Thousands Gather to Watch Sunrise at Stonehenge
Thousands Gather at Stonehenge to Celebrate the Winter Solstice
Thousands of people gathered at Stonehenge on Sunday to celebrate the winter solstice, cheering and dancing as the sun rose over the ancient stone circle on the shortest day of the year.
Crowds assembled before dawn in the cold, dark fields of southwest England, many dressed as druids and pagans. As the sky slowly brightened, some participants sang songs and beat drums, while others reflected quietly among the towering prehistoric stones.
For many, visiting Stonehenge during the solstices is a deeply spiritual experience. The monument, constructed between 5,000 and 3,500 years ago, was deliberately aligned with the movement of the sun during the summer and winter solstices—dates that were vital to ancient farming communities.
According to English Heritage , which manages the site, around 8,500 people attended celebrations on Saturday at the stone circle on Salisbury Plain , located about 75 miles southwest of London. The organization also reported that a livestream of the event attracted more than 242,000 viewers worldwide.
“This is the time of the year that people in prehistory really revered, and it was incredibly important to them,” said Win Scutt, a curator at English Heritage, in an interview with the BBC .
Visitors echoed that sense of reverence. “The winter solstice is all about life returning—the sun is born anew,” said Sophie McCarthy, who traveled from Scotland with drums and a costume. “There’s a feeling of intention, new life, and hope in the air. It’s been beautiful.”
The winter solstice marks the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and signals the start of astronomical winter. In contrast, it is the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, where summer begins.
Although the solstice is when the sun reaches its lowest and shortest arc in the sky, many celebrate it as a symbol of renewal. From this point onward, days gradually grow longer, bringing increasing daylight until late June.
