Newgrange

Before the pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge, the Parthenon or the Pantheon there was Newgrange.  Built around 3200 BC (!), this prehistoric burial mound sits on a hill near the Boyne River about 30 miles north of Dublin. 


It was built with 200,000 tons of stone, each of which fits into the overall pattern and it has been completely waterproof for 5,000 years.

Inside there is a long passage that leads to a burial chamber that is completely dark, except for five days each year in December.  Once a year, during the winter solstice, a shaft of light travels down the passage for 17 minutes illuminating the chamber.  Only winners of a lottery are eligible to be in the tomb for this event.

You can see a short (two and a half minutes) National Geographic video on Newgrange here.