Stonehenge: history and legend. Where is Stonehenge? History and mystery of ancient stones Stones standing in a circle name

About 130 kilometers from London there is a very strange place - a pile of huge stones neatly placed in a circle in the middle of an open field. Their age cannot be accurately estimated even by modern science - either three thousand years, or all five. Why did our ancestors, who had literally just climbed out of the trees, suddenly begin to cut huge boulders out of rocks and drag them hundreds of kilometers away? An ancient observatory, a Druid cult building, a landing site for aliens and even a portal to another dimension - all this is Stonehenge.

Great Britain, Wiltshire, 13 kilometers from the town of Salisbury. Here, in the middle of an ordinary English plain, is Stonehenge - one of the most famous buildings in the world. It contains 82 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks of 25 tons each, and 5 giant trilithons, whose weight reaches 50 tons.

What is Stonehenge?

The word “Stonehenge” itself is very ancient. There are several versions regarding its origin. It could be formed from the Old English "stan" (stone, that is, stone) and "hencg" (rod - since the upper stones were fixed on rods) or "hencen" (gallows, torture instrument). The latter can be explained by the fact that medieval gallows were built in the shape of the letter “P” and resembled the trilithons of Stonehenge.

Megalith (from the Greek “megas” - large, and “litos” - stone) is a large hewn piece of rock used in the construction of ancient religious buildings. As a rule, such structures were erected without the use of mortar - the stone blocks were held under their own weight or on hewn stone “castles”.
Trilith (or “trilithon”, from the Greek “tri” - three and “litos” - stone) is a building structure of two vertical blocks supporting a third, horizontal one.

How was Stonehenge built?

The construction of Stonehenge took place in several stages, taking a total of over 2000 years. However, archaeologists have discovered evidence of much older buildings at this site. For example, three shallow “shafts” were recently found next to a tourist parking lot near Stonehenge, into which wooden supports were dug (they, of course, were not preserved). The position of the pillars shows that they supported a very large wooden monument, which is estimated to be approximately 8,000 years old.
Around 2600 BC, the wooden buildings were demolished and replaced by magnificent stone structures. First, the builders dug two rows of large crescent-shaped holes (one horseshoe inside the other), facing northeast. 385 kilometers away, from the rocks of Carn Menin in the Preseli Hills (Wales), 80 so-called “blue stones” were delivered. Each stone was about 2 meters high, approximately 1.5 meters wide and 0.8 meters thick. They weighed 4-5 tons.
In the very heart of Stonehenge, a six-ton ​​monolith made of green mica sandstone was erected - the so-called “Altar”. In addition, the northeast entrance was moved slightly to the side and widened so that it looked directly at the sunrise on the summer solstice.
Apparently, the construction of Stonehenge remained unfinished during this phase. The “blue stones” were soon removed, and the holes under them were filled up.
At the same time, three free-standing large “blue stones” appeared here. Two survived - the so-called “Heel” (meaning “last”) stone at the north-eastern entrance outside the ramparts and the “Scaffold Stone” near the same entrance inside the ramparts (it later collapsed to the side). Despite the name, the “Stone-block” is not associated with bloody sacrifices. Due to weathering, red spots began to appear on its side - iron oxides, which gave rise to such gloomy associations. In addition, on the inside of the northern and southern ramparts, small mounds (without burials) topped with “blue stones” were poured for unknown purposes.
At the end of the 3rd millennium BC, Stonehenge underwent a new, most large-scale reconstruction, thanks to which it has become so popular today. From the hills of southern England (40 kilometers away from Stonehenge), 30 huge stone blocks - “sarsen”, each weighing 25 tons - were brought here.

Stonehenge. How it was.

The earliest of the surviving religious buildings on the territory of Stonehenge looks very primitive and does not in any way resemble later stone buildings. Stonehenge No. 1 was built no earlier than 3100 BC and consisted of two round earthen ramparts, between which there was a moat. The diameter of the entire object is about 115 meters. A large entrance was built on the northeastern side, and a small one on the southern side.
Presumably, the ditch between the ramparts was dug using tools made from deer antlers. The work was carried out not in one step, but in sections. Research has shown that the bottom of the ditch was covered with animal bones (deer, bulls). Judging by their condition, these bones were carefully looked after - they probably had considerable cult significance for the people who visited the temple.
Directly behind the inner rampart, 56 depressions were dug inside the complex, arranged in a circle. They were called "Aubrey's holes" - after the antiquarian who discovered them in 1666. The purpose of the holes is unclear. According to the chemical analysis of the soil, no wooden supports were placed in them. The most common version is that lunar eclipses were calculated using holes, however, the accuracy leaves much to be desired.

