Today we leave for an itinerary, in which we will tell you everything about the what to see at stonehenge after that the medieval town of Salisbury.
What to see at Stonehenge
Who hasn’t heard of Stonehenge!
In case you didn’t know, Stonehenge is located about two hours from London in the South West of England and is an iconic 4500 year old structureof which origin and meaning are unclear even today.
Do you want to join us to discover its history?
How to visit Stonehenge. Visitor Center
To visit Stonehenge, it is first recommended to enter the Visitor Center. Visitor Center.
In this building, which is about 2 kilometers from the Stone Circle, there is a souvenir shop, a cafeteria, public toilets, a permanent exhibition and a reconstruction of a Neolithic settlement.
- Exposure: Includes over 250 archaeological pieces and a 360-degree audio-visual experience that explains the history of Stonehenge.
- Neolithic houses: Outside you can see a faithful reconstruction of neolithic housesOr lived the inhabitants of the Stonehenge area.
The bus leaves from here and takes you to the Stone Circle in about 10 minutes.
What to see at Stonehenge. The stone circle
Although today it is a protected monument open to the public, the Stone Circle had owners from the 12th century to the beginning of the 20th century.
Its last owners were the Chubb couple who bought it at auction in 1915 and gave it to the nation in 1918.
It was from this time that conservation work began by the Office of Works, predecessors of English Heritage, which is now responsible for its protection.
Today it may be the most famous prehistoric monument in the world.The oldest part was built over 5000 years ago and the stone circle dates back to 2500 BC.
There are many theories about its origin and function, including that it was a coronation site for Danish kings, a Druid temple, an astronomical system to predict eclipses, or a center healing cult.
The most widely accepted theory is that it is a prehistoric temple aligned with the movements of the sun..
If you want to know more about the history of this megalithic monument, here is his website.
How to get to Stonehenge from London on your own.
If you have bought tickets in advance and want to get there from London on your own, you must first you need to go to Salisbury town -which we will tell you about below- and from there take one of the buses that will take you to Stonehenge..
- Train: You have direct trains to Salisbury daily from Waterloo station. The journey takes around an hour and a half and once you arrive in Salisbury you will have a bus stop at the station itself where you can take the Stonehenge Tour Bus which will take you to the Stonehenge Visitor Center. and Old Sarum.
Old Sarum is the remnant of a 12th century town dating back to the Iron Age where a royal castle stood and where Salisbury’s first cathedral was built.
- Bus: THE National Express Company departs from Victoria Coach Station and will drop you off in Salisbury in about 3 hours. You can then take bus to StonehengeThis option is cheaper than the train, but as it’s less frequent and the journey is longer, it may ‘force’ you to spend a night in Salisbury, which isn’t a bad idea either… 😉 .
Travel to Stonehenge from London with an organized tour.
Stonehenge is a much visited monument and always you have to have an hour and a day to be able to visit it, so we believe that the best option is to opt for an organized trip.especially if you travel in summer and during school holidays, because tickets are selling out fast.
We leave you here below, several circuits from Londonvisiting Stonehenge and other major cities in England as the city of windsor oh the city of Bath.
Entrance to Stonehenge + transportation
Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Oxford Tour
Stonehenge, Salisbury, Bath and Windsor Tour
Visit to Salisbury
After visiting Stonehenge, we go to see Salisbury 😉.
The medieval town of Salisbury is located in the county of Wiltshire and became famous for its spectacular gothic cathedral in which is kept the best copy of the Magna Carta.
The original city was created in Old Sarumbut problems between the church and the army led to the decision to move the city and its cathedral 3 kilometers to the south.
Today it is a town often reached on the way to Stonehenge and also worth a visit.
Besides the cathedral, we recommend seeing the Salisbury Museum and the Mompesson House.
To facilitate your visit to this beautiful city, we leave you with city center map from Salisbury
The Salisbury Museum
In this museum you can discover all the history of the city from the origins to modern times, where it is worth mentioning one of the most important Europe’s largest collections of Stonehenge and prehistoric artefacts..
Mompesson House
This house, built in 1701, shows what life was like in the 18th century through its furniture and decoration.
Salisbury Cathedral
Salisbury Cathedral and a must see in the city and if you have little time, this is the place we recommend you to visit.
The cathedral dates from the 13th century, its construction lasted 38 years and required more than 60,000 tons of stone.
Its spire is the tallest in Britain and weighs 6,500 tons.
During your visit, you have the option of exploring the roof and the tower by climbing to the base of the spire. You have to climb 332 steps to reach a height of 68 meters and enjoy the view. magnificent views of the city and the surrounding countryside.
Do not miss oldest working mechanical clock in the worldwhich was built of iron in 1386.
And of course, if you are a history lover, you must not miss one of the 4 copies of the Magna Carta that exist. which can be found in the chapter house.
Magna Carta
This charter is the best preserved and is handwritten in Latin on a sheepskin parchment.
She was imposed on the English King John the Landless by the barons, as they were unhappy with the way he ruled.
The Charter says that everyone, including the King, should treat people fairly and no one was above the law.
Contains 60 clauses covering various aspects of daily life, such as the standardization of weights and measures or the right to a fair trial.
The king rejected it and after his death it was reissued in the name of his son Henry III, which ensured the survival of the charter.
It has inspired the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the constitutions of many democratic countries.
Meanwhile, we’ve tried to show you everything there is to know. to see at Stonehenge and Salisbury, but regardless, we promise to continue to learn about the history of this country and tell you about it in future posts.
See you soon.
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