Pagans and partygoers gather to greet summer solstice at Britain’s ancient Stonehenge monument

Pagans, partygoers gather for Stonehenge solstice

STONEHENGE, England — Thousands of neo-Druids, New Age followers and the merely curious were flocking to Stonehenge on Saturday to await the sunrise over the prehistoric monument and celebrate the longest day of the year.

The ancient stone circle in southern England is the site of an annual night-long party — or religious ceremony, depending on perspective — marking the northern hemisphere’s summer solstice.

“They come for a complete range of reasons,” said archaeologist Dave Batchelor of English Heritage, the site’s caretaker. “Some belong to the Druidic religion and think of it as a temple, others think of it as a place of their ancestors, or for tranquility and others come to see it as a way to celebrate the changing of the seasons.”

Stonehenge, which sits on Salisbury Plain about 80 miles (130 kilometers) southwest of London, is one of Britain’s most popular tourist attractions, visited by more than 750,000 people a year. It was built in three phases between 3,000 B.C. and 1,600 B.C.

More than 20,000 people are expected to greet the sunrise just before 5 a.m. (0400 GMT) on Sunday.

Mystery surrounding the monument has long prompted speculation about its original function and gives it even more of an allure, Batchelor said.

Some theories hold that the stone circle was a grave site because 350 burial mounds surround the structure.

In May, archaeologists found evidence indicating that pilgrims perceived the stones to have healing powers. And some assert that the structure was part of an ancient astronomical calendar.

Still other experts believe the stones were aligned by a sophisticated sun-worshipping culture that possessed the ingenuity to move the several-ton stones, some of which came from 150 miles (240 kilometers) away in the Preseli Mountains in Wales.

But because it was built so long ago, there is no record of why the monument was erected, said Batchelor.

“All of that sort of stuff we don’t have, so when it comes to ascribing a modern-day reason depends on the viewpoint … that’s the fascination,” Batchelor said.

The solstice is one of the few times during the year that visitors can get close enough to touch the rocks. With record numbers set to attend the free festival because it falls on a weekend, police officers are set to be on patrol.

Police closed the site in 1984 after repeated clashes with revelers. English Heritage began allowing full access to the site again in 2000 and the celebrations have been largely peaceful.

Last year 17 arrests were made for minor public disorder offenses.

English Heritage said revelers would only be allowed to bring in four cans of beer or a bottle of wine each, and advised that “illegal drugs are still illegal at Stonehenge as they are anywhere else.”