Stonehenge - prehistoric crematorium

Later buildings date back to 2900-2500 BC and can be judged theoretically - time has left us only a group of depressions in the ground where wooden supports for certain structures were placed. The latter could well have been covered sheds, because these holes (now filled with earth and hardly distinguishable from the rest of the landscape) run in two parallel rows from the northern and southern entrances to the center of the entire structure. The diameter of the depressions is significantly smaller than the Aubrey holes, only 0.4 meters, and they are more distant from each other.
During the second phase of the construction of Stonehenge, the earthen ramparts were partially demolished - their height decreased, and the ditch between them was almost half filled. During the same period, the function of the Aubrey holes changed - they began to be used for the burial of cremated remains. Similar burials began to take place in the ditch - and only in its eastern part.
Whatever Stonehenge was built for, a few hundred years later it was used as an enclosed cemetery for cremated remains - the first known in Europe.

Interesting facts about Stonehenge

The most common finds by archaeologists in the ground under Stonehenge are Roman coins and Saxon remains. They date back to the 7th century BC.
There are also more exotic theories about Aubrey's holes. For example, the ancients may have used them to plan pregnancy (based on the 28-day menstrual cycle in women).
Blue stones are dolerite, the closest relative of coarse basalt. Dolerite got its “colored” nickname because it turns blue when wet with water. A fresh chip of the stone also has a blue tint. Heel stone - so named because of the legend according to which Satan threw it at a monk and hit him in the heel. The origin of the word “sarsen” is unclear. Perhaps it came from the later term “Saracen” (Saracenic, that is, pagan stones). Sarsens were used to build not only Stonehenge, but also other megalithic monuments in England. The inside of the sarsens was processed much better than the outside. This suggests that perhaps the room was closed, and some important rituals were performed inside it, the participants of which did not leave the stone “circle.” Calculations show that the construction of Stonehenge (with the tools available at that time) required about 2 million people. hours of work, and processing the stones would take 10 times longer. The reason why people worked on this monument for almost 20 centuries was probably very good. The UFO landing site theory arose partly due to the fact that there is a military airfield near Stonehenge (near the city of Warminster).

What was Stonehenge for?

As soon as people didn’t rack their brains, why did the ancients need Stonehenge? The very first mentions that have reached us connect it with the legend of King Arthur - supposedly this monument was built by the wizard Merlin himself (according to another version, he moved it with his spell from Mount Killaraus in Ireland).
Other stories blamed the construction of Stonehenge on the devil himself. In 1615, architect Inigo Jones claimed that the stone monoliths were built by the Romans - allegedly it was a temple to a pagan deity named Cnelus. In the 18th century, researchers discovered the “astronomical” function of Stonehenge (its orientation to the solstice) - this is how a version emerged according to which this building belonged to the Druids. Nowadays, some experts claim that using Stonehenge it is possible to predict solar eclipses or even carry out complex mathematical calculations. The “planetarium” and “calculator” theories are very controversial - the evidence is usually refuted either by the simplest astronomical facts or by history itself (Stonehenge was rebuilt several times, changed its structure and probably served different purposes).
Outer ring of sarsens
The assumption that the second, “cemetery” stage of the construction of Stonehenge appears to be very interesting was associated with the successful conquests of local tribes. Analysis of remains found in burial grounds adjacent to Stonehenge showed that some of the people buried there were from Wales. This may also explain the subsequent delivery of "blue stones", symbolizing the unification of the two lands. Experts also admit that for most of its history, Stonehenge served as a place for cremation of remains. This version is not without its right to exist, because the Neolithic cultures of Europe associated wood with life, and stone with death.

Late 19th century

One way or another, Stonehenge should not be called an observatory or associated with the Druids. In the first case, we are simply applying 21st century concepts to events that took place almost 5,000 years ago. In the second, we sacrifice facts to a beautiful legend. Druids are a purely Celtic phenomenon. The Celts came to Britain no earlier than 500 BC - Stonehenge was already built.

Science fiction writers about Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a structure so ancient and incomprehensible that even science fiction writers are not too sure what to do with it. The ideas they propose in their works are often not much different from the versions of some scientists.
For example, Harry Harrison wrote the novel Stonehenge (1972) with Leon Stover. According to this book, the ancient monoliths were erected by the surviving inhabitants of Atlantis. A little earlier, Keith Laumer created the book “Trace of Memory” (1968), where he developed an “alien” idea: next to Stonehenge there is an underground communications center, from where you can call the descent module of a huge alien ship drifting near the Earth - and this module landed directly on Stonehenge .

New Stonehenge

: modern astronomers have revived the knowledge of their ancestors
On February 12, 2005, the “New Stonehenge” opened in the New Zealand town of Wairarapa, very similar to its famous British “relative”. But why did modern astronomers need to build a copy of the ancient structure?
The modern stone observatory is called Stonehenge Aotearoa, and it was built by the New Zealand Phoenix Astronomical Society.
Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand. And it was taken for a reason.
But first it must be said that the new Stonehenge is not at all an exact copy of the stone monster from Salisbury Plain (Stonehenge), although their basic dimensions are practically the same.
And this is not a simple tourist attraction. Stonehenge Aotearoa is a full-scale adaptation of its ancestor to work properly on the other side of the planet. What kind of work is this? Of course - an indication of astronomical events.

