Stonehenge is a prehistoric, mysterious circle of upright stones in southern England.

Construction on the great monument began 5,000 years ago; the famous stones that still stand today were put in place about 4,000 years ago. The great age, massive scale and mysterious purpose of Stonehenge draw over 800,000 visitors per year, and several thousand gather on the summer solstice to watch the sunrise at this ancient and mystical site.

Archaeologists believe the construction of the site was carried out in three main stages, which have been labeled Stonehenge I, Stonehenge II and Stonehenge III:

Stonehenge. You may have heard of it, you may not have. Stonehenge is considered by many to be an important landmark in space and time.

"Who built it and why?" people will ask. People have wondered about Stonehenge for hundreds of years. We wonder who built it. Stonemasons wonder how the stones were cut to their rectangular shape. Engineers wonder how the stones were dragged to the site and placed upright. Jewelry and tools have been found near Stonehenge. Archeologists wonder at these. They wonder who made these things and who they made them for. Some people believe that the people who built Stonehenge, were, as they say, Stone age Einsteins! Now, you may ask, why was it built? Well, we're not exactly sure, but many think that its main purpose was to be used as some kind of calender. It marked important astrological events. It may also have had a religious purpose. In the 1950's, archaeologists began excavations at Stonehenge. These proved that Stonehenge was built in three main stages from 2800 to 1500 B.C. Over the many years between then and now, many of the stones fell or were dragged away to be used as bridges or dams.