If you’re interested in exploring Europe’s most famous monument, take a trip down to the Salisbury Plain in Southern England for the ancient enigmatic Stonehenge. The megalithic was built over several phases starting from around 3,100 B.C. The earthworks consist of a circular bank with large upright stones at the center.
The Stonehenge and its surroundings were included in the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. Since the monument was erected in prehistory time, there has been very little documentation regarding the standing stones and its circular embankment. Understanding the various stages of activities at Stonehenge is not simple. Research into the monument is ongoing, and from time to time, there will be new discoveries and theories being published.
Stonehenge – Facts, Information
Here are some facts about the Stonehenge:
- The megalithic was built in 4 phrases at different time including the Pre-Stonehenge erection at 9th-8th millennium BC.
- A minimum of 30,000,000 hours were spent in building it.
- The rocks are estimated to be 40 tons.
- Some archaeologists suggest that it is a site with religious significance. Others think that it is an astronomical calculator or a site for human sacrifice.
- There are many prehistoric burial mounds in the surroundings. The most popular one is West Kennet Long Barrow; the tallest man-made ancient mound in Europe is the Silbury Hill.
- Visitors are not allowed to walk within the circle except with special arrangement.
- The tallest upright stone is 22 ft high with another 8 ft buried below ground.
Tour Stonehenge
You can arrange a day trip to Stonehenge. Here are the options you can access the ancient monument:
- Join a day tour from London.
- Catch a train from London to Salisbury which is the nearest town to the Stonehenge. Take a 25 minute Stonehenge Tour Bus from Salisbury bus station.
- If you drive, aim for the junction of A303 and A344/A360, Amesbury SP4 7DE at 2 miles West of Amesbury
Facilities available at Stonehenge
You will find rest rooms, parking lots and a stall selling snacks and drinks.
Entrance fee to the Stonehenge is required (if you plan to visit several other monuments, check out the British Heritage Pass). Audio guided tours in 9 languages are included with the entrance fee.
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Stonehenge is one of our flagship interests at Heritage Key - we went there this summer for the solstice: 36,500 people soaking up the sun, the stones and the atmosphere made for an incredible (albeit long) day. The solstices are the only time you can get inside the stone circle, so make the most of it if you’re in England this December.