The Summer Solstice isn't just about weather – it's also about romance

The longest day of the year is here!

The Summer Solstice happens the moment the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer – the farthest north the sun moves in the sky. That's why countries in the Northern Hemisphere see increasingly long spells of daylight as the solstice draws closer.

The solstice isn't just a weather phenomenon – it's celebrated around the world, and many cultures have their own solstice traditions dating back to ancient times.

Here are some facts that might brighten your knowledge of the Solstice.

It's a special occasion at Stonehenge in England.

One of the largest celebrations of the Solstice happens every year at Stonehenge, where thousands of people gather to watch the sunrise at the ancient site.

Stonehenge, the neolithic-era site in England, is typically closed to the public but is opened annually for the Solstice. On June 21, sunlight hits Stonehenge in a special way and channels light into the center of the circle of stones.

No one knows exactly why Stonehenge was built, but it's believed that people have celebrated the Solstice there for thousands of years.

This year was no exception:

In Sweden, the Summer Solstice, or Midsummer, is a major holiday.

Midsummer is one of Sweden's most widely celebrated holidays. In Scandinavia, the sun only sets for a few hours around the Solstice, so it's often an opportunity for Swedes to celebrate the rare warm weather.

Traditions include dancing around a Maypole, drinking and classic Swedish foods like pickled herring and fresh strawberries.

Legend has it that if girls pick seven flowers during Midsummer and lay them under their pillows, their future husbands will appear to them in a dream.

Around the world, the Summer Solstice is associated with sex and romance. 

According to Swedish ethnologist Jan-Ojvind Swahn, "a lot of children are born nine months after Midsummer in Sweden."

In Greece, an ancient ritual called Klidonas coincides with the Summer Solstice. A  village's unmarried women place a personal item in a pot, leave it beneath a fig tree overnight, and take turns pulling out the items the next day and reciting rhymes meant to predict the owner's romantic future. Later in the day, men and women mingle and take turns jumping over a bonfire.

In Eastern Europe, Solstice celebrations often fall on Ivan Kupala day, which has romantic connotations. Traditionally, young women float flower wreaths across a river, and bachelors try to catch them on the other side. At night, couples may try to jump over bonfires together as a test of faith.

For modern-day pagans, the Summer Solstice is a religious experience.

The Summer Solstice – sometimes known as Litha, a term that may date back to the 8th century – is a highlight of the yearly pagan calendar.

The Stonehenge celebration is a large draw for people who follow pagan faiths, but other pagan celebrations happen around the world as well.

"A big part of the Druid thinking is there's this cycle called the year, which fundamentally affects everything we do – when we can grow our food and when we have to hide away next to the fire," Frank Somers, of the Amesbury and Stonehenge Druids, told IBTimesUK. "If you turn up at the changes between the seasons and observe that change, you can become better attuned to those cycles in yourself and you're a part of them."

Christians have also gotten in on the fun.

To expand its influence during its early centuries, the Christian Church gave many pagan holidays a Christian interpretation. St. John the Baptist, who according to Luke was born half a year before Jesus Christ, is associated with Midsummer.

St. John's Day, which is on June 24, falls around the Solstice every year. Many countries celebrate the saint as well as the longest day of the year during their solstice celebrations.

WPXI