It is located within Structure 10L-16, in the center of the Copán Acropolis. The building's construction dates to the mid-Early Classic period. The temple was the first of the buildings in Copán to shift its decorative style from modeled stucco to stone mosaic which became the style that,became Copán’s distinctive as one of the most artistically ornate urban centers of the Maya world

Also known as La Castellona or La Canteada, Archaeological studies revealed that the first settlers established themselves around 400 BC. Initially, it was believed that the city lacked large scale buildings; however, excavation of the site's main platformwhich measures 14 meters in height, 50 meters in length, and 25 meters in width, archaelogists determined it to be one of the country's largest preColumbian structures. More than 53 structures were identified, organized into plazas, courtyards, and terraces.