Kinstone has many stone features as well as interesting, artful structures for you to experience. Some of the major features are listed here, however, there are many more to discover as you wander in wonder.
Kinstone Circle
The Great Stone Circle is the largest of three modern stone circles at Kinstone. It was designed and raised by Kristine Beck in 2011 with the help of Ivan McBeth and a crew with a crane, backhoe, skid steer, slings, levels, shovels and rakes. It is a circle measuring 81.6 feet in diameter (30 megalithic yards, 1 megalithic yard = 2.72 feet or 82.96 cm). There are nineteen (19) megaliths (i.e. huge stones) standing in the ring that forms the circle. There are nineteen (19) small boulders that form an inner ring called the Sitting Stones. There are three standing stones in the center of the circle called the Trinity. Nineteen is an auspicious number. In numerology it symbolizes wisdom, spirituality and new beginnings. In general, it symbolizes the spiritual nature of a place. Kinstone is a sacred space that is dedicated to family, relationships and interconnections with generations that have gone before us and those that will come after us. The Great Stone Circle has been referred to as “the largest privately owned stone circle in the world”. Additionally it has been called “the largest modern stone circle”. These may or may not be true claims, but the circle is pretty magnificent!
The Chapel of Creation
Construction of the Kinstone chapel, named The Chapel of Creation, was started in July 2012 and completed in October 2013. Over 110 people helped create it over that 18-month timeframe. It is built using cordwood construction, a natural building technique well-suited to this Wisconsin climate. The chapel has a thatched roof made with Phragmites australis, a water reed harvested from the Mississippi River less than 10 miles from Kinstone. The colorful bottles in the walls depict portions of The Canticle of Creation by Saint Francis of Assisi. A large piece of petrified wood graces the center and is a grounding stone for the Chapel and for all who visit. This is a sacred space designed for quiet reflection, prayer, meditation, and contemplation.
Labyrinth
The Kinstone Labyrinth was designed by Kristine Beck in 2011 based on the 7-circuit, classical form. It was excavated on steep land which resulted in 5 erosion control terraces that step up-hill giving it the distinct feeling of an outdoor amphitheater. Created with the help of 26 family and friends on Saturday, September 24, 2011; it took just 6 hours to complete the laying of stone lines and paths. The stone lines are made with assorted rounded river rocks and the paths are a mix of champagne granite gravel (70%) and caramel quartzite gravel (30%). When walking this labyrinth the rhythmic crunch of feet on gravel brings to mind the sound of water lapping a pebbled beach or the steady beating of the heart. For those wondering exactly what a labyrinth is – here is a definition: a labyrinth is a meandering path, often unicursal, with a singular path leading to a center.
Dolmen
A dolmen is a type of single-chamber megalithic structure, usually consisting of two or more vertical megaliths supporting a large, flat, horizontal capstone. The Kinstone Dolmen has four upright stones and a 13-ton capstone. There are 5 smaller boulders surrounding it as guardian stones. Historically, many dolmens served as tombs. No one is buried in the dolmen at Kinstone (yet!); however, it has been consecrated to the remembrance of our ancestors and all those who have come and gone before us. The Kinstone Dolmen was designed and built by Kristine Beck in 2012. She was notably influenced by Poulnabrone Dolmen in County Clare, Ireland, which she visited multiple times. The Kinstone Dolmen is a sacred space dedicated to Remembrance.
Circle of Mystery
The Circle of Mystery is a smaller stone circle designed and created by Kristine Beck in 2012. It has 12 stones that are mostly natural boulders. One of the stones has a natural question mark emblazoned on its face. The interior of the circle was seeded with clover and this has grown to be a lovely green space with many four-leaf clovers already discovered! This circle is an intimate, contemplative space where you can spend time pondering the questions of life and figuring out ways to express your thoughts and insights.
The Three Witnesses
The Three Witnesses is a dry-stack and megalith sculpture designed by Thea Alvin with input from Kristine Beck. It was created by 12 people during a 10-day Dry-Stack Wall Building Workshop in October, 2014. The walls are built with limestone from the Bork Quarry on County Road M just about a mile from Kinstone. The megaliths in the structure are tillite and were all cut from a single, large, erratic boulder found in the Coldspring granite quarry at Rockville, MN. There is no mortar in the structure, including in the round opening called the Equinox Window through which the rising sun shines on Equinox, both spring and fall. It is critical that no one climbs on, pulls on, or touches the stones that are part of these walls. Please respect this space by viewing it with your eyes only. Thank you!!
Stargazer Circle
Stargazer Circle is an egg-shaped or elliptical stone circle that surrounds the fire pit. It was created by Kristine Beck in 2011 and then modified by her in 2014. There are nine (9) large stones in the ring that forms the circle. There is a limestone-lined fire pit in the center of the circle. The Stargazer Circle gets its name from two particular stones within it that are shaped a bit like natural recliners. They each make amazingly comfortable places to lie down and gaze at the stars (or the clouds, or the sky in general). As it turns out, many of the stones in this circle allow for wonderful, relaxed, reclined stargazing.
Standing Stones
There are many standing stones at Kinstone. Another word for a large upright stone, typically raised to standing by humans, is “menhir”. The tallest menhir at Kinstone is “Venus”; she stands at the east corner of the property and is 31.5 feet long, 8 feet of that are buried in the ground. The heaviest menhir at Kinstone is “Atlas”; he stands with Lancelot between the pond and the Chapel and weighs 35 tons! You can find over 185 boulders and menhirs that were brought to Kinstone by Kristine Beck since October, 2011.
Alignments
In megalithic places around the world, the organization of the stones suggests a symbolic geometry that integrates life, death, water, the sun, moon, planets and stars. Seasonal alignments are found in several places around Kinstone. We celebrate the seasons by acknowledging and observing the continual dance between the Sun, the Earth, and Polaris.
Alignments with stones in the large stone circle mark cardinal directions, true North, and the arrival of Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice. Summer Solstice sunset is marked by an alignment just created in 2018 with the RPK Memorial Stone and the Harp Stone. Through an alignment in The Three Witnesses sculpture, we witness Vernal and Autumnal Equinox sunrise. At sunset on Equinox, we see an alignment with Lancelot and Atlas. In all cases, the alignments are only visible when the sun is bright on the horizon at the appropriate hour (either sunrise or sunset, depending).
Please join us on these special seasonal days – at sunrise or sunset as the case may be. Check the Kinstone Calendar to get details about our seasonal alignment events and other events that may be of interest! Early risers get to see some pretty special scenes when the skies are clear! Don’t go back to sleep!
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Our Mission
Kinstone blends conscious care of Earth with art to form sacred spaces that invite and inspire people to connect with and experience the creative power of the land to transform, energize and ultimately revive the whole person.
Visitor Comments
“What a wonderful, magical place!” ~Marcy K, Madison, WI
“Tranquility and amazement. Thoroughly enjoyed the energy.” ~Martha L., Eagan, MN
“This place is a blessing to all those who enter.” ~Cecilia M.