Newgrange is a magnificent ancient temple, built over 5,200 years ago by a thriving farming community in the Boyne Valley. While often called a passage tomb, its true purpose was far more complex, serving as a site of astrological, spiritual, and ceremonial importance.
Part of the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage Site, Newgrange stands alongside similar monuments like Knowth and Dowth. The massive, kidney-shaped mound is held in place by 97 decorated kerbstones, leading to a 19-meter-long passage and a cruciform chamber with a stunning corbelled roof. The incredible effort and organization required to build Newgrange points to a highly sophisticated ancient society.
Winter solstice.
Newgrange is most famous for the spectacular illumination of its passage and chamber during the winter solstice. Around December 21st, the year’s shortest day, a narrow beam of sunlight shines through a special opening called the roof-box above the entrance.
This beam of light gradually extends to the back of the chamber, dramatically illuminating the entire room for about 17 minutes. This incredible event, which marks the start of the new year, showcases the remarkable astronomical precision of Newgrange, built 500 years before the pyramids.
The winter solstice at Newgrange draws a crowd every year, with many gathering at dawn just as people did 5,000 years ago. To be one of the few inside the chamber for this event, you can enter a free annual lottery. Even when cloudy skies obscure the sun, the experience of waiting in the darkness for the longest night to end is unforgettable.
Visitor Information
Visitor access to Newgrange is only by guided tour from the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre on the south side of the river Boyne. Newgrange is on the north side of the river Boyne, visitors cross the river by pedestrian bridge and take a shuttle bus to Newgrange. There is no direct public access to Newgrange by road, except for mornings around the Winter Solstice, so if using a GPS Satellite Navigation System, your destination is Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre.
- Directions to the Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre.
- Accommodation in the Boyne Valley.
- Boyne Valley Day Tours including Newgrange.
- Private Day Tours – Newgrange and the Boyne Valley.
Experience the heritage and culture of the Boyne Valley with our exclusive full-day private tours. Delve into the past with a visit to Newgrange and Knowth World Heritage sites. Explore the fascinating Hill of Tara, the historic seat of power of the High Kings. Journey to the Hill of Slane, where Saint Patrick famously lit the Paschal fire.
