You know Stonehenge as the historic site in England that consists of stone slabs standing up in a circular form. It once coincided with the sun and seasons but is simply a tourist attraction today. You don’t have to hop across the pond to see something as spectacular as this. In Illinois, the historic attraction that works as a sun dial is known as Woodhenge.

You’ve never seen anything in this state as intriguing as this. Scroll on for all the details about our state’s most hidden man-made wonder.

Cahokia Mounds is situated just across the Mississippi River in the town of Collinsville. It was a Native American civilization that existed between 600 and 1400.
Flickr/emilydickinsonridesabmx
Learn more about the land and its people from previous Only In Illinois coverage here.
Believed to mark the equinox and solstice sunrises and sunsets, which were then used to signal agricultural and religious activities, Woodhenge is a circular design of timber circles placed in holes.
Wikimedia Commons/Heironymous Rowe
Annual events to celebrate the solstices are still held here throughout the year.

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The original design was constructed between 900 and 1100 CE, though all that was discovered in the 1960s during preparation for a new highway were a series of holes in the ground.
Wikimedia Commons/QuartierLatin1968
Through tests of the soil, archaeologists determined that red cedar was used to construct the poles that went in the holes. In 1985, replica posts were made and inserted in order to recreate what Woodhenge used to look like.
Wikimedia Commons/James Q. Jacobs
You can visit Woodhenge at Cahokia Mounds any day. The grounds are open from dawn until dusk and the Interpretive Center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Flickr/John W. Schulze

Check out this article for 12 more enchanting man-made wonders you’ll only find in Illinois.

Have you ever been to Cahokia Mounds to see Woodhenge? Share your experiences and photos with us in the comments below!

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