Stonehenge

Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

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Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. It was built in several stages between about 3100 BC and 1600 BC, beginning with a circular earthwork consisting of a ditch and bank, followed by the erection of large standing stones arranged in rings.

The monument features massive sarsen stones and smaller bluestones, some transported from hundreds of miles away. Stonehenge is aligned with the sunrise of the summer solstice and the sunset of the winter solstice, suggesting a possible role in ancient astronomical observations or rituals. While its exact purpose is unknown, it likely served as a burial site, a ceremonial or religious center, and a symbol of power for the communities that built it.

The site and its surrounding monuments form a significant part of England's prehistoric landscape and have been protected as a World Heritage Site since 1986.