Stonehenge
Location
About
The most famous prehistoric monument in the world, Stonehenge is a Neolithic/Bronze Age stone circle on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. Built in multiple phases from approximately 3100 to 1600 BCE, its iconic sarsen sandstone trilithons (two uprights with a lintel) were transported from 25 km away, while the smaller bluestones came from the Preseli Hills in Wales, 240 km distant. The monument is precisely aligned with the summer solstice sunrise and winter solstice sunset.
Significance
Stonehenge is the supreme monument of prehistoric Britain and the defining image of the pre-Christian spiritual landscape. Its solar alignments — the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset framed precisely by the sarsen stones — reveal sophisticated astronomical knowledge and a calendar-based ritual system. The monument is the most visited prehistoric site on earth and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History & Historical Arc
Phase 1 (3100 BCE): circular ditch and bank with cremation deposits — the world's largest cremation cemetery of its era …
Archaeological Notes
Parker Pearson's Stonehenge Riverside Project (2003-2009) revealed the broader ritual landscape including Durrington Wal…
Key Features & Structures
- Sarsen stone trilithons (complete and fallen)
- Bluestone horseshoe (inner ring)
Visitor Information
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entry by timed ticket only (advance booking). Free to view from road. Special solstice acces…
Related Figures
Source References
- Parker Pearson, Stonehenge (2012)
- Cleal et al., Stonehenge in its Landscape (1995)