Stonehenge Map — A Guide to the Site & Surrounding Area

Understanding the layout of Stonehenge before you arrive transforms a sightseeing trip into something far more meaningful. The site is bigger and richer than most visitors expect.

The Stone Circle

At the heart of the monument is the outer sarsen circle, built from large sandstone blocks quarried in Wiltshire. Inside sits the inner bluestone horseshoe, brought all the way from the Preseli Hills in Wales — over 200 miles away. The iconic trilithons (two upright stones capped by a lintel) form a horseshoe within the sarsen ring. At the centre lies the Altar Stone, a flat block of green sandstone whose original purpose remains debated.

The Heel Stone and Slaughter Stone

Standing just outside the main circle along the Avenue is the Heel Stone, a single unworked sarsen boulder. On the summer solstice, the sun rises almost directly above it when viewed from the centre of the circle. Nearby, the Slaughter Stone sounds ominous, but its name is misleading — it was likely one of two entrance stones, not a sacrificial platform.

The Aubrey Holes and the Avenue

Encircling the monument are 56 shallow pits known as Aubrey Holes, thought to have held timber or stone posts and possibly used as an early calendar or astronomical marker. Leading northeast from the circle, the Avenue is a ceremonial processional way that aligns with the solstice sunrise and stretches roughly 3km to the River Avon.

The Surrounding Prehistoric Landscape

Stonehenge does not stand alone. Within a few miles you’ll find Durrington Walls (a vast Neolithic settlement), Woodhenge, the King Barrows (Bronze Age burial mounds), and the Cursus (a Neolithic earthwork of unknown purpose). Together they make up one of the densest prehistoric landscapes in Europe.

Visitor Centre and Getting Around

The Visitor Centre sits 1.5km from the stones, connected by a free shuttle bus. A 20-minute walk along the old Avenue route is also possible on clear days. From the perimeter path around the stones you can see all the major features — bring binoculars for the best views of the carvings and individual stones.