Celebrating summer solstice at Stonehenge

For the first time in 16 years, the public was allowed full access to Stonehenge to mark the summer solstice

June 22, 2000
Web posted at: 12:24 p.m. EST (1624 GMT)

STONEHENGE, England (CNN) -- On a damp and misty dawn, thousands of Druids, new-age revelers and curiousity-seekers gathered to celebrate the longest day of the year at Stonehenge, for the first time in 16 years.

The circle of megaliths, thought to be as old as 5,000 years, attracted about 6,000 visitors early Wednesday. Many of them were from the pagan religious order of Druids, who danced, chanted and thumped drums.

"For most Druids, Stonehenge is one of the most sacred places in this landscape, ... nestling as it does in the center with its observational horizons," said Matthew McCabe, of the Order of Bards, Druids and Ovates.

"It's an absolutely magic place."

The stones, located about 80 miles (129 kilometers) southwest of London, have meant many different things to different people over the years. For the Druids, it's a sacred place that is charged with energy.

Others believe it's a prehistoric calendar, a burial ground or even an astronomical observatory.

But Stonehenge scholars do agree, the stone circle is aligned with both the winter and summer solstice -- making it a place of pilgrimage to celebrate the changing seasons.

English Heritage, which administers the site, had banned solstice celebrations in 1985, after revelers clashed with police the previous year. It had allowed only limited access to religious worshippers since then.

In the eight hours the site was open, police made only two arrests. An English Heritage spokeswoman indicated larger crowds might be admitted in the future.

"It was most definitely a success," she said. "We were delighted at the large turnout and we will consider more managed open access in the future."

CNN's Amanda Kibel, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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