Ireland

Thought to be 5000 years old, Newgrange is a megalithic tomb found along the Boyne River in County Meath, northwest of Dublin. On the Winter Solstice when the sky is clear a shaft of light from the rising sun penetrates to the heart of a domed chamber deep within. Despite Ireland's legendary soggy climate, the roof into the chamber remains remarkably dry thanks to the careful engineering of its builders. Rescued in recent decades from ruin along with the smaller megalithic tombs Knowth and Dowth nearby, Newgrange's southern face has been restored with thousands of pieces of white quartz that originally decorated the exterior. A modern interpretative center just across the River Boyne is highly recommended.

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