Stonehenge is one of the most mystical monuments in the world. Stonehenge: history and legend Great stones in England
Just 130 km from the capital of Great Britain, the oldest building is located, the reason for the construction of which cannot be named until now. Stonehenge is still shrouded in secrets and mystical mysteries, attracting not only curious tourists, but also paleontologists, historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and many other scientists.
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Giant stone giants have been guarding Stonehenge for more than 5 millennia, strictly guarding in secret the true reason for the creation of this peculiar monument of antiquity. Located in the middle of the Salisbury chalk plateau, the structure of huge stone blocks covers an area of 107 square meters. km and is located in the middle of a swampy area near the Devonshire hills. The unsolved mysteries of ancient Stonehenge give reason to call it the eighth wonder of the world. No wonder Stonehenge is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Origin of the word Stonehenge
Like the building itself, the word "Stonehenge" has an ancient origin. It is believed that it comes from the phrase of the Old English words "stan" and "hencg", which translates as a stone rod. In fact, the upper stones are fixed on huge boulders in the form of rods. There is an assumption that the word "Stonehenge" has in its structure the Old English "hencen", which means "gallows" in translation, since stone structures made of two vertical blocks and a horizontal slab lying on them resemble medieval gallows.
These sculptures, reminiscent of medieval execution tools, were called triliths, which in Greek means three stones. There are five such triliths weighing 50 tons. In addition to huge triliths, 30 stone blocks weighing 25 tons each and 82 five-ton megaliths were used in the creation of Stonehenge - large fragments of rocks that were used in ancient times for the construction of structures with religious purposes.
grand building
The stone monoliths of Stonehenge are laid out around the perimeter of a large circle. On top of these blocks are huge stone slabs. Inside the circle there are stone blocks of larger sizes and covered with larger slabs, which are arranged in the form of a horseshoe. In the inner part of this peculiar horseshoe, there are blue stones that form a smaller horseshoe.
Averubi and Silbury Hill
During the study of Stonehenge, even more ancient structures were discovered nearby - a huge circle laid out with the help of stone vertical slabs - Averubi and Silbury Hill - a cone-shaped man-made mound reaching a height of 45 m. When studying these structures, they came to an interesting conclusion that they are all connected between themselves, forming a whole. Scientists made such a conclusion on the basis of the fact that between Stonehenge, Averubi and Silbury Hill the distance is 20 km, and they themselves are located so that they are located at the corners of an equilateral triangle.
Mysteries of Stonehenge
None of the scientists can definitely say for what purpose and how exactly this stone structure was erected. It remains a mystery how, several centuries before the victory over Troy, multi-ton blocks were delivered to the site of the construction of Stonehenge, if the distance to the nearest rocks is 350 km. Even using modern construction equipment, it is not at all easy to deliver a stone block weighing 25 tons to such a distance, but it is impossible to understand how this was achieved in the 2nd millennium BC.
Trying to somehow explain the reason for the appearance of stone monoliths on a swampy plain, people composed legends and tales. According to one of them, the powerful sorcerer Merlin brought legendary giants here by air to heal their wounds here. The British call Stonehenge "the dance of the giants". Indeed, the stones arranged in a circle are associated with a round dance of giants holding hands.
Another mystery of Stonehenge concerns the construction of a megalith over the crossing points of underground rivers. Under Stonehenge there are huge reserves of groundwater. Their presence can be explained by the location of the stone structure in a swampy area, but how to explain how the ancient people managed to accurately position the megalith remains a mystery.
The construction of Stonehenge lasted about 2000 years. Recently, archaeologists have found on the territory of this stone structure evidence of ancient wooden monumental buildings that were erected here 8000 years ago.
cult place
Later, on the territory of Stonehenge, two earthen ramparts were formed in the form of a circle with a diameter of about 115 meters, separated by a deep moat dug by deer antlers. During excavations in some areas of the moat, bones of large animals were found, and in some places the remains of burnt corpses. Based on the conducted research, we came to the conclusion that this place was a cult and sacrifices were made here. Many hundreds of years after the final construction of Stonehenge, it began to be used as a cemetery for cremated remains.
