Stonehenge

As could be expected, there is something eerie about visiting Stonehenge. It's estimated that the structure was build between 3000 B.C. and 1600 B.C. Its actual purpose or use is subject to speculation, but scholars seem to agree that the structure is aligned with the mid-summer sunrise (longest day of the year) and the mid-winter sunset (shortest day of the year).

Whoever built it and for whatever purpose, the fact remains that it was an incredible undertaking, built with stones weighing several hundred tons erected to form the inner and outer circles. The stones of the inner circle come from one location and those making up the outer circle come from another, both of which are several miles away. The stones that are placed on top of the columns have hollowed out indentations that fit onto raised "bumps" on the top of the vertical monoliths, ensuring that they would not slip off. It is estimated that some of the cap stones weigh up to a hundred tons. How it was built is as much a mystery as the purpose of the site itself.

Stonehenge is surrounded by burial mounds, some of which have been excavated and others x-rayed but otherwise left untouched. These burial mounds have led some to feel there is religious as well as astrological significance to the site. Regardless, you cannot help but feel you are standing someplace very special.