Already at the dawn of the development of civilizations, people began to build grandiose structures, which later became famous throughout the world. The cromlech of Stonehenge in Great Britain, whose age is only slightly behind the famous Egyptian pyramids, was no exception.

What is Stonehenge? History and interesting facts

A cromlech is an ancient structure made of stones placed vertically, forming one or more circles. Stonehenge in England belongs to this type of ancient buildings.

Despite all its grandeur and antiquity, Stonehenge could not be included in the classic list of wonders of the world. And in general there is no mention of it in the works of Greek and Roman scientists; apparently piles of stones did not delight the people of that time.

Sketch of the late 19th century

There were legends among local residents about the construction of the Stonehenge complex. Its construction was attributed to both Merlin and the antediluvian giants. Residents of ancient Great Britain called this structure “The Dance of the Giants.”

Research into the cromlech of Stonehenge began under King James I. And in 1655, the first book dedicated to this building, author John Webb, was published. In the 60s of the 20th century, astronomer Gerald Hawkins put an end to the research of Stonehenge. He showed that this stone ring could have been used as a very precise observatory, allowing the ancient Britons to make astronomical observations and calculations.

Reconstruction by William Stunkley

The construction time of Stonehenge is estimated to be between 1900 and 1600. Its construction took many centuries and the work of a very large number of people, although at that time there were few people in Great Britain. Several peoples were seen on Salisbury Plain in those days: Windmillhill people, Beekers, Wessexians. Now it is impossible to say for sure who built Stonehenge from them. Some researchers suggest that all these peoples had a hand in the construction of the structure.

How was Stonehenge built?

Stonehenge stones used in construction are of different nature. This includes dolerite, volcanic lava, and volcanic tuff. There are sandstone and limestone. An analysis of the area showed that some of the stones were delivered from a site located 210 kilometers from the construction site. They could be delivered both by water and on rollers. They even conducted studies that showed that a group of 24 people was able to move a stone weighing one ton one kilometer per day. The heaviest stones were delivered here from a closer place, located 30 kilometers away. The weight of the largest stones reaches 50 tons. The ancient builders could deliver such blocks only in a few years.

The stones were processed in several stages. Using the method of impact and treatment with fire and water, the necessary stones were prepared for transportation. And fine processing and polishing were carried out on site.

Reconstruction

The process of installing the cromlech stones at Stonehenge in England is also interesting. So, before laying the “brick,” a hole was dug, vertical on three sides and flat on the other. The hole was lined with stakes and a stone was rolled over them. Then, using ropes, the monoliths were lifted and dug up. But if everything is clear with the vertical stones, then the question remains of how the crossbars were installed. It was assumed that for their erection, embankments were made, along which blocks were dragged. But such work would have taken more time than the construction of the entire complex, and no traces of the embankments being built were found. Another assumption is that the stones were lifted with the help of logs. Logs were placed and a stone was dragged onto them. A higher pile of logs was built nearby, and the stone was lifted onto it, etc.

It is estimated that the construction took 300 years of continuous work by thousands of people. Of course, this raises the question of why Stonehenge was built and why such hard work was needed. Some archaeologists suggest that the ancient British had a cult of the Sun, while others only talk about the use of the complex in astronomical calculations.

Stonehenge attracts crowds of tourists. This especially happens on the summer solstice. On this day, the Sun rises exactly above the Heel Stone, which once again confirms the speculation about the use of Stonehenge as an ancient observatory. The capabilities of this stone circle even make it possible to predict eclipses.

And although Stonehenge is not included in the list of ancient wonders of the world, the skill of its construction is not inferior to famous buildings and attracts the attention of millions of people every year.

The site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Not only scientists are interested in this place, but also ordinary people. Tourists flock to London to see it all with their own eyes. For many years, historians, astrologers, astronomers and physicists have been announcing new theories of the mystical Stonehenge - giant boulders that still attract the attention of the entire planet. If you love to travel, then come to the UK, to this mystical place, as soon as possible. It will be interesting.

When was the mysterious object built? What is its essence and purpose? Many scientists agree with the theory that the stones of Stonehenge are almost the same age as the Egyptian pyramids. The latest information on this study states that the structure is almost 4 thousand years old. The inhabitants of the ancient world came up with their own nickname for the area - Dance of the Giants. One look at the huge mounds and ramparts is enough to agree with this name.

Did you know? Stonehenge is unusually resistant to even the strongest shocks from the bowels of the Earth. Research was carried out on the ground that provided interesting information. To ensure the stability of the structure, the builders used special foundations that softened and sometimes stopped underground shocks. The features of the platforms do not end there - such a base also prevents soil shrinkage.

