At a bend in the River Boyne, Brú na Bóinne comprises the spectacular passage tombs of Knowth, Dowth and Newgrange.

These cairns were built around 3200BC and so they are older than Stonehenge in England and the Pyramids of Egypt. Built by Neolithic communities about 5000 years ago, the passage graves have clear astronomical alignments such as the Winter Solstice Sunrise at Newgrange and the Equinox Sunrise at Loughcrew. Large stones outside these monuments are decorated with Megalithic Art, with spirals, concentric circles, triangles, images and zigzags.

On the morning of the Winter Solstice, the sunlight enters the tiny opening in the passage grave of Newgrange, and gradually illuminates the central chamber of the grave. Presently there is a lottery system as to who might experience this phenomenon on the Winter Solstice each year. However, the guided tour of Newgrange on other days of the year is a fascinating, informative and spine-tingling experience.

Were these monuments burial tombs?, sacred temples?, astrological observatories? No one knows for sure.

The Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre is located at Donore and is the starting point for all tours to Newgrange and Knowth. Visitors then cross the pedestrian bridge across the Boyne to the shuttle bus pick-up point from where they are brought to the heritage sites. Admission to both Newgrange and Knowth is through the Visitor Centre, as there is no direct access to the monuments. Dowth is not accessible from the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre, but can be driven to directly.