Ancient stone circles rise 24 feet high in Wiltshire, marking celestial events since 2500 BCE. Walk among 40-ton blocks and explore Neolithic houses with replica tools.
At Stonehenge in Wiltshire, 40-ton stone blocks tower up to 24 feet high in concentric circles, marking celestial events for 4,500 years. You can walk the perimeter of this prehistoric monument, examine ancient tools in the visitor center, and step inside reconstructed Neolithic houses to handle replica artifacts used by the site's original builders.
The stone circle consists of massive sarsens and smaller bluestones arranged to mark the summer and winter solstice sun positions. You'll see how ancient builders positioned these 24-foot stones to track astronomical events. Site staff guide you along the designated path, explaining construction techniques and astronomical significance.
Book your visit in advance through the site management to avoid crowds. For a closer look, book the Stone Circle Experience during early morning or evening sessions to walk among the stones. Local residents may qualify for free admission through a 1921 agreement. The site opens daily except December 24-25.
Special sunrise viewings take place during summer and winter solstices, spring and autumn equinoxes. The summer solstice draws large crowds who gather to watch the sunrise align with the Heel Stone. These gatherings let you witness the same astronomical alignments that people observed millennia ago.
The visitor center explains how ancient people built Stonehenge through different phases. You'll see Neolithic construction tools, examine a reconstruction of a 5,500-year-old man's face, and use interactive displays to understand the monument's development. In the outdoor area, you can enter Neolithic house replicas and handle tools similar to those used by prehistoric builders.
The landscape around Stonehenge contains several prehistoric monuments. Visit Woodhenge, three miles away, where wooden posts mark the original structure's location. Walk the three-kilometer Cursus north of Stonehenge, an earthwork where Neolithic people held ceremonies. These surrounding sites show how prehistoric communities used this landscape for gatherings and rituals.
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