Cromlech facts for kids

A cromlech is a very old structure made from huge stone blocks. These amazing stone buildings are called "megalithic" because "mega" means large and "lithos" means stone.

In English, the word "cromlech" can mean two different things:

• Sometimes it refers to a type of altar or tomb made of large stones. These are often called "dolmens." An example is found at Carn Llechart.
• Other times, "cromlech" means a large stone circle. You can see famous examples of these in the Carnac stones in Brittany, France.

It's interesting that in many other languages, like French or Spanish, "cromlech" only means a stone circle. They use the word "dolmen" specifically for the stone altar-tomb type. Recently, some experts in English have also started using "cromlech" mainly to mean a stone circle.

Famous Cromlechs

Here are some well-known cromlechs:

• Dolni Glavanak Cromlech: This is an oval-shaped stone circle located near Dolni Glavanak, Bulgaria.
• Almendres Cromlech: This large stone circle is part of the Almendres megalithic complex near Évora, Portugal.
• Dinas Cromlech: This is a natural rock formation in the Llanberis Pass, Snowdonia, Wales.

See also

In Spanish: Crómlech para niños