuevos Horizontes Institute (1968), the Copaneco Institute of Computer Studies (1989), the Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Institute (1999), the Bilingual Institute Ingeniero Héctor Emilio Medina (September 2, 1995), Western International School (2010), Alfa y Omega Institute (1983), Buen Samaritano Christian Institute, Honduran Institute of Education by Radio (IHER), Secondary Institute of the Copan Industrial Polygon, among others.
Health
The city has one of the best hospital centers in the country, the Hospital de Occidente, in addition to the Dr. Vicente Fernández Mejía Health Center, built in the mid-20th century, both managed by the Public Health Secretariat of Honduras. In the 1980s, the Santa Rosa Medical Surgical Center, the Regional Center for Multiple Disabilities Care (Teletón), and the ASHONPLAFA Clinic (Honduran Family Planning Association) were established, located in front of the Jorge Bueso Arias Boulevard. In 2002, the regional clinic of the Honduran Social Security Institute and other private clinics were opened.
Santa Rosa de Copán has permanent emergency services, with headquarters for national bodies such as the Permanent Contingencies Commission, the National Police of Honduras, the Honduran Fire Department, the Honduran Red Cross, the Honduran Green Cross, and the Paramedics Foundation (Honduras).
Art and Culture
In 1991, Santa Rosa de Copán was declared a National Historic Monument by Executive Agreement No. 344, with the intention of preserving its cultural identity and showcasing its history. In 1999, the Municipal Corporation created the Municipal Commission for the Preservation of the Historic District, now known as the Citizen Commission for the Historic District, which aims to exploit the city’s tourism potential. In 2006, this commission was awarded the Rey Juan Carlos I Prize for Historical Studies, given by the Cultural Center of Spain in Tegucigalpa, for its participatory contribution to the rescue of public spaces through culture.
Since 1986, the Floral Games have been held annually, overseen by a Permanent Commission that includes a judging panel. The event was initially local, then national, and now international, attracting writers, poets, and storytellers from the Americas. The city also celebrates its patron saint festival, with dance parties in the halls of the Palacio Obrero or the Casino Copaneco. Since the 1980s, the Copaneco Theater Group has been active. Santa Rosa has six public libraries, including one belonging to the House of Culture, another to the Bethel Evangelical Church, one to the XII Infantry Battalion, and another to the Regional University Center of the West.
Santa Rosa de Copán has a rich cultural and musical history, with numerous well-known local artists, including internationally recognized figures such as Voces Copanecas, the Brizuela brothers’ Marimba, the Marimba of the Banco de Occidente, Grupo Perla Star, the group Dragones composed of members of the 12th Infantry Battalion, from which the singer Mario Alejandro emerged as the composer of the song «Timoshenko.» Notable musicians include keyboardist Moris Dubón, guitarists José Mario Espinoza and Arturo Ríos, bassist Sergio Ríos, and Mario Tomé. In the late 1980s, the disco group Vibración Z, led by Antonio «Tono» Rendón, gained recognition. The rock groups Metáfora and Instinto are also remembered. In the rap genre, notable groups include Triple H, GPR, and Killer Rap. Many local musicians took their first steps in music schools, while others were members of Christian groups. The University Voces Universitarias group is located at the Regional University Center of the West (CUROC-UNAH). Additionally, a newly formed group in Santa Rosa de Copán is Cuarto de Luna.
Prominent artists from Santa Rosa de Copán include Argentina Díaz Lozano, a novelist and journalist nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature; Mario Arnoldo Bueso Yescas, a writer; Óscar Castañeda Batres (1925-1994), an essayist, historian, and poet; and Manuel Luna Mejía (1911-1994), a poet.
Icons of Santa Rosa de Copán
The city’s coat of arms was created on October 15, 1975, by Delmer Oswaldo Mejía and painted by José Sixto Mejía.
Anonymous artists also contribute to the celebration of Holy Week in the city by creating colorful sawdust carpets on the streets.
Another distinctive icon of the city is its anthem, composed by engineer Enrique Bueso Arías and performed as a ballad.
Anthem of Santa Rosa de Copán
Lyrics and Music: Enrique Bueso Arías
Under the enchanting whisper of its pine forests,
Santa Rosa de Copán rests,
a welcoming corner of Honduras,
a tranquil and stately city.
They call you the Sultana of the West,
the breeze caresses you in the mountains,
and your green hills proclaim
an anthem of peace and justice.
In the moonlit nights, one can hear
ardent serenades of love,
carried by the air, nostalgic notes
of guitars that moan and sing,
sweet Virgin of grace…
Divine Santa Rosa de Lima,
listen to my devout prayers,
my song carries the prayer
of a sincere and brave people,
Santa Rosa, city of dreams.
