Stonehenge

Stonehenge is arguably the most popular monument across Europe and such it is one of the most visited tourist attractions on the continent. This magnificent megalithic composition is impressive not only in appearance but also with mystic history. The prehistoric site is located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 12 km north of Salisbury and 3.2 km west of Amesbury and 130 km southwest of London.

Since 1986, Stonehenge was inscribed on the List of World Heritage of UNESCO, but also under the aegis of the law for the protection of ancient monuments. Construction of this stone ensemble began about 5000 BC, and according to archeologists and historians had lasted nearly 15 centuries - starting with working activities in 3100 BC. The mold of the outer circular embankment and pit ended shortly before 1600 BC by the formation of the inner circle of large, blue stones.

The stone ruins of Stonehenge is located in the Salisbury valley. It is believed that some rocks were brought from as far as Presely Hills in South Wales. Some of them reach a record of four tons in weight. Most of them are the same size and are grouped in pairs and the same block on each pair is placed horizontally. The center of the ancient monument is called the altar stone, and in the internal circle are two horseshoe structures.

It still remains a mystery as to what exactly Stonehenge symbolizes and what was the purpose of raising it. There are three main theories that appear in the foreground. Some experts believe that it was a place for ritual ceremonies and funerals for the dead of the city or that it was a Temple of the Sun. This theory is supported by the fact that the horseshoe shaped structures are consistent with the sunrise and sunset during the summer and winter solstice. Astronomers believe that Stonehenge was an observatory of our ancient ancestors to read the position of the moon, sun and stars. According to other experts, this is a stone model of the universe, and archaeologists have suggested that Stonehenge was a place of contact between ancient humans and aliens.

The area around Stonehenge is still quite rich in archaeological finds. There 6 years ago, Amesbury Archer was discovered at the ancient tomb in the territory of England. It dates from 4000 years ago and with it a buried body was discovered with a bow and hundreds of valuable items. The mystique around Stonehenge attracts many societies that perform regular rituals there.