Construction and Engineering of Stonehenge

Construction and Engineering of Stonehenge. . It may have literally taken two thousand years to complete construction of the original Stonehenge; however, this replica was erected in about six weeks. These stones weigh 15 to 20 tons each and were moved from the quarry two at a time on tractor trailers. Once the stones arrived, they were lifted into place within a few minutes and seated on cement footings made of reinforced concrete. The footings are 4' X 4' X 6'., How the original builders of Stonehenge managed to erect such a monument without the heavy equipment and technology of today is still a mystery, yet awe-inspiring. They clearly knew where to mark the site for the Summer and Winter Solstices and built their structure to denote such astronomical events; thus, while their methods may have been crude, their expertise and skill in the undertaking is impressive., This monument had to be set according to the longitude and latitude of this region in order to function as an observatory. During the Summer Solstice at sunrise, the Heel Stone, located across the street, will cast a shadow that penetrates directly into the center of the monument., For more information, please contact the UTPB Art Department at 552-2280.