Tag Archives for stonehenge replica

Stonefridge, a Fridgehenge, New Mexico


Fridge Henge at Sunset , Originally uploaded by longristra

Today we finally get to Fridgehenge or, as the artist called it, Stonefridge, a Stonehenge replica built of refrigerators. It was removed in 2007, but when it stood it was understood to be a work of art, commenting on consumer culture and the environmental ramifications of the way we live. There is said to have been another fridgehenge in New Zealand.

Fridgehenge stood outside Santa Fe, New Mexico for almost a decade. It was aligned with Los Alamos Labs as Stonehenge was with heavenly bodies, and the people who did the heavy work wore loincloths and used primitive technology to move the fridges while the process was caught on videotape. In the end the city decided it was a health and safety hazard and the henge was destroyed, which seems somehow fitting. More can be read here.

Thank you, longristra, for use of your photo. To this ephemeral henge we award 7 druids. As with a star flaming out in a distant galaxy, its existence will continue to echo for long after its demise!

Kuala Lumpur Henge, planetarium replica

kuala-lumpur-henge

photo by Lee Kelleher, with permission

We whisk you away to far Malaysia, where the capital city is the site of a grand planetarium open to tourists, part of which is the Ancient Observatory Park. The park boasts replicas of several ancient observatories including Wiltshire’s finest. You can see a few more pictures of it here.

It is a strange recreation of Stonehenge, in fact one wonder whether people looked at a picture of the original before they made it. Something about the proportions brings to mind Pezhenge. We don’t know whether or not it is oriented to the skies. The stones, it appears, are not real stones. One tourist mentions that they are hollow inside.

Still, as you may have noticed, we grade on a curve, in this case the broad curve of the earth’s surface from Merry Olde England to Southeast Asia. Score for this exotic henge: 6½ druids. Somehow we doubt it gets crowded at solstice!

eBay Stonehenge Replica

ebay-replica

Being sold on eBay in the U.S. right now, this is one of the souvenirs that English Heritage sells online and in their gift shops–a Stonehenge that fits in your hand.

mini-model1

These little mass-produced models are interesting enough to go home with tourists, but the sort of thing that you look at after a while and wonder, “What did I think I was going to do with this?”

If you live in the States, you still have time to get this for your favorite Stonehenge fanatic. We don’t know the people who are selling it. We just saw it and thought we should pass it along. Despite its careful stone placement, we can’t give it more than 5½ druids, but it will do in a pinch, and probably fit in a stocking.

Texas II, Stonehenge Fever

stonehenge-iiaphoto by knobonk, shown by permission

We mentioned when we posted the Odessa Stonehenge that Texas was one of the states that boasts (at least) two large Stonehenge replicas. This is the other, a neat little circle tucked into the Texas Hill Country. We don’t doubt that, as the Stonehenge II website says, it makes quite an impression when unsuspecting family and friends arrive there on what they thought was just a drive in the country!

The effect is enhanced by the presence of Easter Island heads, one on either side of the henge, made by the same steel mesh and plaster method as all but one of the “stones” in the complex. Apparently a totem pole was planned, too, but couldn’t be executed before the death of the man behind the monument, Al Shepperd. You can see more of the site’s history here and here.

Another case of “Stonehenge Fever” as the Roadside America site calls it, that inexplicable something that makes Clonehenge possible. We have warmed to this circle since we first saw it. The flat pasture is a plus and the charming thought of children playing hide-and-seek among the stones is irresistible. How many replicas can allow that? Score: 8 druids for this family-friendly Stonehenge!

You can see it on Google Street View here.

Pezhenge. Oh, yes.

pezhenge

photography and hengery by deadeyebart a.k.a. Brett, shown with permission

Truly we can say  that the thing which we have desired is now ours! We tracked down the Pezhenge in the Smithsonian video, and mad henger deadeyebart not only has generously allowed us to post it, but has pointed out other henges to be seen in his photostream on Flickr. Thank you, Mr. bart! No doubt more will appear here.

Take it all in, the giddying variety of Pez heads and the clever candy lintels. Poor Shrek even plays the part of a fallen upright. We know it isn’t accurate, but that’s not what this one is for, is it? Score: 7½ druids for being fully in the spirit of Clonehenge!

Stillwater Stonehenge, Oklahoma

stillwater

photos by Lynnola with permission

Two months ago, Rick and Ruby Schneider of Stonehenge Realty in Stillwater, Oklahoma began to construct their own version of that great monument on the Wiltshire downs. Partially inspired by stirring pictures Ruby’s brother brought back from a visit to England, the Schneiders’  replica is still being built, with, so far, a few standing stones, two trilithons, and a unique structure of three uprights with one lintel. Needless to say, we cheer them on and watching further developments with great interest.

stillwater-2

Ruby says students from nearby Oklahoma State University already stop to take pictures at this early stage. If we know the internet, before long they’ll be on the Wikipedia list, the Roadside America list, the Smithsonian list . . . and Clonehenge, of course—they don’t know what they’re getting into!

