Approximately 4,500 people gathered at the historic site of Stonehenge in southern England on Saturday to celebrate the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice.
The sun rose over Stonehenge at 08:09 on Saturday 21 December and was greeted, despite the clouds and strong winds, with applause, singing and dancing. The atmosphere at this prehistoric monument was described as energetic and spiritual, with several people dressed as druids.
Steve Bax, the site's director, stated that around 100,000 people followed the festivities via a live stream.
The summer and winter solstices have been celebrated for centuries at Stonehenge. The stone circle was erected in alignment with the sun's position in the annual cycle. On Saturday, the sun will set at Stonehenge at 16:02, after which the days will start to lengthen again.
In Belgium, the sun rose at 08:43 and will set at 16:39 on Saturday, according to the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI).
