You have to win the lottery to see this ancient light!

To touch the magic of the winter solstice in this ancient temple, money and passion are not enough; Rather, you must win the “lottery”. Imagine that 16,000 people from all over the world line up to watch an event that lasts only 17 minutes, but in the end only 38 people are allowed to enter. This breath-taking competition is not for front-row seats at concerts or sports finals, but rather an attempt to stand in the total darkness of a 5,200-year-old mausoleum in Ireland, hoping for the clouds to clear and a miracle of light to occur. (National Geographic)

Photographer: Unknown / www.discoverboynevalley.ie

Here is Newgrange in the Boyne Valley, an engineering masterpiece. Every year in the shortest days of December, this place hosts a perfect alignment of sun and rock; But seeing this moment closely today is no longer dependent on status and wealth, but on the luck of the lottery.

Newgrange is not an ordinary building. It dates back to about 3200 years BC. Centuries before the foundation stone of the “Great Pyramids of Giza” was laid or the stone circle of “Stonehenge” was formed, this structure was erected. To create this huge hill (12 meters high and 85 meters wide), the builders of the Neolithic age dragged giant stones from far distances and up to 48 kilometers away to this point.

Photographer: Unknown / www.discoverboynevalley.ie

But the real art is hidden in its interior architecture. A long hallway that ends in a chamber with an amazing ceiling. The roof of the chamber is fastened together so precisely that after five thousand years, not a single drop of water has penetrated into it and it has never needed to be repaired.

However, the original genius of the ancient architects stands out at the entrance of the building. Just above the entrance door, there is a stone hatch known as “Roof-box”. This valve is not designed for ventilation, but precisely for catching light.

Every year around the winter solstice (five days in late December), at the same time as the sun rises, a ray of sunlight enters through this small opening. This light travels the 19-meter corridor to reach the central chamber. At that moment, the ancient engravings on the stones will light up and the dark space of the tomb will be immersed in a dazzling golden light for 17 minutes; Until the sun rises, darkness returns again.

Photographer: Unknown / kessiworld.com

The corridor of the tomb acts like a telescope aimed at the horizon. Interestingly, of the 136 remaining hall tombs in Ireland, only a handful have such a precise astronomical orientation, and Newgrange is the flagship.

Archaeological evidence shows that this place was more than just a tomb. Researchers say that scientific analysis of the discovered human remains show that the people buried here were not necessarily relatives and came from different parts of the island.

Photographer: Unknown / kessiworld.com

It seems that this was a place for religious rituals and to celebrate the “victory of light over darkness”. The ancients considered the winter solstice to be the end of the reign of darkness and the beginning of a new cycle of life. The discovery of the remains of large feasts around the entrance, such as pig and cow bones and pottery, indicates that people gathered for this cosmic event thousands of years ago and celebrated that day with special foods.

Today, the lottery system, which was set up due to the very tight space inside the tomb, has unwittingly revived the same ancient tradition. Just as 5,000 years ago people traveled from far away for this moment, today lucky winners come from all over the world to this spot.

Although, to enter the tomb, you have to participate in the lottery; But enthusiasts can still gather in the outer area of ​​the tomb on the cold mornings of December 19 to 23 to breathe the atmosphere of this mythical moment.

Photographer: James Manning / PA Images

On the other side of the world, Newgrange celebrates about the same nights as we celebrate Yalda night in Iran. If you had to choose between eating Yalda with your family and watching the sun rise in a 5,200-year-old Irish temple, which would you choose? Write your opinion for us and other readers.

Cover photo source: edition.cnn.com Photographer: Unknown