It seems that in 1536, the Spanish captain Juan de Chavez had spent several days around a mountainous area looking for a place to establish a city, and when he arrived here said: "Thank God" we have found flat ground.
Description and main attractions
This gem was the capital of Central America in 1544. Downtown we can find three colonial churches: San Sebastian, Las Mercedes and San Marcos, and a fourth, Santa Lucia, which is located 2 km from the center of Gracias. Of these, the most interesting for its architecture is the church of Las Mercedes. It is also of great interest the current parish house, which in its time was the seat of the Audiencia de los Confines.
If you approach this town, please visit Celaque National Park, a cloud forest with plenty of flora and fauna.
Around the park there are a number of small communities, some of which have a population almost purely Indian. The most interesting are La Campa, San Manuel Colohete, Erandique and Belén Gualcho, which have an interesting market on Sundays.
Location
In the Department of Lempira, Gracias is the western capital.
Getting There:
To reach Gracias, take the West Road to Santa Rosa de Copan. The detour to the south is a mile before reaching Santa Rosa, which will take you to Gracias in a totally paved road.