Fact:
Everyone knows that Hunebedden are old, but do we know how old? Hunebedden are the oldest visible structures in the Netherlands and date from 3350 to 3050 BC. This means they are over 5,000 years old, which is impressive when you consider that the pyramids of Giza in Egypt were not built until around 2600 BC. This places dolmens in a unique position as European prehistoric monuments, alongside Stonehenge and the megaliths in Brittany, France.

Fact:
Many people know that dolmens were burial chambers, but few know that they probably served only for important people or ancestral figures of the community. The bone remains found show that not everyone was buried here. So hunebeds were probably not only burial chambers but also had a spiritual significance. It is possible that the hunebeds were places for rituals and ceremonies, although we do not know exactly what these looked like.

Fact:
Netherlands once had more hunebeds than today, but over the centuries many hunebeds have been lost or damaged. During the 17th and 18th centuries, in times of great poverty and economic crisis, people took stones from the hunebeds to use in the construction of houses, churches, roads and bridges. These practices resulted in many dolmens no longer being intact or only partially remaining. The hunebeds we see today are therefore often incomplete structures, and it remains a challenge to reconstruct their original form.

Fact:
dolmens look very similar at first glance, but there are notable differences between the structures. Some dolmens are large and contain multiple chambers, while others are smaller and have only one chamber. There are also variations in the arrangement of the stones and the shape of the chambers. These differences may indicate social, economic or cultural differences between the groups that built these monuments. For example, a large hunebed could indicate a powerful or important person, while a smaller hunebed may have represented a simpler community.

Fact:
Hunebedden, so also known as dolmens or megalithic burial chambers, however, are not found only in the Netherlands. They have been found in many different other countries both in and outside of Europe. They are part of a widespread (European) megalithic culture. Here you can find more of them: Germany:
Many dolmens can still be found in Germany, especially in the northern regions such as Lower Saxony, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein. These dolmens are similar to those in the Netherlands and date from the same time period. Like the Dutch hunebeds, they were burial chambers for the Funnel Beaker culture. Denmark:
Denmark has a large number of hunebeds, or “jættestuer” as they are called there. They are found mainly on the islands of Funen and Zealand and in Jutland. These monuments range from small dolmens to elaborate gang tombs. Denmark has some of the best-preserved and most impressive dolmens in Europe. Sweden:
Sweden also has many dolmens, mainly in the south of the country, in the regions of Skåne, Halland and Blekinge. These dolmens, known as “gånggrifter” in Swedish, also date back to the Neolithic period. Sweden also has other megalithic monuments such as stone circles and ship-shaped stone formations. France:
In France, dolmens and other megalithic structures are widespread, especially in Brittany. The French term for dolmens is “dolmen,” and hundreds of these structures can be found, especially in the region of Carnac. Brittany has a rich megalithic culture, with menhirs (standing stones), stone circles and elaborate burial monuments.

United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland):
The United Kingdom is home to dolmens or dolmens, although they are often referred to by other names, such as “cromlechs” or “chambers tombs.” Well-known examples are the Pentre Ifan in Wales and Wayland’s Smithy in England. Similar structures also occur in Scotland, such as the Cairns in the Orkney Islands. Ireland:
Ireland is known for its dolmens, often called “portal tombs.” One of the best-known examples is the Poulnabrone Dolmen in the Burren area of County Clare. These structures are sometimes smaller than Dutch dolmens, but their huge capstones and location in the Irish countryside make them very impressive. Portugal and Spain:
Dolmens are frequently found in Portugal and Spain, especially in the Alentejo region of Portugal and the Galicia region of Spain. Here they are sometimes called anta. These megalithic monuments are sometimes huge and are part of ancient Iberian culture. Belgium:
Belgium has fewer dolmens, but some dolmens can be found in the Ardennes. They are often called “dolmen” here, as in France, and although they are less numerous, they still show that the megalithic building tradition also reached Belgium.

Poland and the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania):
Poland and the Baltic States also contain some dolmens and other megalithic structures. Although they are less common than in Western Europe, there is evidence that the Funnel Beaker culture or related cultures were also present here. Israel and other Middle Eastern countries:
Surprisingly, dolmens are not just a European phenomenon. In Israel and Syria, dolmen-like structures can also be found. These dolmens date from a later period and were built by various prehistoric cultures in the region.

There is, of course, an incredible amount more to tell about the Hunebeds. If you’d like to check them out for yourself, we have some incredibly fun biking and hiking tours that take you past the dolmens.