The most famous building of antiquity in the whole world is located in England in Wiltshire, a few kilometers from the city of Amesbury and 13 kilometers from Salisbury. You can get here on any day except December 24 and 25. And Stonehenge is one of many other similar stone buildings that are located in the UK. Their total number is about 900. But the monument could be in the possession of any other country, if not for the patriotic lawyer.
While scientists continue to find out the reasons and time of the appearance of this ancient structure, about a million tourists come to see Stonehenge every year. And although you can approach the structure only at a distance of no closer than 15-20 meters, people come in droves here, to the mysterious stone cromlech. Surprisingly, some hundred years ago it was officially put up for sale. In 1915, a British lawyer named Cecil Chubb bought the monument for £ 6,600. And three years later, he transferred Stonehenge for public use to all British people, for which he was awarded the title of Sir and First Baron of Stonehenge.
When transferring the ancient cromlech, Chubb put forward only two conditions: the entrance to the territory of the attraction should not cost more than one shilling and should be absolutely free for local residents. Today the cost of entry for an adult is around £ 15, which equates to roughly $ 20. Every year, the festival is held here by the descendants of the Druids, as the organizers themselves call themselves.
The most important mysteries of Stonehenge are who built it, when and why. Now there are many different versions, some of which are quite unusual. If you do not take into account the legend that the monument appeared thanks to the magic of the legendary Merlin - the mentor of King Arthur, there is an assumption that the current Stonehenge is just a fake that appeared here only in 1954. At the same time, there is a large amount of evidence of the ancient age of the monument.
The first mentions of the ancient cromlech are found in the chronicles of the 12th century. Researchers believe that the structure was built in three stages over 1000-1500 years. The construction took place approximately in 3500 - 2000 BC. The structure consists of three triliths, each weighing 50 tons, thirty large stone boulders and a large number of small stones, the weight of which does not reach 5 tons. The builders could be both Druids and Greeks, Swiss or Germans, and, possibly, all of them, but at different times. It is believed that in the 19th century there were only two triliths in the center of the monument, the third was installed as part of the restoration.
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There are also several versions about the purpose of Stonehenge. Some scientists believe that it is the tomb of a pagan queen, others - the sanctuary of the Druids, others - the most ancient observatory, fourth - a burial place, fifth - a kind of tool for predicting cosmic catastrophes. Another mystery is how all these giant and heavy stones were delivered, processed and installed here. There are some suggestions, but there is no consensus on this yet.
Interestingly, back in the 20th century, anyone could easily take a piece of Stonehenge as a souvenir - it was not a violation of the law to break off a pebble from an ancient structure. Now the souvenir can be purchased only in a specialized shop located on the territory of the tourist complex not far from the attraction. Here you can also book a tour and have a snack in the cafe. The entrance to the territory of the monument is closed one hour before the end of the work. Stonehenge's opening hours depend on the month of visit.