Thursday, April 27, 2006

Stonehenge

No commentary really necessary for these 3/4,000 year old monoliths. No admission fee should be payable but it is...









4 comments:

A.P. said...

You've visited the places I've always wanted to see...
Nice pictures! :)

JJ said...

I would love to see them some day (in person)
I see you,
JJ

Perfect Virgo said...

Sirreene - I might have known you would see a film connection! I haven't seen that film but as a music lover I really should have. I read a review which refers to the Stonehenge track and now I understand your reference to the diminutive size.

Yes it is "teeny" in fact the real thing is so small people are always sneaking off with it in their backpacks. Would you believe me if I say I trod on it and beat a hasty retreat before anyone noticed?

SilvermOOn - thank you for the URL. At least that day there were not many visitors but they were all foreign except me.

Anna - I am very grateful for the free time fate has dealt me. I am under no illusions that this is a huge bonus for me. For as long as I can still sling a leg over the steed I will push my camera in my pocket and show you what I see.

I am glad you liked the views, this is an easy subject to photograph but visitors are restricted to certain paths so unusual angles are hard to find.

JJ - one day you will photograph them in person. This is the kind of place I believe you would love. It has an aura of mystery surrounding it which many people have tried to unravel. It has solar significance for sure because there are alignments with sunrise and sunset but the truth is no one really knows how or why it is there because the builders died nearly 4,000 years ago and left no operator's manual!

The height is hard to gauge from my photos as the people in the distance are about 80 feet the other side of the stones. The heaviest is estimated at 50 tonnes and half of it is below ground. The outer circle is 108 feet in diameter and the typical height is 13 feet.

There are many missing and broken stones and lintels but enough remains to show what an amazing feat of ancient engineering this was and still is.

Russell CJ Duffy said...

apart from the awful 'no entry sign' these magnificent monuments are as every bit as splendid as the pyramids and far bigger than the impression that they have given sirreene.