Where is Stonehenge

So much has been said and written about the megalithic “building” that a brief description will not give any effect. We will look in detail at where Stonehenge is located and why so many visitors come here. They even came up with a special name for this structure: “cromlech” - an ancient object, which is presented in the form of a stone circle from the Bronze Age or Neolithic era.

The ancient cultural heritage is located in Wiltshire in England. From the capital to Stonehenge, the distance is 130 km, if you move to the southwest, to the city of Amesbury to the west, go 3.2 km, and if you find yourself in the town of Salisbury, then to the stone blocks - another 13 km. This is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. For hundreds of years, interest in this place has not waned not only among ordinary residents of other cities and countries, but also among researchers. Many historians and astronomers have dedicated their lives to discover the secrets of Stonehenge. Address of the religious building: Amesbury, Salisbury, SP4 7DE.

How to get there

Traveling on your own has advantages, and the most important of them is free movement. But if you are just starting to try yourself as a traveler, then it is better to contact an agency and book a tour. From London Getting to Stonehenge on your own is not easy, but it is possible. There is no direct transport here, so you need to change trains in the town of Salisbury.

If your wallet allows you to spend money, then Taxi or rented car the trip will be much faster and more comfortable. The average round trip taxi fare is £200. If you drive on your own, it is easier to get there along the A303 and M3 highways. There are other routes, but they will take longer.

Tourists most often choose by train because it's cheap and fast. Transport from Waterloo Station to Salisbury departs hourly. You can buy a ticket directly here at the box office, and the fare will cost a maximum of 33 pounds. The train schedule changes depending on the season, so you need to check it in advance on the station website or directly at the station. The one and a half hour journey goes by quickly. Then from the railway station in Salisbury you need to go to the bus stop.

Buses There are regular or tourist routes from Salisbury to Stonehenge. If you buy a ticket at the station, the fare will be 18-22 pounds in both directions. It's a half hour drive to the ancient monument, with one stop at the bus station along the way. For a taxi in both directions you will have to pay at least 50 pounds.

The history of Stonehenge

Despite the large number of different theories, it is still unknown who built Stonehenge and why. Scientists managed to find out how the construction of the mysterious object took place. The cromlech was erected in several stages:

• 3 thousand years BC. During this period, the inhabitants of this area installed blocks of the outer circle - they made the boundaries of the sanctuary and placed four motionless boulders. In the northeastern part, a void can be seen among the stones - this is where the Helios sun stone was installed. The era of the first construction work was also distinguished by the tombs that the scientist Aubrey found in the 17th century. However, most modern researchers are confident that burials appeared on the area later;

• 2.9-2.6 thousand years BC. During the second period of construction, wooden structures appeared inside the outer stone circle. Today the structures have been practically destroyed by time and the environment, so it is impossible to learn more about this period;

• 2.3-1.5 thousand years BC. Blocks of sandstone and bluestone appeared at Stonehenge. The blocks were placed in the center of the entire composition so that they formed a circle with a diameter of 33 m. There were thirty such structures in total. Another block in the form of a crossbar was placed on top of the stones. Today this structure is called triolite. In reviews, tourists indicate that when they see these objects in front of them, they understand that this is exactly the association that the entire Stonehenge evokes. The outer circle is formed from 13 triolites - it is this part that has reached our century practically undestroyed. Within the ring were five stones in the shape of a horseshoe. Triolites were installed “by height” - the smallest six-meter blocks stood on the sides, and the largest seven-meter “representative” was in the middle. The altar rose in the overall composition in the most prominent place - in the center.

This is interesting. Each blue stone weighed almost four tons, and the closest they could be found was 385 km from Stonehenge (today the quarries of East Wales), and the giant 25-ton sandstone boulders were located 35 km from the mysterious structure. How could ancient people drag huge stones across such a distance? Until history has revealed this mystery.

Destruction

The environment was not favorable to the megalithic structure. Due to sudden warming in January 1797, one of the stone blocks could not stand it and fell. In 1900 there was a terrible storm, in which another large block did not survive.

Over the past 100 years, nature has no longer damaged the triolites of Stonehenge as much as careless visitors. In 1740, scientist William Stukeley marveled at the grandeur of this mysterious place and was surprised at the tourists who beat small stones from the boulders with hammers as souvenirs.

During the Victorian period, the desire to take a “piece” of Stonehenge with us flourished with greater force. Now tourists not only took “souvenirs”, but also left notes as souvenirs. Such vandalism amazed scientists of that time - to leave the phrase “G. Bridger, 1866, Chichester” was beyond their strength. Furniture master Thomas Chippendale noted that Mr. Bridger probably spent more than one day preparing this inscription.

The barbaric behavior continued into the 20th century. There was a military camp on Salisbury Plain during the First World War. Then the soldiers destroyed the eastern part of the ancient ditch for two miles. This “treadmill” was located in the north of Stonehenge. At that time it was rumored that the structure was going to be completely demolished, since the cromlech interfered with the operation of airplanes.