Architectural Heritage
The urban historic center of the original city of Santa Rosa covered approximately 300 blocks, which were donated to the Municipality by the descendants and heirs of Captain Juan García de la Candelaria. Through an agreement between the municipality, the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History (IHAH), the National Autonomous University of Honduras, and with funds from the UNDP-ASDI, an inventory of the historic buildings was conducted (measurements, building photos, interviews with property owners, etc.), resulting in a comprehensive catalog of these buildings and defining the area corresponding to the Historic District. This led to the creation of the Technical Office for the Preservation of the Historic District.
Among the buildings that hold great historical value are:
18th century:
- Part of the wall of the estate in the El Centro neighborhood, which belonged to Don Martiniano García López, a descendant of Captain Juan García de la Candelaría.
- The Casa Nacional, former building of the Royal Tobacco Factory and the National University of the West, also in the El Centro neighborhood.
19th century:
- The Cathedral of Santa Rosa de Copán in the El Centro neighborhood, which preserves traditional baroque architecture.
- The House of Culture.
- The Victorian-style building that housed the commercial store Casa Bueso y Hermanos. It was looted several times by militiamen during the Honduran civil wars of 1919 and 1924. It was rebuilt after a fire and later became the Rex Cinema and then the Hispano Cinema.
- J.C. Handal Building or El Portal, also of Victorian architecture, owned by the Cáceres-Handal family, which housed the pharmacy of Dr. Ramón Villeda Morales in the mid-1950s.
- Casa Castejón, owned by the Castejón family, with baroque architecture, reinforced adobe blocks, wooden roofs, and clay tiles. It is now a commercial property.
- Casa Arias in the El Calvario neighborhood, with a classic baroque facade with trimmings, constructed with reinforced adobe blocks, wooden roofs, and clay tiles. It is now a commercial property.
- Casa Alvarado, owned by the heirs of Lawyer Andrés Alvarado Romero, in a classic baroque style. It was the headquarters of the Atlántida Bank S.A. agency until the early 21st century.
- Casa Hernández in the Santa Teresa neighborhood. It has classical Victorian architecture with intricate details and high-relief columns.
- Casa Rodríguez in the Santa Teresa neighborhood. Also in a classical Victorian style, with two stories, constructed with reinforced adobe blocks, wooden roofs, and clay tiles.
- Old General Cemetery in the Santa Teresa neighborhood, adjacent to the Fire Department Base and the José María Medina School. The cemetery was relocated to a new site in 1972.
- Casa Castellanos, former property of Mr. Victoriano Castellanos Cortés, built in a classic style with reinforced adobe blocks, wooden roofs, and clay tiles.
20th century:
- Jardín La Libertad Central Park and the first gazebo.
- Palacio Obrero, headquarters of the Copaneca Society of Workers, in the Santa Teresa neighborhood. Constructed with reinforced adobe blocks, wooden roofs, and clay tiles.
- Municipal Market in the Santa Teresa neighborhood. Part of this building was occupied by the National University of the West when it did not have a defined location. Partially restored in its northern part in 2000, it houses around 254 commercial stalls. (Santa Teresa neighborhood)
- The El Progreso and Minerva bridges, inaugurated in 1914.
- Hospital de Occidente in the El Calvario neighborhood.
- Casa Cobos, owned by the Honduran National Police, which in the 1920s housed the first private school, La Esperanza.
- Licenciado Jerónimo J. Reina School in the El Carmen neighborhood, founded in 1843.
- Palacio Episcopal in the El Carmen neighborhood, the seat of the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán. Constructed with reinforced adobe blocks, wooden roofs, and clay tiles.
- The building of the Doctor Vicente Fernández Mejía Health Center, built in the mid-20th century on the land previously occupied by the Constitutional City Hall. It retains two original Mayan monoliths at the front, taken from the remains of the Temple of the Caryatids, near the town of La Entrada de Copán.
Gastronomy
Santa Rosa de Copán boasts gastronomic icons within the western region of the Republic of Honduras.
- Among the beverages, you can find Copan Dry soda, santarrocense coffee, which is grown in the surrounding areas, chilate (a traditional corn and cacao drink), timoshenko (fruit liqueur), atole chuco (corn-based drink), pineapple atole, corn atole, poleada (sweet cornmeal porridge), and ponche infernal (spiced punch).
- As for meals, notable dishes include dulce de plátano (sweet plantains), torrijas (similar to French toast), sweet squash, corn husk with sour milk and panela cheese, green corn (elote), elote tamales, montucas (corn dough filled with cheese or beans and wrapped in corn husks), and totopostes or pan duro (hard bread).
Sports
In the 1960s, CONAPID inaugurated the Municipal Miraflores Stadium, now renamed as the Municipal Stadium Abogado Sergio Antonio Reyes Mejía. Located in the Miraflores neighborhood, it serves as the home stadium for Deportes Savio F.C. The Santa Rosa de Copán area and its surroundings offer various outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and swimming.
