Set on the expansive landscape of the rural Wairarapa, where big skies, wide valleys and small towns full of character lie, is Stonehenge Aotearoa. A marvellous full-scale working adaption of England’s Stonehenge, located just outside of Carteton, an hours drive from Wellington.
‘It incorporates ancient Egyptian, Babylonian and Indus Valley astronomy, Polynesian navigation, and Celtic and Maori starlore.’
‘A window into the past where the visitor can rediscover the knowledge of their ancestors.’
‘It is a complete and working structure designed and built for its precise location in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand. In this awe-inspiring place, people young and old can explore the mysteries of our past and learn how early cultures, including New Zealand Maori, used the Sun, Moon and stars for life and survival.’ (Stonehenge Aotearoa)
As a family we visited this amazing open-sky observatory during a weekend stay in Martinborough with Grandma & Granddad (where we also enjoyed sampling some delightful wines at Te Kairanga!). It would be amazing to visit on a clear star-lit evening.
For more information about this amazing place please visit Stonehenge Aotearoa.
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Linking up with ‘The Gallery’, where this week’s theme is ‘Landscapes’.
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Could just put ourselves there with you all…a wonderful memory of our time with you all….a super long weekend in Martinborough…all the photographs are a constant memory and look at them often.Big hugs to all.
Wow that’s such a tidy stone henge compare to ours! When was it put up do they think?
It’s only 7 year’s old! Opened in 2005. Here’s a bit of blurb from the Stonehenge Aotearoa website as to why it was built;
‘The vision for Stonehenge Aotearoa was to create a practical open-sky observatory inspired by, and built on a similar scale to, the famous Stonehenge in England. However, it is not a replica of this mysterious ancient monument but a modern interpretation, based upon the many stone circles and astronomical stone structures scattered around the globe.
Stonehenge Aotearoa is designed specifically for its location in the Wairarapa region of New Zealand’s North Island. It combines modern scientific knowledge with ancient Egyptian, Babylonian, Celtic, Polynesian and Maori starlore. It is used to teach maramataka (the calendars of time and seasons). The stones also form a Polynesian star compass and can be used to teach navigation.’
Love & miss you so much. Thinking of you and hope you see some signs of spring in England soon x
Wow. Seriously breathtaking.
Wow – what a strange place. Â
i also posted on NZ – i’ve been over many a time and have never seen this stonehenge… it’s beautiful. thank you for sharing the photo today
What a great and rather symmetrical stonehenge compared to the uk one!
What?! I had no idea NZ had something like this! I keep finding out cool things about this country 🙂
WOW – didn’t even know this existed! Must put that on my ‘to see’ list ;-)!
wow!!!!!!!!!!!! what a cool place
i never knew existed
very interestingÂ
thanks
Wow. What an amazing and interesting place!
Hmmm – another Stonehenge…I had never considered the possibility that anyone would recreate the mastery of Stonehenge – but there it is in all it’s glory! Wow!
Great photos
Lou 🙂