Stonehenges of the world

Most people at some point in a trip to the UK make sure they see Stonehenge, Wiltshire's ancient and mysterious arrangement of standing stones. But did you know there are many other places around the world that also have a 'Stonehenge' or something similar?

(Image: The Ring of Brodgar Stevekeiretsu)

Currently Marden Henge in Wiltshire is being carefully examined, and it is believed to be the largest prehistoric circular monument in Britain and there are claims that it could be an "archaeological treasure-chest".

In the far north of the UK, in the Orkney Isles of Scotland, the Ring of Brodgar (above) dating between 2500 and 2000 BC, is built of thin, tall stones on a narrow isthmus between two lochs. Its ancient architects obviously had an eye for dramatic setting. Legend has it that the Vikings were so impressed with the Ring of Brodgar when they arrived in the ninth century AD, that they worshiped their gods here. Some Viking Runes carved into the stones may support this theory.

There are several others throughout the United Kingdom. Want to see more?

However, one of the strangest (and most recent) 'Stonehenges' may be found near Esperance in the south of Western Australia.

The Esperance Stonehenge is a tourist attraction too, and is the world's only full size replica of the original Stonehenge in the UK. Constructed in 2011, it appears as the original would have looked around 1950BC. It consists of 137 stones of Esperance Pink Granite that were all quarried locally less than a kilometre from the site.

Like the original it has been built to align with the solstices, but here it is for the southern hemisphere. On the morning of the Summer Solstice (22nd December) the sun's rays align with the Station Stones and shine through to the altar stone. The sunset of the Winter Solstice (21st June) repeats the same alignment in reverse. Both are an amazing sight to witness.

See how it was built....

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