The appearance of the stone structure was most greatly changed by enthusiasts. In 1898, the land on which Stonehenge stood was inherited by Edmund Antrobus. Initially, the wealthy entrepreneur wanted to sell the property to the Americans, then he decided to stop damaging his own property. The restoration was undertaken by Professor William Gowland. One megalith was straightened, the remaining blocks were supported with wooden structures. Then the entire Stonehenge was reinforced with cement. Mr. Antrobus has done a lot of research work here. Triolite, which fell in 1797, was raised only in 1958. Thanks to the restoration, it was possible to find out that on the tops of the stones there were spikes that fit precisely into certain holes in the horizontal surface.

Restorations

The rest of the restoration work was carried out after the end of the First World War. The weakest triolites and stones were removed from the places where they had stood for almost 4 thousand years. New cement was poured into the foundation, and with the help of steel beams the stone blocks were placed in their rightful place. This work was captured on camera by news reporters and photojournalists.

Triolites that fell in 1797 and 1900 were restored in 1958. The blocks had to be lifted with a crane, which is used in airplane hangars. After these restoration works, only seven triolites stood at their original points, and the rest were in layers of concrete. But from the outside it seemed that reality could not be distinguished from the drawings of the 17th century. This was until 1963, when the 23rd stone fell due to the fact that it was caught by the 22nd triolite while being moved by a winch. The last work took place in 1964, when the 23rd block was put in place. After that, no one touched Stonehenge for half a century. Unless cars driving on the highway disturb the megaliths.

“From a clean slate” or how Stonehenge was built in 1954

When information appeared on the Internet that Stonehenge was actually a hoax and a way to make money, many rushed to test this theory. Is it true that cromlech appeared in Wiltshire not 4 thousand years ago, but some 50-60 years ago?

It turned out that no photographs of the area before 1954, on which a megalithic object stands. The fact is that from the 19th century there are drawings and engravings that show this building. The restoration of Stonehenge in 1954 took place practically from scratch due to the large amount of destruction of the local landmark. However, who and why needed a complete reconstruction of the facility? Another mystery, but this time of the modern world.

Stonehenge in numbers

The famous place not only has an interesting history, but also has a summary of numbers that will also tell you something about Stonehenge:

• the structure consists of 82 stone megaliths. Research has shown that blue blocks of volcanic origin weigh 5 tons, and their closest location is 250 km from Stonehenge. It is still unknown how the ancient Britons were able to drag 30 blocks such a distance;
• The 25-ton stones, 4 m high and 2 m wide, stand in the shape of a ring with a diameter of 33 m. The blocks are connected by transverse structures. Each stone crossbar is 3 m long. From the top of such a crossbar to the soil is almost 5 m. A circle formed from 13 blocks has survived to this day;
• The weight of triolite reaches 50 tons. These structures were located in an inner circle in the shape of a horseshoe. They were installed symmetrically. The height of the central block was 7.3 m. Until the beginning of the 19th century, only two triolites and the bent support of the main block survived. Only in the 20th century was another triolite restored and the central stone corrected - now the block looked more like the original design.

Legends of Stonehenge

The history of the stone structure contains not only proven reports, but also various myths. After all, no one still knows why and for what purpose Stonehenge appeared. The official story goes that before the ancient Romans, wild tribes lived on the territory of England. However, this is where the thought creeps in - how could primitive people, one and a half thousand years before the Birth of Christ, deliver giant blocks of stone to a certain place, and even place them on top of each other? Maybe these inhabitants were not as wild as history says? There are three main hypotheses about who built Stonehenge:

• Iberians. These tribes were the ancestors of the Basques. The Iberians lived in what is now Wiltshire before being driven out by the Celts. Supporters of this hypothesis are confident that nobles were buried inside the stone structure. Sacrifices were also held here, since Stonehenge also served as a temple of the Sun. The location of the stone blocks indicates that the ancient sorcerers knew astronomy, and triolites helped to monitor the Sun and Moon. When the Celts settled in the territory, they began to use Stonehenge for their own rituals;

• Druids. In the 19th century, for those who were interested in the famous stone structure, scientists told a theory - a well-coordinated pile of stones was built by the Druids, and the place itself was the tomb of the pagan ruler Boadicea;

• ancient observatory. In the middle of the 20th century, researcher Gerald Hawkins convincingly wrote in his scientific work that Stonehenge is an observatory in which each pair of triolites are points that record the positions of the main luminary, the Earth’s satellite and other celestial bodies. Moreover, before the volcanic eruption on the island of Santorini occurred in 1528, the calculations of ancient astronomers were 100% correct. Today, due to changes in the angle of inclination of the earth's axis, the error is equal to one degree. Hawkins argued that the megalithic structure is occult, but has nothing in common with the Druid religion or the rites of the Celts. If people created such a structure to worship the gods, then the modern world does not yet know who these gods are.