Stonehenge stones
Inside the moat are blue stones, which were laid much later, around 1800 BC. e. Experts have established that these huge blocks were brought here from deposits located in different places, and moved from one place to another repeatedly. How it was possible without modern technology is hard to imagine. Outside the circle is a huge monolith called the heel of the fleeing monk. On the opposite side of the shafts, opposite the "Heel" stone, there is a "Stone block" inside.
Despite its name, the stone has nothing to do with sacrifices. Being exposed to external natural factors, weathering products appeared on the stone - iron oxides, which have a blood-red color. These "bloody" spots gave the stone its name.
In the center of Stonehenge, a block of green sandstone weighing about 6 tons was installed, which served as an altar.
The largest reconstruction of Stonehenge took place at the end of the 3rd millennium BC. Huge stone blocks were delivered to the construction area from the southern hills located at a distance of 40 km from the construction site. Even such an insignificant distance by today's standards is difficult to overcome in modern conditions in order to transport 30 huge stone blocks. What can we say about the delivery of stone blocks at the end of the III millennium BC? The results of that ancient reconstruction have survived to this day in almost unchanged form.
purpose
Scientists all over the world are lost in conjectures about the purpose of Stonehenge. There are a number of assumptions and versions on this account. Some consider the gigantic building an ancient observatory, others argue that the Druids performed their religious rites here. It is believed that Stonehenge was built as a landing site for alien ships, and adherents of the existence of parallel dimensions are sure that a portal to other worlds opens here.
Some 5,000-year-old rock carvings discovered 14 km from Addis Ababa allegedly contain images similar to stone blocks of Stonehenge. In one of these ancient drawings above the center of a stone statue, the image resembles a spaceship taking off.
Paranormal activity
Paranormal researchers claim that amazing things happen near the complex. Once, during a tour of Stonehenge, the boy accidentally touched one of the stones with a piece of curved wire and fell unconscious. After this incident, the child could not recover for a long time and lost the ability to move his arms and legs for a whole six months.
While photographing Stonehenge in 1958, the photographer observed rising pillars of light above huge boulders. And in 1968, one of the eyewitnesses said that he saw a fiery ring emanating from the stones of Stonehenge, in which there was a bright luminous object. In 1977, eyewitnesses managed to film a UFO squadron over a megalith on a video camera, and this video was shown on all British television channels. It is interesting that during the observation of unidentified objects, the eyewitnesses' compass broke and the portable TV failed.
In the Stonehenge area, scientists have repeatedly heard clicking sounds and a strange buzz of unknown origin. Many scientists claim that the reason for such phenomena lies in the strong magnetic field that spreads around Stonehenge. Surprisingly, the compass needle, which should point to the south, always turns towards the center of the megalith, no matter which side of the structure you stop on. It is difficult to explain another strange phenomenon. If you knock on one of the stones in a certain way, then the sound will spread to all the stones, although they are not connected to each other.
Versions of scientists
The English architect of the 17th century Inigo Jones, studying the structure, came to the conclusion that the structure of Stonehenge resembles the architecture of ancient times and suggested that these were the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. Another version indicates that the pagan queen Boadicea, who fought with the Romans, was buried on the territory of Stonehenge. In this regard, there is an opinion that the leaders of the ancient tribes were also buried in Stonehenge.
Later, scientists suggested that Stonehenge was erected in order to accurately predict the time of lunar and solar eclipses, as well as the dates for the start of field work. The proof is the fact that on the day of the summer solstice during sunrise, its beam passes exactly in the middle of this stone structure. However, this version was rejected by skeptics, who argue that it was hardly justified to invest so much effort and money to make sure that the ordinary calendar and the change of seasons existed.
According to many scholars, Stonehenge was a place of pilgrimage and healing. An analysis of human bones found in burial places on the territory of stone structures showed that the people buried here suffered from serious diseases. Warriors wounded in battles, crippled and hopelessly ill, rushed to the blue stones of Stonehenge, hoping to get healed here. Many, without waiting for recovery, died and were buried here.
Many unsolved mysteries are kept in the ancient Stonehenge. None of the stones has an inscription, drawing or any markings. It is difficult for scientists to cling to anything. We have to build versions and put forward hypotheses and assumptions. It is worth noting that similar structures made of stone blocks can be found throughout Europe and on individual islands, although in scale they are clearly inferior to Stonehenge.
