Newark Earthworks
Part of the 'Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks' UNESCO World Heritage Site. Giant circular and octagonal earthen walls built about 2,000 years ago align with the lunar cycle.
The Newark Earthworks are located in the city of Newark, about 55 km east of downtown Columbus. Built by the Hopewell culture roughly 2,000 years ago, they are among the largest geometric earthwork sites in the world. In 2023, they were inscribed as part of the 'Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks' UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Great Circle has a diameter of about 365 meters, with a deep ditch on the inside of its earthen wall. A newly built visitor center next to the site explains Hopewell culture. The octagonal mound is connected to the circle and precisely aligned with the 18.6-year cycle of the moon's rising. Most of the site is currently a golf course, and it is fully open to visitors only on special open days. The Great Circle is free to enter.
Opening hours
Great Circle open by day; visitor center about 10:00-16:00
Nearby sights
- The Dawes Arboretum
- Inniswood Metro Gardens
- Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
- Ohio History Center & Ohio Village
- Columbus Museum of Art
- Topiary Park
- German Village
- Ohio Statehouse