Brú Na Bóinne

Introducing Brú Na Bóinne

Not to be missed, the vast Neolithic necrop­olis known as Brú na Bóinne (the Boyne Palace) is one of the most extraordinary sites in Europe. A thousand years older than Stonehenge, this is a powerful and evocative testament to the mind-boggling achievements of prehistoric humans.

The complex was built to house the remains of the people who were at the top of the social heap. Its tombs were the largest artificial structures in Ireland until the construction of the Anglo-Norman castles 4000 years later. Over the centuries the tombs decayed, were covered by grass and trees and were plundered by everybody from Vikings to Victorian treasure hunters, whose carved initials can be seen on the great stones of Newgrange. The countryside around the tombs is littered with countless other ancient mounds (tumuli) and standing stones.

The area consists of many different sites, with the three principal ones being Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009