Stonehenge diagram

The photo of the stone structure clearly shows that the altar was located in the center of the structure. The sanctuary is made of six-ton ​​monolithic mica sandstone, which was somehow transported from Wales.

To the right and left of the entrance in the inner circle of triolites, at equal distances from each other, there were mounds without burials. Near the beginning of the inner ring there is a fallen block 4.9 m long. At the very first entrance to Stonehenge there is a heel stone, and to the left of the entrance there are two triolites that were once in a vertical position.

A ditch is formed between the outer and inner circles of the megaliths, and there are two shafts on the sides. From the entrance there are parallel pairs of pits and boulders 3 km long. In the center of the overall structure there are two circles consisting of 30 even ditches. Near the inner ring are 56 holes known as Aubrey's holes, named after the scientist who discovered them. To the left of the entrance, at a distance of ten meters, there is another “spare” passage, called the small southern entrance.

Summer Solstice Festival at Stonehenge

Only on one day a year can you touch the legendary boulders. According to Wikipedia, for the first time in a hundred years, British authorities allowed local Druids to celebrate the summer solstice at Stonehenge in 2000. The custom of watching the sunrise on this day near the cromlech has taken root since the 19th century. In the 70-80s of the last century, hippies held their summer festival in the stone circle, but in 1985 the celebrations were canceled due to problems with the police. In 1999, representatives of English Heritage relaxed the ban. Now anyone can watch the sunrise on the summer solstice in the company of friends completely free of charge.

Today thousands of people gather for the holiday. Druids organize rituals, songs can be heard from everywhere and dozens of bonfires blaze. Drums play in the background, and dawn comes with the climax of drumming. Many guests come in carnival costumes. There are only a few restrictions left: you cannot pitch tents or take sleeping bags on the territory. At dawn, people wrap themselves in blankets. There is also a limit on alcohol consumption - one bottle of wine or four cans of beer per person. It is also forbidden to climb on the stones, but touching them is allowed. Amplifiers are not permitted, but acoustic instruments are welcome. Many visitors come with guitars and drums. Every year, the summer solstice festival is visited by about 35 thousand people.

• To find out what it was like for ancient people to drag giant stones to the construction site, an experiment was conducted. 24 strong men dragged a one-ton stone over a distance of one kilometer. This task took the whole day. It is estimated that it would take a team of 1,000 people and 300 years to build Stonehenge by hand;
• the builders of the megalithic structure calculated and laid the foundation so accurately that the structure is almost 100% protected from earthquakes and soil shrinkage;
• Stonehenge was once put up for auction. The resourceful owner of the land where the structure stood wanted to sell the territory to a rich man abroad;
• the first time military exercises took place on the site of Stonehenge in 1898;
• In 1877, Charles Darwin came to the territory with an important project - to find out how earthworms live in the depths of places where a pair of triolites fell. The scientist studied everything and wrote it down in a notebook;
• The Stonehenge Visitor Center has come up with an interesting “trick” for tourists - the “Standing in the stones” attraction. Two adults and three children are placed in the virtual center of Stonehenge, and different eras and seasons are shown in a circle on the screens. This way, a complete feeling of presence in the heart of a megalithic structure is achieved.

Opening hours

You can walk around Stonehenge all year round, seven days a week. Visiting times depend on the season: from January 1 to mid-March from 9.30 to 17.00, from March 16 to the end of May from 9.30 to 19.00. In the summer there is more time - from 9 am to 8 pm, from September 1 to mid-October - from 9.30 to 19.00, from October 16 to December 31 - from 9.30 to 17.00.

You cannot replenish your strength on the territory of the building, since there is no cafe here. However, there is a small snack bar nearby. The tour usually lasts 5 hours, and most of the time is walking between the stones, so it is better to take some food with you. The legendary trails near the stone blocks can be walked in 40 minutes.

Ticket prices

To enter, tickets can be purchased online in advance from the English Heritage website. Here are the opening hours and prices. The cost of a ticket for an adult is 14.9 pounds, for a child 5-15 years old - 8.9 pounds, for families (two parents and three children) - 38.7 pounds. You can also buy tickets at the ticket office at the entrance, but it will be more expensive.

Travel from London to Salisbury by bus will cost about 17 pounds, but the cost depends on a couple of factors - season, type of bus, so the price may be higher. From Salisbury to Stonehenge regular transport costs £10.

The world-famous landmark of England, Stonehenge, is an ancient structure made of stone blocks surrounded by a series of earthen ditches. This stone megalithic structure is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the iconic site of Avebury and its associated monuments.

This archaeological site, which constantly attracts tourists, is located in the southwest of Wiltshire, England. .

Until now, historians and researchers are trying to unravel the purpose of this structure, but have not come to a consensus.

What does Stonehenge look like?

Externally, Stonehenge consists of blocks of stone, ditches and pits, arranged in a certain way. Scientists and archaeologists from all over the world can only guess what this structure looked like during its use.