Stonehenge (Great Britain) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.
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Covered in secrets and legends, Stonehenge is an ancient megalith located in the south of England, in the Salisbury region, 130 km from London. This is a complex of 30 roughly hewn huge pillars and slabs of stone, stacked on top of each other in concentric circles.
The purpose of Stonehenge is still not fully understood by scientists: some consider it a temple, others consider it an astronomical observatory, some consider it a tomb, and legends say that the Atlanteans, Hyperboreans and the famous wizard Merlin performed rituals here.
This place is one of the most mysterious in the world, it is classified as an archaeological monument and is included in the UNESCO List of Protected Sites. Many tourists who want to see this wonder of the world come to Stonehenge to wander around the stones. It is forbidden to approach the structures, but at dawn or dusk you can enter the center of the circle.
Origin
The main mysteries of Stonehenge are who, how and why built such a monumental structure. Blocks of stone were hollowed out in the rock of the Presela Mountains and brought here several thousand years ago, covering a distance of 200 km!
According to a widespread hypothesis, the megalith was built by the ancient Celtic priests - the Druids and was used as a temple of heavenly bodies, but it does not agree with the age of the dolmens established by archaeologists - 3-5 thousand years BC. e.
Celtic legends claim that Stonehenge is the sanctuary of the wizard Merlin, which he created with the power of magic.
Another purpose attributed to the megalith is a pagan temple, where sacrifices were made to stone idols and burials were held. Scientists are still leaning more towards the version of the observatory of the ancients. Using the radiocarbon method, it was determined that the moat and earthen ramparts were made around 5000 BC. e. After that, monoliths were delivered here and they were used to make a circular stone structure with a diameter of 30 m. The mass of the largest elements reaches 50 tons, so the delivery and installation of these giants without modern technical devices is a real miracle.
Multi-ton vertical pillars are covered with huge slabs and look like a colonnade. Between themselves, they are fastened with a system of grooves and spikes, which is why the design has stood the test of time and almost did not fall apart.
There are other interesting objects not far from the complex. For example, 5 km away is the burial place of a rich man who lived during the construction of the megalith. Silbury Hill is a 40-meter artificial mound, it is also on the World Heritage Register, one of the largest in the world and the same age as Stonehenge.
stonehenge
Practical Information
Address: Amesbury, Salisbury SP4 7DE. GPS coordinates: 51.179177, −1.826284.
How to get there: With a group tour from London (cost from 60 GBP), by rented car or by train from Waterloo station to Salisbury station, then 40 minutes by Wilts & Dorset Stonehenge Tour bus or by taxi for 25-31 GBP.
Opening hours: from 9:00 to 20:00 entry until 18:00. Ticket prices: 17.5 GBP for adults and 10.50 GBP for children. Prices on the page are for September 2018.
About 130 kilometers from London there is a very strange place - a bunch of huge stones, neatly arranged in a circle in the middle of an open field. Their age cannot be accurately estimated even by the means of modern science - either three thousand years, or all five. Why did our ancestors, literally just climbing down from the trees, suddenly begin to cut huge boulders out of the rocks and drag them hundreds of kilometers away? An ancient observatory, a cult building of the druids, a landing site for aliens and even a portal to another dimension - all this is Stonehenge.
United Kingdom, Wiltshire, 13 kilometers from the town of Salisbury. Here, in the middle of an ordinary English plain, is Stonehenge - one of the most famous buildings in the world. It has 82 five-ton megaliths, 30 stone blocks of 25 tons each, and 5 giant triliths weighing up to 50 tons.
What is Stonehenge
The very word "Stonehenge" is very ancient. There are several versions regarding its origin. It could be formed from the Old English "stan" (stone, that is, stone) and "hencg" (rod - since the upper stones were fixed on the rods) or "hencen" (gallows, torture instrument). The latter can be explained by the fact that the medieval gallows were built in the shape of the letter "P" and resembled the trilithons of Stonehenge.
