Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As old as the pyramids, and older than the Acropolis and the Colosseum, this iconic stone
circle amazed medieval Europeans, who figured it was built by a race of giants. And it
still impresses visitors today. As one of Europe's most famous sights, Stonehenge, worth
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, does a valiant job of retaining an air of mystery and majesty (partly because cordons,
which keep hordes of tourists from trampling all over it, foster the illusion that it stands
alone in a field). Although some people are underwhelmed by Stonehenge, most of its al-
most one million annual visitors find that it's worth the trip. And the ancient site contin-
ues to reveal its mysteries: In 2010, within sight of Stonehenge, archaeologists discovered
another 5,000-year-old henge, which they believe once encircled a wooden “twin” of the
famous circle. Recent excavations revealed that people had been living on the site since
around 3,000
B.C.
—about five centuries earlier than anyone had realized.
