Stonehenge is a prehistoric megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, two miles west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around 13 feet high, topped by connecting horizontal lintel stones held in place with mortise and tenon joints, a feature unique among contemporary monuments, with a ring of smaller bluestones and free standing trilithons inside. The whole monument, now in ruins, is aligned toward the sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice, and it stands within the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England.
Facts
LocationSalisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England 1 Architectural StyleNeolithic and Bronze Age megalithic monument aligned on the solstice axis 1 Structural SystemTrilithons: upright sarsens topped by lintel stones fixed with mortise and tenon joints 1 Primary MaterialSarsen sandstone (outer stones) and bluestone (inner stones) 1 Building TypeHenge: a circular banked earthwork enclosure with an internal ditch 1 Construction Start Year UNESCO Inscription Year Current UseTourist attraction and heritage site, owned by the Crown Estate and managed by English Heritage; surrounding land owned by the National Trust 1 Visitor AccessLegally protected scheduled monument since the Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882; open to visitors 1 Connections
Associated With
Stonehenge's trilithons use a post and lintel structural arrangement.
In the Other Atlases
- Also in Architecture and Design Atlas: Stonehenge, the same subject.
- Also in Geography Atlas: United Kingdom, located there.
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 1, alignment clause
The whole monument, now in ruins, is aligned towards the sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice.
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, Etymology section
Archaeologists define henges as earthworks consisting of a circular banked enclosure with an internal ditch.
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 3, stewardship clause
Stonehenge is owned by the Crown Estate and managed by English Heritage; the surrounding land is owned by the National Trust.
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 1, opening sentence
Stonehenge is a prehistoric megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, two miles (3 km) west of Amesbury.
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 1, materials clause
an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 1, joinery clause
topped by connecting horizontal lintel stones which are held in place with mortise and tenon joints
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 3, UNESCO clause
The site and its surroundings were added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1986.
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 3, protection clause
It has been a legally protected scheduled monument since the Ancient Monuments Protection Act 1882 was passed.
Wikipedia, Stonehenge article, lead paragraph 2, construction-phase clause
Stonehenge was constructed in several phases, beginning about 3100 BC and continuing until about 1600 BC.
Genre reference
The whole monument, now in ruins, is aligned toward the sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice, and it stands within the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.