Welcome to Britain's Greatest National Icon: STONEHENGE

Stonehenge is one of the wonders of the world and the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe. It is an enigmatic prehistoric monument located on a chalky plain north of the modern day city of in Wiltshire, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Amesbury and 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury.

It is one of the most famous sites in the world and is the remains of a ring of standing stones set within earthworks. It is in the middle of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.  Archaeologists believe it was built from 5,000 years ago and modified by ancient Britons over a period of 1,000 years.  Its purpose continues to be a mystery.

Stonehenge is arguably one of the most famous megalithic monuments in the world. It's also one of the most mysterious, with its prehistoric concentric rings garnering plenty of speculation as to why and how they were constructed. Stonehenge was produced by a culture that left no written records. Many aspects of Stonehenge remain subject to debate. These multiplicities of theories, some of them very colourful, are often called the "mystery of Stonehenge". A number of myths surround the stones. Its purpose continues to be a mystery.

The question of who built Stonehenge is largely unanswered, even today. The monument's construction has been attributed to many ancient peoples throughout the years, but the most captivating and enduring attribution has been to the Druids. This erroneous connection was first made around 3 centuries ago by the antiquary, John Aubrey. Julius Caesar and other Roman writers told of a Celtic priesthood who flourished around the time of their first conquest (55 BC). By this time, though, the stones had been standing for 2,000 years, and were, perhaps, already in a ruined condition. Besides, the Druids worshipped in forest temples and had no need for stone structures.

Even though Stonehenge is still one of the world's great mysteries, who built it, why, and how, now Stonehenge has a transformed visitor experience, with a new world-class visitor centre, housing museum-quality permanent and temporary exhibitions, plus a spacious shop and café.