Newgrange is a Neolithic monument in County Meath, Ireland, set in the Boyne Valley to the north of Dublin. It is also known by its older name, Brú na Bóinne. The mound was built around 3200 BC, which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.
What to expect
The site is a large circular mound of earth and stone, ringed with carved kerbstones and approached through a narrow passage that leads to a chamber at its heart. Visitors come to see one of the oldest surviving built structures in Europe and to consider the people who raised it, long before written records existed in the region.
Newgrange is best known for its winter solstice illumination. At the solstice, the rising sun lights the passage and chamber, a alignment that has drawn visitors for generations.
Planning a visit
- Address: Donore, Co. Meath, A92 XH65, Ireland
- Phone: +353 41 988 0300
- Nearby: the wider Brú na Bóinne landscape, with other ancient monuments in the Boyne Valley
Newgrange suits visitors interested in archaeology, prehistory and the sky-watching traditions of early societies. Those who enjoy the countryside will find the Boyne Valley a quiet and green setting in which to spend time before or after the visit.