Megalith (from the Greek "megas" - large, and "litos" - stone) is a large hewn piece of rock used in the construction of ancient places of worship. As a rule, such structures were erected without the use of mortar - stone blocks were held under their own weight or on hewn stone "castles".
Trilith (or "trilithon", from the Greek "tri" - three and "litos" - stone) is a building structure of two vertical blocks supporting a third, horizontal one.
How Stonehenge was built
The construction of Stonehenge took place in several stages, which took a total of over 2000 years. However, archaeologists have found evidence of much older structures at the site. For example, near the parking lot for tourists near Stonehenge, three shallow "mines" were recently found, into which wooden supports were dug (they, of course, did not survive). The location of the supports shows that they supported a very large wooden monument, whose age is estimated at about 8000 years.
Around 2600 BC, the wooden buildings were demolished and replaced by majestic stone structures. First, the builders dug two rows of large crescent-shaped holes (one horseshoe inside the other), turned to the northeast. 385 kilometers away, from the cliffs of Carn Menin in the hills of Preseli (Wales), 80 so-called "blue stones" were delivered. Each stone was about 2 meters high, about 1.5 meters wide and 0.8 meters thick. They weighed 4-5 tons.
In the heart of Stonehenge, a six-ton monolith of green mica sandstone was placed - the so-called "Altar". In addition, the northeast entrance was moved a little to the side and widened so that it looked exactly at sunrise on the day of the summer solstice.
Apparently, the construction of Stonehenge at this phase remained unfinished. The Blue Stones were soon removed and the holes under them filled in.
At the same time, three separate large "blue stones" appeared here. Two survived - the so-called "Heel" (in the meaning of "last") stone at the northeastern entrance outside the ramparts and the "Stone Block" near the same entrance inside the ramparts (later it collapsed on its side). Despite the name, the “Stone Block” is not associated with bloody sacrifices. Due to weathering, red spots began to appear on its side - iron oxides, which gave rise to such gloomy associations. In addition, on the inner side of the northern and southern ramparts, for unknown purposes, small barrows (without burials) topped with "blue stones" were piled up.
At the end of the 3rd millennium BC, Stonehenge underwent a new - the most ambitious restructuring, thanks to which it has become so popular today. From the hills of southern England (40 kilometers away from Stonehenge), 30 huge stone blocks - "sarsens" were brought here, each of which weighed 25 tons.
Stonehenge. How it was.
The earliest surviving religious building on the territory of Stonehenge looks very primitive and does not resemble later stone buildings. Stonehenge No. 1 was built no earlier than 3100 BC and consisted of two round earthen ramparts, between which there was a moat. The diameter of the entire object is about 115 meters. A large entrance was arranged on the northeast side, and a small one on the south.
Presumably, the ditch between the ramparts was dug using deer antler tools. The work was carried out not in one step, but in sections. Studies have shown that the bottom of the moat was covered with animal bones (deer, bulls). Judging by their condition, these bones were carefully monitored - they probably had considerable cult significance for people who visited the temple.
Directly behind the inner rampart inside the complex, 56 recesses were dug, arranged in a circle. They were called "Aubrey Holes" after the antique dealer who discovered them in 1666. The purpose of the holes is unclear. According to the chemical analysis of the soil, wooden supports were not placed in them. The most common version is that lunar eclipses were calculated from the holes, however, the accuracy leaves much to be desired.
Stonehenge - prehistoric crematorium
Later buildings date back to 2900-2500 BC and can be judged theoretically - time has left us only a group of depressions in the ground, where wooden supports for some structures were placed. The latter could well have been covered sheds, because these holes (now filled with earth and indistinguishable from the rest of the landscape) run in two parallel rows from the northern and southern entrances to the center of the entire structure. The diameter of the recesses is much smaller than the Aubrey holes, only 0.4 meters, and they are more distant from each other.
During the second phase of the construction of Stonehenge, the earthen ramparts were partially torn down - their height decreased, and the ditch between them was almost half filled up. In the same period, the functions of the Aubrey holes changed - they began to be used for the burial of cremated remains. Similar burials began to be carried out in the ditch - and only in its eastern part.
Whatever Stonehenge was built for, a few hundred years after that, it began to be used as a fenced cemetery for cremated remains - the first known in Europe.
