Photos: Summer Solstice celebrations

Thousands gathered at Stonehenge to watch a beautiful sun rise over the ancient site

The sun rising over Stonehenge this morning (Photo by Guy Corbishley / Alamy)

Today an estimated 23,000 people congregated at Stonehenge to mark the Summer Solstice.

The Solstice is the longest day of the year and has a rich history of pagan and traditional customs.

This morning, tens of thousands watched the sun rise over Stonehenge just after 4am. They began gathering at the historic spot from yesterday evening.

A reveller rests her head on a megalith as she and others celebrate the pagan festival of Summer Solstice this morning (Photo by NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images)

The annual revelry drew in pagans and non-pagans alike to the Neolithic site in Wiltshire which is believed to have been an important religious site dating back 4,000 years.

The sun rose over the stones at 4:25am, creating beautiful scenes for those gathered below.

Spectators capture the moment at Stonehenge this morning as part of annual Summer Solstice celebrations (Photo by NIKLAS HALLE'N/AFP/Getty Images)

Police estimate that some 23,000 came to Stonehenge today, a figure lower than authorities had expected based on attendance in previous years.

The Summer Solstice marks the day of the year with the most hours of sunlight. It takes its name from the Latin ‘solstitium’ meaning ‘sun stands still’.

Many celebrate the occasion as heralding the start of the summer.