Sights of the Orkney Islands: ancient monuments of Celtic culture

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

The Orkney Islands is an archipelago in the north of Scotland, consisting of 70 islands. Known for its numerous Neolithic monuments and the tombs of the Celtic tribes. Tourists are also attracted by the rocky coast of the islands and the unique flora and fauna. What to see in the Orkney Islands for a tourist who is going to make a trip to Scotland?

History of the Islands

Starting from the Stone Age, the territory of the Orkney Islands is inhabited by a people who call themselves the Picts. The first written records of settlements in this part of Scotland date back to the 1st century AD. e. - the time of the Roman conquests of the British Isles. In the 9th century, Orkney was colonized by warlike Vikings who sailed to the islands from distant Norway. They also baptized the inhabitants of the islands in the Christian faith in 995.

In 1468, the islands were given as a dowry to the Scottish King James III. Subsequently, Norway tried more than once to buy them back, but their attempts were unsuccessful. Later, in the 17th century, Orkney, together with Scotland, became part of Great Britain, which includedthey are still in.

The peat industry has always flourished on the territory of the Orkney Islands. There are also several distilleries involved in the production of Scotch whiskey. In the 20th century, a naval base was located on the islands, which was disbanded after World War II.

How to get to Orkney?

Orkney Islands are remote from the civilized world, but getting to them is easy. The largest city in the archipelago, Kirkwall, can be reached by plane. Flights from the airports of Edinburgh, Inverness, London and Birmingham fly to the islands almost every day.

There is also a ferry service between Inverness and Kirkwall. The journey takes approximately 3 hours. From Edinburgh to Inverness can be reached by bus, the schedule of which is specially designed to be in time for the departure of the ferry. Before the trip, you should take care of tickets in advance and book them a few days before departure. During the summer, especially in July and August, the ferries can be overcrowded. The South Orkney Islands are connected to the central one by motorways.

Tomb of the Eagles

The Eagle's Tomb is located northwest of Kirkwall on the Mainland Island, near the settlement of Eastbister. This is an ancient chamber tomb from the Neolithic period. It is located in a rocky cliff. According to archaeologists, there are at least 15,000 human remains and approximately 700 bird remains. According to legend, burials took place here for many years. Locals caught eagles and sacrificed them to the goddessdeath.

The burial was discovered in 1958 by Scottish archaeologists, and the main excavations were carried out in the 1970s. Now the Tomb of the Eagles is open to tourists, excursions are regularly held here.

St Magnus Cathedral

The sights of the Orkney Islands are not only archaeological sites, but also architectural masterpieces. One of them is the Cathedral of St. Magnus in Kirkwall - the northernmost church in the UK. The temple was built in the 12th century by the Norwegians who inhabited the archipelago at that time. It received its name in honor of Saint Magnus, the son of the Norwegian king, who became famous for meekness and piety. His relics are still kept on the territory of the temple.

The cathedral is the oldest monument of Norman architecture. It is built of red sandstone in the Romanesque style. There is also an ancient Catholic cemetery on its territory. Not far from the temple are the ruins of the bishop's castle, here are the remains of the ancient castle of the earls who once ruled the Orkney archipelago. Under the cathedral are numerous dungeons that once served as a prison. The cathedral regularly hosts tourist tours, which also consecrate the ruins located nearby.

Skara Brae

Skara Brae is a unique settlement from the Neolithic era, which has almost completely survived to this day. Archaeologists believe that the village existed for 600 years between 3100 and 2500. BC e. It is assumed that it, like Pompeii, was destroyed as a result of a natural disaster that hid the settlement from the eyes of people. Skara Brae was discovered by accident in 1850 after a severe storm. Initially, archaeologists were unable to determine the age and culture of the settlement, mistaking it for a Viking village. Later, during excavations in 1926, it turned out that Skara Brae is one of the oldest monuments of human culture.

The settlement consists of 10 rounded houses sunk into the ground to protect from the cold. Each of them is equipped with bolted doors, as well as a primitive sewerage system. It is believed that Skara Brae is the birthplace of modern toilets. The inhabitants ate seafood: fish, mussels and oysters. They were skilled stonemasons. In some houses, decorative elements have been preserved: beads, necklaces, rings with ornaments of languages unknown to science.

Dwarfy-Stein

Dwarfy-Stein means "dwarf stone" in Scottish. There are many monuments of this kind on the territory of the Orkney Islands, but this ancient stone is considered the oldest and most valuable for science. A monolith is a solid tomb carved from red limestone. The entrance to it was closed with the help of a slab, which even now lies near the stone. The burial ground was presumably looted in the 16th century, but it is not known by whom. There are also several inscriptions in Persian on the stone, presumably carved in the 19th century. Dwarfy Stein is located on Hoy Island.

The small South Orkney Islands, with some of the most unique fauna in the UK, are a must-see for tourists. In addition to Dwarfy Stein, you can see beautiful rocky landscapes here that are almost untouched by people. The only sheep species in the world that feeds on algae also lives here.

Orkney Islands, the sights of which are far from the eyes of ordinary tourists, will be a real find for lovers of something new. People interested in ancient history and northern scenic landscapes should definitely visit this archipelago.