Interesting facts about Stonehenge
The most common archeological finds in the ground under Stonehenge are Roman coins and the remains of the Saxons. They date back to the 7th century BC.
There are more exotic theories about Aubrey holes. For example, the ancients could use them to plan pregnancy (based on the 28-day menstrual cycle in women).
Blue stones are dolerite, the closest relative of coarse-grained basalt. Dolerite got its “colored” nickname because it turns blue when wet with water. A fresh chipped stone also has a blue tint. Heel stone - so named because of the legend according to which Satan threw it at a monk and hit him in the heel. The origin of the word "sarsen" is unclear. Perhaps it came from the later term "Saracen" (Saracen, that is, pagan stones). Sarsens were used to build not only Stonehenge, but also other megalithic monuments in England. The inside of the sarsens was processed much better than the outside. This suggests that, perhaps, the room was closed, and some important rituals were performed inside it, the participants of which did not leave the stone “circle.” Calculations show that the construction of Stonehenge (with the tools available at that time) required about 2 million people hours of work, and the processing of stones would take 10 times more. The reason why people worked on this monument for almost 20 centuries must have been very good. The theory of a UFO landing site arose in part due to the fact that there is a military airfield near Stonehenge (near the city of Warminster).
What was Stonehenge for?
As soon as people did not rack their brains - why did the ancients need Stonehenge? The very first references that have come down to us connect it with the legend of King Arthur - supposedly this monument was built by the wizard Merlin himself (according to another version, he transferred it with his charms from Mount Killaraus in Ireland).
Other stories "blamed" the construction of Stonehenge on the devil himself. In 1615, the architect Inigo Jones claimed that the stone monoliths were built by the Romans - allegedly it was the temple of a pagan deity named Knelus. In the 18th century, researchers discovered the “astronomical” function of Stonehenge (its orientation to the solstice) - this is how the version appeared, according to which this building belonged to the Druids. Nowadays, some experts claim that Stonehenge can predict solar eclipses or even perform complex mathematical calculations. The "planetarium" and "calculator" theories are very controversial - the evidence is usually refuted either by the simplest astronomical facts or by history itself (Stonehenge has been repeatedly rebuilt, changed its structure and probably served different purposes).
Outer ring of sarsens
The assumption that the second, “cemetery” stage of the construction of Stonehenge was associated with successful conquests of local tribes looks very interesting. An analysis of the remains found in the burial grounds adjacent to Stonehenge showed that some of the people buried there were from Wales. This may also explain the subsequent delivery of "blue stones", symbolizing the unification of the two lands. Experts also admit that for most of its history, Stonehenge served as a place for the cremation of the remains. This version is not without the right to exist, because the Neolithic cultures of Europe associated wood with life, and stone with death.
Late 19th century
One way or another, Stonehenge should not be called an observatory or associated with the druids. In the first case, we simply apply the concepts of the 21st century to events that took place almost 5,000 years ago. In the second, we sacrifice facts to a beautiful legend. Druids are a purely Celtic phenomenon. The Celts came to Britain no earlier than 500 BC - Stonehenge was already built.
Fiction writers on Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a structure so ancient and incomprehensible that even science fiction writers are not too sure what to do with it. The ideas that they offer in their works are often not much different from the versions of some scientists.
For example, Harry Harrison co-wrote the novel Stonehenge (1972) with Leon Stover. According to this book, the ancient monoliths were erected by the surviving inhabitants of Atlantis. A little earlier, Keith Laumer created the book “Trace of Memory” (1968), where he developed an “alien” idea: there is an underground communication center next to Stonehenge, from where you can call the descent module of a huge alien ship drifting near the Earth - and this module landed right on Stonehenge .
New Stonehenge
: modern astronomers revived the knowledge of ancestors
February 12, 2005 in the New Zealand town of Wairarapa opened "New Stonehenge", very similar to its famous British "relative". But why did modern astronomers need to build a copy of an ancient structure?
The modern stone observatory is called Stonehenge Aotearoa, built by the New Zealand Phoenix Astronomical Society.
Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand. And it was taken for a reason.
