See People Celebrate Winter Solstice at Stonehenge

  • People gather at Stonehenge in Wiltshire on the Winter Solstice to witness the sunrise on the shortest day of the year, on Dec. 22, 2015.
    Ben Birchall—PA
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  • Susie Ro Prater leads the Shakti Sings choir as druids, pagans and revelers gather in the centre of Stonehenge on Dec. 22, 2015 in Wiltshire, England.
    Matt Cardy—Getty Images
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  • Druids, pagans and revellers gather at Stonehenge on Dec. 22, 2015 in Wiltshire, England.
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  • People gather at Stonehenge as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony on Dec. 22, 2015 in Wiltshire, England.
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  • Druids, pagans and revelers gather in the centre of Stonehenge on Dec. 22, 2015 in Wiltshire, England.
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  • Revelers gather near the ancient stones at Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain, UK to celebrate the first day of winter, on Dec. 22, 2015.
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  • Revelers gather near the ancient stones at Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain, UK to celebrate the first day of winter, on Dec. 22, 2015.
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By Tessa Berenson
December 22, 2015 12:47 PM EST

Thousands of people journeyed to Stonehenge on Dec. 22 to celebrate the winter solstice, an important day in the Druid belief system.

Senior Druid King Arthur Pendragon told the BBC the solstice, the shortest day of the year, represents the coming of a new sun.”This is the dawn we’ve been waiting for, this is the dawn the ancients cared about so much,” he said.

England Heritage explained to BBC why so many people travel to Stonehenge to celebrate: “One of the most important and well-known features of Stonehenge is its alignment on the midwinter sunset-midsummer sunrise solstitial axis,” a spokesperson said. “The midwinter sun sets between the two upright stones of the great trilithon.”

 

Write to Tessa Berenson at tessa.berenson@time.com.

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