The Cerne Abbas Giant

Giant naked man on a hillside

Category Curious Places of Worship

Curious Places of Worship http://atlasobscura.com/category/architectural-oddities/curious-places-of-worship

Just outside of the small village of Cerne Abbas, in England, lies the massive outline of a naked giant, holding a club and sporting a massive hard-on. Sculpted in chalk, the giant is carved in solid lines into the chalk bedrock and stands an impressive 180-feet, making it especially visible from up-high. In fact, during WWII, the figure was disguised to prevent Germans from using it as an aerial landmark

The history of the giant is not so clear however. While it is often thought of as an ancient symbol of fertility, records of it cannot be traced further back than the late 17th century. Some posit that it was built by the order of one Lord Holles, who produced it as a jab to Oliver Cromwell’s puritanical rule. Other theories include the Roman hero Hercules, a Celtic warrior, and a representation of a Danish giant who, according to local folklore, was killed by villagers as he slumbered on the hill.

Regardless of its actual history however, the giant is well kept by the locals, receiving regular grass trimmings and a full re-chalking, to all of his massive parts, every 25 years.

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  • Address Giant Hill, Cerne Abbas,
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