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Located near Keitum on the island of Sylt, the megalithic tomb known as Harhoog is a weather-worn dolmen dating back to the Neolithic.
Surrounding the village of Avebury in Wiltshire is the largest megalithic circle in the world. The monument and surrounding prehistoric landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The mysterious, single diamond-shaped standing stone known as Maen Llia is located in the countryside of Powys. It is thought to date from the Bronze Age, but its original purpose is unclear.
Set in a quiet corner of the Oxfordshire countryside near the village of Ashbury is Wayland's Smithy, a secluded Neolithic long barrow and chamber tomb.
The Neolithic Merry Maidens stone circle in St. Buryan, Cornwall, is named after a legend suggesting that 19 maidens were turned into stone as punishment for dancing on a Sunday.
Sardinia is also where you can find the giants' tomb, a type of megalithic gallery grave. Around 800 have been discovered on the island, including Sa Domu e S'Orcu (pictured), in the Siddi region.
The Wéris megaliths, named for the nearby village of Wéris, include dolmens and menhirs, and form a group of monuments unique in Belgium.
The Neolithic stone circles standing within the historical site of Metsamor Castle, near the village of Taronik, have been interpreted as an astronomical "observatory."
The tiny island of Gavrinis, located off the Brittany coast, contains the celebrated Gavrinis tomb—a veritable treasure trove of European megalithic art.
Set on the coast overlooking the Adriatic Sea, the ruins of Monkodonja, a hill fort located near the city of Rovinji, date back to the Bronze Age.
Scattered throughout the German state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania are up to 5,000 megalith tombs, including this dolmen near the town of Rerik.
The mausoleum of Barnenez is one of the earliest megalithic monuments in Europe. This grand Neolithic eye-opener located near Plouezoc'h, Brittany, is also one of the world's oldest man-made structures.
A Bronze Age ritual site, the Beltany stone circle was associated with marking the summer and winter solstices and equinox. It is located near the town of Raphoe, County Donegal.
Louisenlund, on the Danish island of Bornholm, is the site of one of the country's largest and most important collection of megaliths.
Supposedly named after a local witch and her brood, Long Meg and her Daughters is an enormous Bronze Age stone circle laid out near the town of Penrith, in Cumbria.
Europe's distant past is exemplified by a landscape embellished with strange and mysterious megaliths—large stones that form prehistoric monuments. This ancient architecture includes dolmens, menhirs, and stone circles. Some of these structures are world-famous landmarks. Others are not as well-known but still impress with their baffling presence.
Browse the gallery and journey into a puzzling period of prehistory.
Europe's most fascinating megalithic monuments
Exploring the ancient architecture of Europe and its enduring mysteries
TRAVEL European heritage days
Europe's distant past is exemplified by a landscape embellished with strange and mysterious megaliths—large stones that form prehistoric monuments. This ancient architecture includes dolmens, menhirs, and stone circles. Some of these structures are world-famous landmarks. Others are not as well-known but still impress with their baffling presence.
Browse the gallery and journey into a puzzling period of prehistory.