Mesolithic-monuments

The Boyne Valley Megalithic Monuments

The Boyne Valley’s most attractive feature is the vast amount of famous megalithic sites found in the area. These sites date back to ancient Ireland and are a must see for those interested in history and in fact any visitor in the area. Some of these megalithic monuments pre date the Egyptian Pyramids and are a remarkable feat of construction and design for the time.

Newgrange is easily the most famous megalithic monument in the entire Boyne Valley. This structure dates back to approximately 3200 BC and was built as an enormous burial chamber for people of great importance. The most fascinating piece of the tomb is the intricately designed sun box. Every year at dawn on the winter solstice the sun is channelled into the tomb through a special opening above the entrance, thus illuminating the interior for a matter of minutes.

The Loughcrew Cairns are thought to be even older than Newgrange. These tombs were the final resting place for high kings of Ireland and other nobles. There are intricate designs carved into the outer stones which are a fascinating site to behold. There’s also a legend that explains the construction of these sites which will be of interest to mythology fans.

The Hill of Tara is another site of note in the Boyne Valley that is said to have been the seat of the High King of Ireland. At the summit of the hill there is an oval Iron Age hilltop enclosure. In the area you’ll find additional ancient monuments that are well worth a visit such as ring forts and Neolithic passage tombs.

These are but a few of the famous megalithic sites found in the Boyne Valley. Below you’ll find links to pages with additional information regarding each site of note along the Boyne Valley Drive.