Among the stone blocks, trilithes and megaliths stand out, and menhirs are free-standing stones made of gray calcareous sandstone. Some of the smaller stones have a bluish tint and are siliceous sandstone.

It is believed that the monument consists of cromlechs - concentric circles of roughly processed stone blocks. True, at present only a few fragments of the circles remain, which allow scientists to guess what the structure was like before. For example, the following computer reconstruction of Stonehenge was created.

The outer circle previously consisted of 30 vertical grayish stones over 4 meters high and over 2 meters wide. The weight of one such block is about 25 tons. Horizontal blocks more than 3 meters long, about a meter thick and about a meter wide were laid on top of these stone slabs.

The construction was quite strong, because... Protrusions were specially made on the vertical supports, and grooves for them on the horizontal slabs. Now only 13 vertical slabs and 6 horizontal floors remain. The diameter of the outer circle was 33 meters.

Inside this circle there was a circle of 30 bluish stones, of which no more than 10 now remain. These stones did not have horizontal overlaps and were smaller in size than the blocks of the outer circle.

Inside the complex there were 5 trilithons arranged in the shape of a horseshoe. The trilith consisted of two vertical stones and a horizontal ceiling laid on top. The sizes of trilithons were different. The base of the horseshoe formed by the trilithons faced the avenue, a parallel pair of ditches towards the River Avon. Inside the trilithons there were also bluish stones in the shape of a horseshoe.

Almost in the center of the circle there was a vertical altar stone weighing about 6 tons, standing opposite the central trilith. Now the altar stone is in a horizontal position.

Around the stone structure, pits were discovered, which are located in two circles of different diameters, each consisting of 30 pits (the inner circle is the Z holes, the outer circle is the Y holes). It is believed that these wooden pits previously housed tall wooden posts.

The third outer circle consists of 56 holes, which are named after the person who discovered them - Aubrey's holes. At the intersection of the Aubrey holes there are two mounds in which no burials were found. Also on the path of the Aubrey holes there are 2 supporting stones, of which there were 4 back in the 19th century, and they clearly pointed to the cardinal directions.

Of interest are two more stones located opposite each other. The first is a scaffold stone, located opposite the alley and is a horizontal monolith about 5 meters long. The second is the heel stone, located on the alley itself and is a vertical block 6 meters high.

The structure of Stonehenge and the stone blocks remaining to this day can be seen in more detail on the plans.

Stonehenge theories

There are many theories about the purpose of Stonehenge. Scientists have calculated that the time to bring these stone slabs to a given area (the nearest place where there are sedimentary sandstone rocks is South Wales, to which you need to travel 200 km), process and install them in a certain order, could take about 20 centuries.

Perhaps such an incredible effort, covering so much time, must have had a grandiose purpose.

One version of the appearance of Stonehenge is the activity of Merlin, who is considered a wizard and mentor to King Arthur. It is believed that he moved the huge structure to the meadows of England from the Dnieper rapids. Stonehenge in this theory was associated with King Arthur's round table. The differences in the shape and size of the stones signified the individuality of each member of the round table.

Another theory saw the stones of Stonehenge as a Druid sanctuary. In a sacred place they gathered to create, exchange information and compete in their own talents.

Other researchers considered Stonehenge to be the burial place of the pagan queen Boudicca, who, after the death of her husband, led the Iceni tribe. In the war against the Roman Empire, the Iceni fell, and Boudicca, who did not want to surrender, was poisoned. This building was erected in honor of her. True, none of these theories was confirmed by scientists: using the radiocarbon method, it was proven that the construction of Stonehenge dates back to 3500 BC, when the events described had not yet taken place. Stonehenge ceased to be used around 1100 BC.

Sometimes they consider a version about the site of a mass burial of people on the territory of Stonehenge, but this version is not confirmed. Only once have the remains of a man killed with a bow been found on the grounds of Stonehenge.

A common theory is that Stonehenge is an astronomical observatory of ancient people. The main researcher of this theory is J. Hawkins. But the choice of location for the observatory remains unclear. They were usually located on hills; this same object is located on the slope of a gentle hill.

Stonehenge can be a place of power, i.e. some energy generator. Indeed, many call the territory of Stonehenge an anomalous zone, where processes and phenomena incomprehensible to science occur. But there is no evidence for this theory, and it is unlikely that it will ever appear.

How to get to Stonehenge?

The distance to the monument from London is 140 km. The closest cities to Stonehenge are Amesbury and Salisbury. The famous structure is located 3 km from Amesbury and 13 km from Salisbury.

You can get to the site from Waterloo railway station by train to Salisbury, and then by local bus, which regularly goes to Stonehenge, or by taxi. And as an option, you can rent a car and drive yourself.

When traveling to England, be sure to include Stonehenge on your list of places to visit. Perhaps you will be the one to get closer to solving the mystery of this famous structure.

