Tanrıların Şanlı Mabedi: Stonehenge'e Yaklaşırken

The monument stands on a slight elevation, and for more than three-quarters of the surrounding circle, you ascend to it very gently from the lower ground. At a distance of half a mile, its appearance is stately and awe-inspiring—truly majestic. As you move closer, especially when walking up the avenue to the north-east, the sheer scale of its outline fills the eye in an astonishing manner. The most impressive view is the front prospect seen from the entrance of the avenue. The structure that leans over the high altar is visible through the grand or principal entrance because the observer stands on lower ground. The dramatic play of light and shadow at Stonehenge, as well as the variety created by its circular form, gives it every possible visual advantage, making it truly deserve the title of: The glorious house of the Gods, as the ancient writers Theocritus and Herodotus generally call temples. Its situation also matches ancient ideals. The historian Pausanias praises the Tanagrei people in Boeotia for placing their temples in clean, distinct areas, far removed from common buildings and the noise of trade.