It's an ancient Celtic tradition that has been celebrated for thousands of years: the gathering of individuals at the sacred site of Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England to watch the sunrise during solstice events such as the summer and winter solstice.
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This morning, before dawn, thousands flocked to the ancient site, managed by English Heritage, to witness the sunrise over the world-renowned standing stones' southeast side around 8 a.m., on the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice.
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Whether Visitors Attend in Person or via Live Stream, the Significance of the Ancient Tradition Is Celebrated Worldwide
While cloudy skies and cold temperatures prevailed most of the morning over Great Britain, the murky gray clouds did not stop thousands of individuals and groups from making their way to the standing stones and honoring the morning solstice, with or without the visibility of the sunrise.
English Heritage also provided a live stream of the event for those who were not able to attend in person, giving individuals worldwide the ability to celebrate the centuries-long, Celtic event.
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England's National Highway had also made preparations ahead of the annual solstice event, as they do each year.
"As we've done for previous solstice events, traffic management will be in place for safety and to keep disruption to a minimum," National Highways' southwest resilience planner, Kathryn Wiltshire stated. "In view of a potential increase in traffic volumes for the Christmas Getaway, we advise all road users to check our traffic and travel information channels, plan their journeys, and allow plenty of time," she said.
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The Winter Solstice Gathering at Stonehenge Is Both a Spiritual and Cultural Event
Historians and researchers have discovered that the Neolithic, iconic monument of Stonehenge was built to align with the sun in both midsummer (June 21st) and midwinter (December 21st). Although historians have yet to determine exactly why the massive stone circle was built, people have been gathering around its sacred circle for thousands of years, with the winter solstice the most important celestial event of the calendar year.
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The annual events are both a spiritual and cultural event for many, with dancing, chanting, singing, and playing of various types of musical instruments, all leading up to the climactic moment when the sun rises above the stones.
This year, the winter solstice fell on December 21st at 4:21 a.m. EST, marking the official start of the first day of winter.
"I find the solstices and the equinoxes are a good time to take stock, check how you're doing, look back at what you've achieved, and think about what might come along. Now I've seen the solstice sunrise, I can believe that this winter won't last forever. Spring will come," said Sam MacDonald, an NHS worker from Oxford, who had taken the day off to attend the solstice event last year.