But first it must be said that the new Stonehenge is not at all an exact copy of the stone monster from the Salisbury Plain (Stonehenge), although their basic dimensions are almost the same.
And it's not just a tourist attraction. Stonehenge Aotearoa is a full scale adaptation of its ancestor to work properly on the other side of the planet. What is this job? Of course - an indication of astronomical events.
In the photo: an architectural monument of Stonehenge in England. Photo from dailymail.co.uk
History of Stonehenge
Scientists believe that one of the most mysterious sights of England - the famous Stonehenge - was founded from above. 5000 years ago. Since then, the mysterious cromlech continues to attract people from all over the world.
It is estimated that the construction of Stonehenge took over three hundred years. Over the centuries, it has been rebuilt and changed many times. The true purpose of the building is still not known, however, there are suggestions supported by archaeological finds that it was once used as a giant observatory or ritual structure associated with the cult of the dead in early paganism.
Pictured: a mysterious pagan ceremony at ancient Stonehenge in England. Source: bbc.co.uk
The first circular building on the site of the modern stone cromlech was erected around 3100 BC and consisted of an embankment with a diameter of about 110 meters and a ditch in which the bones of deer and bulls were laid. Moreover, archaeologists believe that these bones were much older than the tools used to dig the ditch.
56 holes were dug inside, named after one of the first explorers of Stonehenge, Aubrey Holes. According to modern scientists, they were used for astronomical purposes, perhaps with the help of stones or tree trunks placed in the holes, the ancient inhabitants of England predicted eclipses or followed the movements of celestial bodies. And in 2013, a team of researchers found the cremated remains of at least 63 people - men, women and even a few children - buried in the Aubrey holes. In total, about 50,000 bones were found at Stonehenge. Later burials were also discovered on the territory of the monument, as well as evidence of visiting the monument by a large number of people.
It is assumed that the first stone buildings on the site of Stonehenge appeared around 2600 BC. 80 belong to that time standing stones, some of which were brought from a distance of 240-250 kilometers. Other stones were taken from a quarry located 80 kilometers from Stonehenge. Moreover, the largest stones reached two meters in height and weighed about 2 tons. Later, even larger stones were added, some of which have survived to this day. The heaviest cromlech stones weigh over 50 tons, and the height of the largest stone is a breathtaking 7 meters.
Researchers are still wondering how exactly these blocks were delivered and installed. It is not surprising that people believed that giants were involved in the construction or explained the appearance of Stonehenge with magic. One thing is certain - its construction required huge efforts of a large number of people and lasted several centuries. But what exactly prompted the ancient inhabitants of modern England to erect such a grandiose structure, one can only guess.
Illustration from a mid-14th century manuscript. The participation of the wizard Merlin and the giants in the construction of Stonehenge. Source: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk
In terms of scale and historical age, Stonehenge is quite capable of competing with the Egyptian pyramids. And definitely surpasses them in its mystique.
Stonehenge today
Unfortunately, only a small part of the once majestic building has survived to this day. But, nevertheless, its scale is amazing to this day. Now we can see only an impressive altar stone, several vertical stones with lintels, a heel stone, the remains of a moat and part of the preserved holes. Standing next to giant stones three times the height of a man, it is impossible to believe that they were built by people, especially long before the advent of construction equipment.
Plan of modern Stonehenge. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org
A slight disappointment for tourists may be that Stonehenge is always full of visitors, and you can’t get too close to the stones, let alone touch them with your hands. That is, the expected "unity with space", which many expect from a visit to Stonehenge, most likely will not work.
But, even with the constant crowds of tourists, Stonehenge makes an indelible impression and for good reason remains one of the most visited attractions in the UK. And besides looking at the stones on the territory of the museum complex, there is something to do. For example, you can try to move a stone similar in size and weight to the blocks in the monument, see Neolithic huts and imagine how people lived during the construction of Stonehenge, buy unusual souvenirs and admire the herbs blooming around.
How to get to Stonehenge
In the photo: a queue of tourists to Stonehenge. Photo from telegraph.org.uk
If you want to see the mysterious creation of the ancient masters with your own eyes, then the easiest way to go to Stonehenge is by car. It is located just 130 km from London in Wiltshire near the town of Amesbury at Amesbury, Salisbury SP4 7DE, UK.
