Seven Amazing Places to See the Summer Solstice
Summer Solstice. You know, the longest days of the year. They provide fascinating backdrops for some of the world’s most enigmatic sighting spots. Here are seven spots where, on the day of a summer solstice, you can see the work and legacy of people (sometimes long gone) really shine…
Stonhenge – England
Summer solstice at Stonehenge is a party! It’s one of the few times where crowds are allowed through the gates and beyond the fence to get their groove on next to these ancient relics; in fact, some say the council allows it to get a little TOO crowded. But given the murky history of this celestially-orientated monument, where in the world would be a better place to watch the sun rise on the longest day of the year? Be sure to make plans in advance for next year.
Rosslyn Chapel – Scotland
Rosslyn Chapel, just south of Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh, has been struggling to cope with an influx of visitors ever since the wee church was part of Dan Brown’s popular novel, Davinci Code. The most fascinating part of the story is that the chapel itself is far more intriguing and riddling with way more secrets than depicted in the book. The expansive vault below the church has never been opened and its contents unknown; the elaborate and unusual carvings covering the walls hide their own secrets as well. The highlight is a hidden pentagon window up near the ceiling of the church; a later addition, it is called the Rose Window and its own story is unknown. However, on the solstice, light hits this window and bathes the nave with a reddish light.
The Midnight Sun – Norway
During the summer solstice (and even before/after), daylight becomes unbroken for those isolated cities and villages above the Artic Circle. And it’s also the warmest time of the year for these places! This pheonomenon is called the Midnight Sun – a bit of a misnomer considering it is daylight at midnight in many parts of the Nordics all summer – but one of the best places to view it is Norway. You can visit a town called Hammerfest, billed as the world’s northernmost town, and take a Midnight Sun cruise. What more surreal way to experience the longest day of the year?
Bryn Celli Ddu – Wales
Bryn Celli Ddu (I won’t try to explain how it’s pronounced) is one of the most well preserved passage graves in all of Wales. It has a number of carvings and pillars with unknown functions, but they’re pretty sure it was a grave and ceremonial sight on some sort. On the summer solstice, light strikes the exact entrance of the entrance doorway for 20 minutes. Superb.
Temple of the Sun – Machu Picchu, Peru
Machu Picchu is a mesmorising place, no matter what time of year you visit. Coming across the trails and reaching the sight of this valley is like seeing a mystical mirage appear before your eyes. One temple in the complex is the Temple of the Sun, which is pretty cool despite from its film-title sounding name. On the solstice, light shines on a ceremonial stone in the centre of the complex. Sort of like what happens in those films.
The Burton Barr Library – Phoenix, Arizona USA
It’s not all ancient relics from lost times that provide some solstice ambience. The Burton Barr Library in Phoenix, opened in 1995 courtesy of architect Will Bruder, has a number of claims to fame. The Travel Channel once rated their toilets in the top ten most outrageous toilets in the world. The architecture is truely unique; but at high noon the walls wash down with light from the skylights, filling the interior with light.
Egypt
Where better to end our list than in Egypt, the ancient culture whose lives evolved around worship of the sun. The photo above is of the Great Sun Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel. Unfortunately, due to modern works projects, the entire temple was moved out of the way of the dam project. Go and soak up Egypt’s mysterical sun-worshipping wonders…
Photo Credits: Stonehenge – Georgio, Rosslyn Chapel – pigicker, Midnight Sun – *saipal, Bryn Celli Ddu – Rob Gale, Machu Picchu – cotaro70s, Burton Barr Library – Daniel Greene, Sun Temple – Mrs. Logic
Does seeing the summer solstice in one of these locations sound like a dream come true?
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August 30th, 2009 at 11:18 am
I’d dearly like to experience the Midnight Sun. (Gorgeous photo you have there).
In Orkney, on a roughly similar latitude and at the same time of year, I was lucky enough to see the dim glow of the sun in two different parts of the sky – from the almost-vanished day gone by, and the barely-visible day to come. An eerie thing to see.
August 30th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
@Mikeachim Seriously? That sounds VERY cool – can’t believe it didn’t make the list. Would love to see a picture but perhaps this is one of those things that just cannot be captured on film.
August 30th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Yes indeed.
But I didn’t get a photo, and it would need a much, much better photograper than I, because the light was very dim.
But yes, very cool indeed. Suddenly it’s obvious that the world is just a big, floodlit ball of rock.
August 31st, 2009 at 11:09 am
I would add this one: Pushkar (India).
http://iwannagothere.com/in/pushkar/highlights/sunset-point
August 31st, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I have only been to Abul Simble and Machu Picchu, but neither was during the solstice. When we visited Chitzen Itza in Mexico, our guide told us that a snake of light runs down the steps during the summer solstice. Now that would be amazing to see.
I don’t know of anywhere in Canada that is great for seeing the summer solstice, but I bet up north would be incredible.
August 31st, 2009 at 10:49 pm
@Maria – Nice one, thanks for sharing.
@D&D – I forgot about Chitzen Itza. That would be pretty cool to see.
September 6th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Here in Spain just after the summer solstice there’s the festival of St John which has bonfires all over the place at midnight (the change between the 23rd/24th of June) which is to give more power to the sun. In the Basque country you’re supposed to jump over the bonfire as it dies down to free yourself. I did that once – 2 days before I met the man I fell in love with.
September 6th, 2009 at 11:14 am
[...] the inspiring libraries continue – I mentioned the Phoenix Library last month and this month Rebecca suggests the Salt Lake City Library. Check it [...]
November 7th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
[...] the inspiring libraries continue – I mentioned the Phoenix Library last month and this month Rebecca suggests the Salt Lake City Library. Check it [...]