No score, as it isn’t finished, but hurray for the Schneiders and other henge-builders  still building wherever they are, and hurray for the germ Ruby’s brother  brought back from England to  inspire still another Stonehenge to rise from the land! Thanks to Lynnola, too, for her help!

P.S.: Isn’t that Smithsonian video a killer? It cheers us to be reminded that even after posting 41 Stonehenge replicas we still have a long way to go. Only now we’re all full of Pez-henge lust. Must. . find. . and . . post . . it!

Henge-Fest?

potato-henge1
potato henge and photo by Captain Henge

The International Virtual Henge-Fest was held at the beginning of 2007, and while it was on an extremely small scale, wouldn’t it be fun if this sort of thing would catch on? Entries included a bog roll (‘toilet paper roll’ in American) henge, a CD henge, a people henge, a Tardis henge and more, all pictured at the link above.

“Is it lame?” the original announcement read. “Only if you’re sober!” it declared But even sober people might enjoy competitive henging once in a while. We would certainly enjoy seeing the results.

tardis-henge

Tardis henge and photo by Robbie Bonham

“Everybody make and bring a henge!” isn’t the worst thing you could put on a party invitation. You never know what you might get! We award 7½ druids to Captain Henge and the Henge-Fest hengers for good henges and a great idea. May their numbers multiply!

Send your holiday (or other) henge photos to clonehenge @entermail.net, removing the space before the @, and we will post our favourites.

Foamhenge II: Meet Virginia

foamhenge-virginia2

photo by 100wordminimum, with permission

A classic American Stonehenge replica, Foamhenge, once located in Natural Bridge, Virginia, and now relocated to Cox Farms, Centreville, Virginia, was built by Mark Cline, an appealingly nutty artist (note that these things are generally built not by mystics or druids, but by artists, engineers and scientists), intentionally as a tourist attraction. A Renaissance festival called The Enchantment Faire at Foamhenge is held here once a year, although not at solstice.

This replica is full-sized and Cline made an effort to copy individual stone shapes from Stonehenge.  Kudos to him! So many Stonehenge replica builders seem to never even bother to check what Stonehenge actually looks like! Cline also created the remarkable Bamahenge, a fiberglass Stonehenge in Alabama, complete with dinosaur replicas!

For the curious, see the plaque that was at the monument before it was moved here, and a nice dawn photo here. We chose the picture above, which captures the sense we get from some pictures of Stonehenge, a sense of the stones as great old beings huddled together to discuss deep and timeless secrets. At Foamhenge, though, whatever they’re discussing, we know it’s nothing heavy! Score: 6½ druids for the big henge and we would love to get a better look at that mini-Foamhenge in the Mark Cline link above!

Also, at this Smithsonian link, scroll down and click on the video with the flaghenge for some information and a short interview with Mark Cline about his creation. Fun!

Boxhenge: a form that had to be

Okay, yes, this video could use some colour intensity and sharpening, but it is what it is, and we do like the quick action and good humour. It would go well with a little Keystone Cops music!

Boxes, being cuboid in form, lend themselves to henge making. Probably many boxhenges that have existed never made it to the interwebs. Even on the web, some get away. We like the outstanding boxhenge picture at this link, but we couldn’t find the email address for asking permission.

We speculate that the activity in the video above may have been inspired partly by the cement circle in the lawn. It’s the sort of thing that can stimulate a latent henge impulse, especially if there are boxes at hand. Scores for these: 6 druids for the proud henge builders in the video (plus thank you for preserving it for us to see!) and 7 druids for the impressive boxhenge at the mystery school. We’re always pleased to see evidence of a new generation of henge builders on the way!

Montana’s Stonehenge: Big Sky

montana-rainbow

photos by Bob LeBlanc, with permission

Montana has the kind of landscape that  just begs for a Stonehenge replica, but that requires someone with the henge-building bug plus the space and money needed  to implement it. Could it be that the land itself lured in the well-to-do, brilliant inventor Jim Smith, who just happened to have a friend in the stone/masonry business? Voila! Big Sky Stonehenge!

This replica stands on a private golf course in northwestern Montana that isn’t open to the public. It did attract some interest among the crowd who use Google Earth to scan the earth for odd and interesting things, but there’s  really not anything mysterious about it beyond the Clonehenge Principle: that strange something that impels people to build Stonehenge replicas.montana-fireworks2

Montana’s Stonehenge, on a golf course near Crystal Lakes, is made of limestone blocks, with great care taken to match the original in size and proportion. Some say it is the most exact copy of all the replicas, but as connoisseurs would point out, many criteria exist beside the sizes of the stones and the proportions of the layout. Things like the ditch and bank and the Aubrey holes seem to be missing as far as we can tell from the gallery photos, and certainly the shapes of the stones were not copied as closely as they were in the cardboard replica or the U. K. Foamhenge.

Nevertheless, this is a beautiful henge. If you can, be sure to look over the gallery at the underlined link above. Score: 8 druids for this stirring structure!