Stonehenge, United Kingdom

The prehistoric monument Stonehenge is one of the most famous unresolved ancient mysteries in the world and Britain's national icon.

The Stonehenge attracts and intrigues thousands of visitors each year with its unrevealed mysteries - no one knows who built it, when, why this particular place was chosen for the Stonehenge location, where the stones were brought from, and for what reason the monument was built.

History & Facts

The Stonehenge history has aroused many theories and has been subject to debate since the Middle Ages. As such it was once considered an early Roman building due to its shape and symmetry. Later the construction was attributed to the early inhabitants of the island - the Druids and was considered their temple. Yet its actual age was estimated only in the 1870's when research showed that its first monument was erected over 5000 years ago with the stone circle dating to the Neolithic period (meaning it is about 2500 years old).

The construction of this World Heritage Site was a miracle of engineering in itself as the stones each way many tons and there is practically no evidence regarding construction techniques which were used. The bank and ditch were dug using primitive tools to hold the site. The heart of the monument was formed by two types of stones large sarsens and smaller bluestones, but there is no specific factual information explaining where the stones were brought from. The site was set up in two concentric arrangements – an inner horseshoe and an outer circle of sarsens, and the bluestones were put between them in a double arc. In about 200 - 300 years the monument was enhanced with a so-called Avenue that led to the River Avon.

It is predicted that Stonehenge was a burial place, cemetery and cremation site as over 350 burial mounds were found during excavations around the monument. Others believe that the place was built for ceremonial purposes like worshipping ancestors or religious purposes. Latest predictions state that it might have been a cult center for healing as some of the people buried there were from different regions as far as present-day Germany or France. Among other assumptions, Stonehenge is thought to be an astronomical "computer" or observation center for predicting eclipses and solar events.

One of the interesting Stonehenge facts is that the architecturally sophisticated stone circle was even privately owned in the 1900s! In that same period, the monument was reconstructed and many of the parts which have fallen were re-erected in their previous place.

All in all, a visit to Stonehenge from London is among the top ways to spice up your getaway to England. Set by Wiltshire, England, it can be easily reached from the capital by train or car in a mere 1 and a half hour.