Stonehenge is a giant stone mystery in the very center of Europe. Today very little is known about its origin, purpose and history. It remains a mystery how ordinary people could calculate and build such a giant. Our review contains 15 facts about one of the most mysterious monuments in Europe.

Although there is still debate about who built Stonehenge and why, scientists have a clear idea of ​​when it was built. The oldest elements of the megalithic structure date back to 3000 BC. (then they started digging 2-meter ditches to form the outer features of the structure). The stones began to be installed around 2500 BC, and Stonehenge finally acquired its modern appearance around 1500 BC.

2. There are special terms for discussing this kind of monuments

There are two main types of stones at Stonehenge. The large vertical stones and arch stones are made of sarsen, a type of sandstone commonly found in the region. Smaller stones are known as "blue stones". They were so named because they acquire a bluish tint when wetted. The giant three arches for which Stonehenge became famous are called trilithons.

3. Some of the Stonehenge stones were brought from afar

When it came time to choose stones for construction, the Neolithic builders of Stonehenge did not like the local stones. Some relatively small bluestones (which can weigh up to four tons) were imported from the Preseli Mountains in Wales. Nobody knows how the giant stones were delivered 250 km away.

4.Stonehenge was originally a cemetery

Although the original purpose of Stonehenge is still shrouded in mystery, anthropologists can say with confidence that in the period before the first large stones appeared, the monument served as a resting place for remains. At least 64 Neolithic people are currently known to be buried at Stonehenge.

5. Remains continued to be buried at Stonehenge later.

Most of the remains discovered at Stonehenge were ash. However, in 1923, archaeologists discovered the skeleton of a headless Anglo-Saxon man dating from the 7th century AD. Since the man was executed, it can be assumed that he was a criminal, but his burial at Stonehenge has led archaeologists to believe that he may have belonged to the royal dynasty.

6. Rumors about the purpose of Stonehenge are often completely ridiculous.

Stonehenge's dark past has given rise to countless theories about the monument's original use. Theories range from a Druid temple or observatory to a ceremonial site for the coronation of Danish kings. More far-fetched theories suggest that Stonehenge is a model of the solar system built by ancient aliens.

7. The first written mention of Stonehenge dates back to the 12th century

Historian and explorer Henry Huntington made what is believed to be the first written reference to Stonehenge in the following passage, which dates back to 1130: “Stanage, where stones of amazing size are set in the manner of doorways ... and no one can understand how such huge blocks could be raised, and why this was done."

8. In the Middle Ages, people believed that Stonehenge was created by the sorcerer Merlin

In the absence of any more convincing theories about the creation of Stonehenge, medieval Britons believed the proposal set forth by the cleric historian Geoffrey of Monmouth. He claimed that the mysterious monument was the work of the legendary sorcerer Merlin.

9. Popular myth: Stonehenge was created by the devil

Witchcraft was not the only supernatural explanation for the appearance of the melalithic monument. The mystery surrounding the transportation of the bluestone from Wales to Wiltshire has given rise to another paranormal explanation: the stones were placed by the devil simply out of mischief.

10. Alco-ceremony of neo-Druids

In 1905, a group of 700 people, allegedly members of the Ancient Order of Druids, organized a supposedly religious ceremony at Stonehenge, where alcohol flowed in rivers. Contemporary print media gleefully ridiculed the event.

11. Visitors are not allowed to climb the rocks

The ban came into effect only in 1977, when it was established that significant erosion of the stones due to their contact with people was established. And at the beginning of the 20th century, tourists were given chisels to make it easier for them to chop off a souvenir as a keepsake.

12. Charles Darwin made interesting discoveries while studying earthworms at Stonehenge

In his old age, Charles Darwin became interested in earthworms. One of the sections of his works is devoted to the famous naturalist’s research at Stonehenge. In 1870, Darwin studied earthworms and stated that as a result of the activity of these animals, large stones gradually sink into the ground.

13. Stonehenge Was Previously Full Circle

Recently, restorers noticed strange dents in the peat around Stonehenge. Scientists have suggested that these are traces of stones that once closed the ring of the monument, and sank into the ground over the centuries.

14. An ordinary British citizen owned Stonehenge for three years

Stonehenge was the legal property of the British state for much of the last century, but would never have fallen into the hands of the government if not for the charity of Cecil Chubb. In 1915, the millionaire bought Stonehenge for his wife as a gift for £6,600. His wife, however, did not like the gift and three years later Chubb donated Stonehenge to the state on the condition that the monument would be maintained unchanged and open to visitors.

15. In the fall of 2015, you can bet on Stonehenge

To mark the centennial of Chubb's landmark purchase, there is an interactive re-enactment of the 1915 auction called "The Sale of the Century." All bets will go towards the reconstruction of the monument.

Lovers of history and antiquities will be interested in and will dispel many of the myths that existed about this monument.