Thousands of visitors, including tourists, druids, and pagans, gathered at Stonehenge on Saturday to mark the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
Despite overcast skies obscuring the sunrise, revelers celebrated the dawn at 8:09 a.m. with drumming, chanting, and singing near the iconic stone circle. The winter solstice, which offers less than eight hours of daylight in England, signifies the start of longer days leading to the summer solstice in June.
“This is all about renewal, rebirth,” said Chris Smith, 31. “We’re entering into the new year, and it’s also a good time to acknowledge what’s taken place in the year that’s been.”
The solstice is one of the rare occasions when visitors can access the ancient stones directly. Stonehenge, built around 5,000 years ago, has long been debated as a solar calendar, temple, or cemetery.
Recent research suggests the site may have also held political significance. University College London archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson stated its diverse origins, with stones sourced from Wales and Scotland, indicate it could have served as a “monument of unification for the peoples of Britain.”