There are trains every hour from Waterloo station to Salisbury, 9.5 miles from our point of interest. Traveling by train will take about an hour and a half, plus you will have to use a bus or taxi, or walk about 15 kilometers on foot through the scenic area. The ubiquitous signs will not let you get lost.
You can also get to Stonehenge by bus from Heathrow Airport or from the Victoria Coach Station parking lot. In this case, the trip will take about two hours. The bus will take those who are eager to join the secrets of antiquity to Amesbury, where they will have to transfer to another bus, take a taxi or walk about 2 miles on foot.
You can also choose from a huge number of bus tour options and visit only Stonehenge or several attractions at once. The first option will cost £40-50 per person, round trip from London will take about 5 hours.
Stonehenge is open to the public daily, except for Christmas holidays, from 9:30 to 19 hours. Tickets cost £16.30 for adults, £9.80 for children aged 5 to 15, £14.70 for senior citizens and students. A family ticket for 2 adults and 3 children will cost £42.40 when booked online. Tickets at the entrance will cost about 1-2 pounds more. If you need an audio guide, it costs £3 to rent.
So is it worth going that far? Undoubtedly, it is worth it if you want to feel the incomparable energy of this mysterious place, to see with your own eyes the stones that stood in the same place long before the birth of Christ, as well as before the arrival of the Romans, the construction of Hadrian's Wall, the reign of the legendary King Arthur and many other historical events.
Well, if for you stones are just stones, and you don’t see any esoteric background in this building, then in England, no doubt, there are many other equally interesting places that are much easier to get to.
Huge stones, mounds, ditches, pits and ramparts - for many centuries, Stonehenge has been of interest to historians, astronomers, astrologers, who put forward various theories of the reasons for its origin and purpose.
Many people wonder how old this building is and what is the history of Stonehenge. He is a little younger in age. Egyptian pyramids- according to the latest data, it was built almost four thousand years ago. The ancient inhabitants called it the “Dance (or round dance) of the giants”, and with just a glance at it, it immediately becomes clear why.
It has long been known where Stonehenge is and what it looks like. The building is located in Wiltshire County in the UK. According to the latest data, its construction began around 1900 BC. e. (at the end of the Stone Age), and ended three centuries later (while it was rebuilt three times).
First, the builders dug a ditch in the shape of a circle, then installed blocks and pillars of wood, dug out and placed 56 holes in a circle. The central element of the building turned out to be the Heel Stone, seven meters high, right above which the Sun still rises on the day of the summer solstice. This is exactly what the old building looked like.
The structure of the UK is extremely resistant to seismic activity. Studies have shown that builders have achieved this thanks to special platforms designed to soften or even extinguish tremors. Another feature is that they do not give the so-called "shrinkage of the soil."
The building itself has the following description:
- 82 stone blocks (megaliths). According to recent studies, the volcanic stones of Stonehenge, blue or greenish-gray in color, weighing 5 tons, were most likely brought here from Karn Goedog, which is very far from Stonehenge - at a distance of 250 km. Scientists are still putting forward different theories about how the ancient British dragged a large number of five-ton blocks over such a distance.
- 30 stone blocks. Blocks of stone weighing 25 tons each, four meters high, and about two wide, the ancient builders placed in the form of a circle, the diameter of which was 33 m. Each such stone is a little more than three meters in length. The distance between the top of these lintels and the ground turned out to be about five meters. In our time, an arc has been preserved, consisting of thirteen blocks with crossbars.
- 5 triliths. The weight of each trilith is 50 tons. They were located inside this circle and formed a horseshoe. They were installed symmetrically - the height of one pair was six meters, the next one was higher, and the height of the central trilith reached 7.3 m. By the nineteenth century, only two southeastern triliths remained, as well as one curved support of the main stone. At the beginning of the 20th century, experts restored one northwestern trilith and straightened the support of the central one, which brought its appearance closer to the original.
Building Versions
Many people ask who built Stonehenge, how Stonehenge was built and how old it is. Stonehenge was built for several centuries and a huge number of people worked on the construction (it should be borne in mind that at that time very few people lived in the UK). Therefore, many scientists believe that all the peoples living at that time in this area were involved in the construction.
