Brú na Bóinne facts for kids
Newgrange passage grave
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 Brú na Bóinne
Location in Ireland
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| Location | valley of the River Boyne |
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| Region | County Meath, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°41′34″N 6°26′58″W / 53.69284°N 6.44932°W |
| Area | 780 hectares |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, iii, iv |
| Designated | 1993 (17th session) |
| Part of | Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne |
| Reference no. | 659 |
Brú na Bóinne means Palace of the Boyne or Mansion of the Boyne. It is also called the Boyne Valley Tombs. This special area is in County Meath, Ireland, right where the River Boyne makes a bend. It holds some of the world's most important ancient sites. These sites date back to the Neolithic period, which was about 5,000 years ago.
The area includes huge stone passage graves like Knowth, Newgrange, and Dowth. There are also about 90 other ancient monuments here. The people who built these sites are known as the "Boyne culture."
Since 1993, Brú na Bóinne has been a World Heritage Site. This means it is a very important place protected by UNESCO. Its full name since 2013 is "Brú na Bóinne - Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne."
Contents
Where is Brú na Bóinne?
This amazing area is about eight kilometers west of Drogheda. It is in County Meath, Ireland. It's also about 40 kilometers north of Dublin.
The River Boyne wraps around Brú na Bóinne on its southern, western, and eastern sides. A smaller river, the River Mattock, flows along the northern edge. This means water almost completely surrounds Brú na Bóinne. Nearly all the ancient sites are on this land surrounded by rivers.
What is Brú na Bóinne?
People have lived in this area for at least 6,000 years. But the biggest and most famous structures were built around 5,000 years ago. This was during the Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age.
The site has many ancient structures. These include large mounds, chamber tombs, standing stones, and henges. Some of these were built as early as 3500 BC to 3200 BC. This means they are even older than the Egyptian pyramids!
The people who built these sites were very smart. They used advanced building skills and knew a lot about science and astronomy. You can see this clearly at Newgrange. The site is often called the "Bend of the Boyne." The ancient people who lived here are known as the Boyne culture.
The whole area covers about 780 hectares (1,927 acres). It has around 40 passage graves and many other ancient sites. Most of these monuments are on the north side of the river. The most famous sites are the passage graves of Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth. They are known for their amazing megalithic art, which is art carved into large stones.
Each of these three big tombs stands on a ridge near the river bend. Knowth and Newgrange seem to have stones that were used before. These stones might have come from an even older monument. Newgrange is the main mound in the Boyne Valley. Its round stone mound is over 100 meters wide. Inside, there is a burial chamber shaped like a cross. Knowth and Dowth are similar in size.
The passage tombs were built starting around 3300 BC. Work on them stopped around 2900 BC. The three largest tombs (Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth) might have been built so they could be seen from each other. They could also be seen from the north and south parts of the River Boyne. This might have been to connect all the tombs in the area into one special, sacred place.
People continued to live and hold ceremonies here until the early Bronze Age. During this time, they built several round areas with banks, pits, and wooden posts. These are called "henges." Later, in the Bronze Age, there are fewer signs of activity. Only some simple burials and burnt mounds have been found. For the Iron Age, there is little evidence of people living here, just a few burials. Some valuable items from the Roman period, like coins and jewelry, were found near Newgrange. These were likely offerings.
Many other ancient sites have been found in the river bend. They are given simple letter names, like the M Enclosures. Besides the three large tombs, other important ceremonial sites include:
Ancient Astronomy at Brú na Bóinne
Each of the three main stone sites has important links to the stars and sun. This is called archaeoastronomy. Newgrange and Dowth are lined up with the sun during the Winter solstice. This is the shortest day of the year. Knowth is lined up with the sun during the spring and autumn Equinox. These are the days when day and night are equal. Scientists have also looked for other possible alignments around these main sites. The way the whole Brú na Bóinne complex is laid out across the valley has also been studied for its astronomical meaning.
Visiting Brú na Bóinne
If you want to visit Newgrange and Knowth, you must go on a guided tour. These tours start at the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre. This center opened in 1997 in Donore, County Meath. The visitor center is on the south side of the River Boyne. The ancient sites are on the north side. You get there by a special shuttle bus with a tour guide.
How to Get There
You can take Bus Éireann route 163. It goes between Drogheda and the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, passing through Donore. The closest train station is Drogheda railway station. It is about 9 kilometers away.
Gallery
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Brú na Bóinne from above
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Inside Knowth
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Newgrange tomb
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Newgrange
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See also
In Spanish: Brú na Bóinne para niños
