by Mick the Ram

Thousands of visitors including tourists, pagans and druids, have made their way to the World Heritage site of Stonehenge in the English county of Wiltshire to mark the occasion of the winter solstice.

The ancient monument attracts people who are keen to experience the spiritual and cultural significance of the site, on what will be the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere.

Annually those with sacred beliefs gather around the landmark’s stones, which are thought to have been in place since around 2500 BC.

Managed by English Heritage, the Monument Field location was opened to the public at 07:45 GMT on the morning of the 21 December, to allow the vast crowds to capture the day’s sunrise over the iconic structures.

For those unable to visit, English Heritage have been livestreaming the event so that cultures all across the globe can feel part of the special event.

From this pointy forward, each day will get progressively longer (although not really noticeable in the first few weeks) until the summer solstice in June.

In the southern hemisphere, countries like Australia are celebrating their summer solstice and consequently, their longest day of the year.

Established celebration around world

The winter solstice has been celebrated right around the world for thousands of years and as far as the northern hemisphere is concerned, the site at Stonehenge is the most important landmark for the occasion.

The Neolithic monument, which is thought to have taken many hundreds of years to build, is aligned to the position of the Sun at both midwinter and midsummer.

When the clock struck 09:21 GMT, it marked the official time of the solstice in the UK. It signified that the Earth had reached its maximum tilt on its axis away from the Sun.

Changing of the seasons

The stones are deliberately framed to line up with the Sun’s movements during the two solstices, marking the changing of the seasons.

With connections made to the Sun’s movement, coupled with the many burials uncovered at the site, it is believed to have played a really spiritual role in individual’s lives and beliefs.

Winter solstice of greater importance

Based on Stonehenge’s design, English Heritage are confident that the winter solstice – rather than summer solstice in June – will have been the most important focus for the workers who built the stone circle.

Ancient Britons will almost certainly have held ceremonies there on both solstices, but with an emphasis more on the December event.

No evidence of purpose of stones

It is not really known why Stonehenge was built as despite comprehensive investigations.

English Heritage have been unable to establish any “obvious practical purpose” as the site was not lived in, nor could it be defended.

That said, the changing of the seasons would have meant a lot to those who lived at the location at the time, defining what would grow and the general living conditions.

Thousands of years of history

The earliest identified significant monument at Stonehenge was a circular ditch built around 3,000 BC.

The ditch created an area about 100m in diameter with two entrances, and is considered an early form of “henge” or in other words a prehistoric circular enclosure.

Its immediate surrounding area has several pits, three of which may have held large “totem-poles” between 8,500 and 7,000 BC.

Southern hemisphere enjoy longest day

In contrast, the opposite side of the world in the southern hemisphere, countries like Australia will today (21 December) celebrate their summer solstice, and therefore their longest day of the year.

Similar to those making a trip to Stonehenge in the UK, some Australians will visit a stone monument to celebrate the solstice.

Standing stones very much in infancy

However, unlike the thousands of years old British monument, the Standing Stones in Glen Innes Highlands, New South Wales were erected just three decades ago.

These stones were set up in 1992 as a nod to the Celtic heritage of some in Australia.

Visitors to the monument are able to stroll through its circular formation, featuring 24 stones to represent the 24 hours in a day and share the experience of watching the Sun rise through the landmark’s gaps.