Why Stonehenge was built
What can this prehistoric stone circle tell us about Neolithic times?
This aerial photograph shows a path built for
tourists to preserve the area as much as possible
David Goddard/ Getty Images
Even today, as you approach this semicollapsed ring of towering stone blocks, there is an air of importance radiating from the deserted structure. Powerfully placed on the empty Salisbury Plain of Wiltshire, England, Stonehenge has become an iconic tourist attraction for around a million visitors every year, those seeking insight into the ways of Britain’s past. 5,000 years since the monument began construction, much of its origins remain a mystery. Why was this ring of rock transported to this specific location? And what was this structure used for after being so precisely and purposefully built?