Which stone at Stonehenge marks the summer solstice sunrise?

The Heel Stone marks the approximate direction of the summer-solstice sunrise at Stonehenge.

The Heel Stone stands northeast of the main sarsen circle, beside the end of Stonehenge Avenue. An observer inside the monument looking through the northeastern entrance would see the Sun rise near or over this large, leaning stone around the June solstice.

Stonehenge’s principal axis has a paired solar orientation: summer-solstice sunrise lies toward the northeast, while winter-solstice sunset lies in the opposite direction. The alignment is one reason the monument has long been studied as a possible astronomical or ceremonial site.

The wording “marks” should not be taken to mean that the Heel Stone predicts the solstice with modern precision. The alignment is approximate, and the Sun’s rising position has shifted slightly over thousands of years because Earth’s axial tilt changes. The Station Stones and other features have proposed lunar or solar relationships, but they are not the standard answer to this question.