Newgrange, County Meath, Ireland (c. 3100-2900 BCE)

“An example of a megalithic passage tomb mound, Newgrange was built during the Neolithic period, in order to house the remains of the dead. It has also been speculated that it had some form of religious significance, particularly in regards to an afterlife, because it is aligned with the rising sun on the winter solstice, which floods the tomb with light. After its initial usage as a tomb, the entrance to Newgrange was sealed and it remained closed for several millennia, subsequently gaining several associations in local folklore and mythology. It first began to be studied as a prehistoric monument by antiquarians in the seventeenth century CE, and over subsequent centuries various archaeological excavations took place at the site before it was largely restored to its original Neolithic appearance by conservators in the 1970s. Today, Newgrange is a popular tourist site, and according to the archaeologist Colin Renfrew, is “unhesitatingly regarded by the prehistorian as the great national monument of Ireland” and is also widely recognised as one of the most important megalithic structures in Europe.”