The summer solstice drew thousands of people to Stonehenge on Tuesday morning, after the annual gathering was called off for the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Crowds cheered as the sun rose over the horizon at the neolithic monument in Wiltshire, England, at 4.49am (7.49am UAE).
The prehistoric monument, consisting of a ring of vertical standing stones topped by horizontal stones, was constructed on the alignment of the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset.
On the summer solstice, the sun rises behind the Heel Stone, the ancient entrance to the Stone Circle, and rays of sunlight are channelled into the centre of the circle.
Historians believe that solstices have been celebrated at Stonehenge for thousands of years.
The summer solstice takes place as one of the Earth’s poles has its maximum tilt towards the sun, which reaches its highest position in the sky. This ensures the longest period of daylight of the year.
Police said the event at Stonehenge passed off largely peacefully, with about 6,000 people attending and two arrests made.