To build such a structure, the ancient British used dolerite, volcanic lava, volcanic tuff, sandstone and limestone.
Half of the monoliths were delivered from a site located more than two hundred kilometers from the building. According to some assumptions, they were delivered first by land, then - by water, according to others - they themselves sailed here by natural means.
Even experiments were carried out that showed that in a day twenty-four people are able to move a one-ton block of just one kilometer. This means that the delivery of one heavy monolith from ancient people most likely took several years.
Stones were processed in several stages in order to obtain the desired look and shape. First, even before moving, they were prepared for transportation with blows, fire and water, and after delivery they were already processed and polished, after which they acquired the desired look.
In order to install a block, they dug a hole, lined it with stakes, along which they rolled the monolith. After that, the ropes were installed in a vertical position and fixed.
Laying the crossbars was much more difficult. According to some assumptions, in order to put them on parallel stones, earthen elevations were made, along which the monoliths were tightened. According to others, they raised them using logs. First, they put them at the same height, dragged a block on them, then they built a higher pile of logs next to it, lifted a stone on it, etc.
purpose
Considering how many years and centuries it took to build Stonehenge, the number of people involved (according to some sources, at least a thousand) and efforts, the question arises why Stonehenge was built in the UK.
At first, its construction was attributed to the Druids. In the Middle Ages, most people believed that Merlin erected it overnight after the victory of the British king over the Saxons. During the Renaissance, historians decided that the Druids could not erect such a building, so the Romans most likely built it.
Now some scientists are convinced that this building is the burial place of Queen Boadicea. Moreover, the remains of ancient people were found here, according to the version of scientists, who belonged to 240 representatives of the local elite. At the same time, most of the human bones belong to 2570-2340. BC, and the oldest ones are older by another millennium.
Most researchers are inclined to think that buildings of this type were not only ritual, but also astronomical structures, since here they could intensively study other planets, stars, sunrises and sunsets.
Astronomical theory
Now, few people question the fact that Stonehenge was a huge observatory from which they watched the sky. Here it was determined on which day the summer and winter solstice would occur (at this time the Sun rises directly above the Heel Stone), and they began to keep an annual count of time.
Also in the course of research, scientists noticed that on the day of the winter solstice, the Sun is perfectly visible through one trilith, and the sunsets of celestial bodies through the other two. And two more were used to observe the moon.
Some scientists have put forward the idea that the holes located inside the circle accurately imitate the trajectory of the Pole of the World, which existed from 12 to 30 thousand years ago, as a result of which a version appeared that Stonehenge may well be much older than it is now suggest.
For example, David Bowen, a professor at the University of Wales, conducted research that enabled him to claim that this structure is 140 thousand years old. The theory, of course, is unlikely, but it exists.
Interestingly, when the scientist reconstructed the primary view of Stonehenge with the help of a special computer program, he came to surprising conclusions: the ancient observatory was also an absolutely accurate model of the solar system, consisting of twelve planets. At the same time, two, unknown to us now, are hiding behind Pluto, another one is located between Mars and Jupiter. The model surprisingly confirms the latest hypotheses of modern astronomy.
eclipse predictor
Eclipses of heavenly bodies have always caused an ambiguous reaction among our ancestors - they were simply afraid of them. Therefore, according to one of the hypotheses, Stonehenge in the UK was built precisely in order to warn of a possible danger in time.
For example, Gerald Hopkins claims that at the time of the construction of Stonehenge, eclipses were when the rising moon appeared over the central block in winter. Autumn eclipses of the night light occurred when its rising completely coincided with one of the stones from the outer side of the circle.
It was in this place that the moon appeared once every eighteen years. And this means that three such cycles add up to fifty-six years - the number of holes installed in Stonehenge. Many years ago, when the ancients, after a certain time, shifted stones from one hole to another, they determined when such an event frightening them would occur, accurate to the time of the year.
Stonehenge is a wonderful place that attracts and attracts those around who are interested in its description and history. Stonehenge: interesting facts is the most requested question of tourists, to which the guides are happy to answer, revealing the secrets of the amazing construction of the ancient inhabitants.
