St Magnus Cathedral

St Magnus Cathedral and cemetery in Kirkwall, Orkney. “The Riding of the Marches” the 2nd Sunday in Aug, horses & riders gather in front of the Cathedral. They ride through the streets of Kirkwall to carry a standard along the old boundary of the town. A wonderful event to see! A magnificent cemetery surrounds the cathedral. Several of my relatives are buried here, great to find their graves. It is worth the walk through the graveyard to see all the old gravestones. It is free to enter the Cathedral. They offer a wonderful tour of the upper floors of the Cathedral, you can see the bells and go to the top of the Bell tower, which offers a wonderful view over the whole town of Kirkwall. The tours are 15 pounds per person and only on Thursdays and Saturdays 11 AM and 2 PM. and space is limited. You can book the tour by phone only. If you haven’t booked and you just show up at the tour time and if there’s space you can join in. There are also ground level tours and graveyard tours.

St Magnus Cathedral is one of those places that quietly takes your breath away. The red sandstone is awesome, and the craftsmanship is just unreal considering it was built in the 1100s. You don’t need to be religious to feel the history here, it’s peaceful, solemn, and beautifully preserved. I loved wandering through the quiet corners and noticing the Viking touches in the architecture. If you are visiting Kirkwall this is absolutely worth your time.

We were staying in Kirkwall and walked easily to this. Cathedral was warm and peaceful inside, lots of interesting information and was in her for at least 45 minutes. Bet it looks especially lovely at Christmas 🎄 time. Photo hasn't come out but the orange and yellow circular stained glass window was mesmerising with the autumn sunlight streaming through it.

We have visited here before and have had a similar amazing experience. The Cathedral is such a lovely place full of history and my partner has relatives buried here so we always come here to pay our respects. The church records staff are very helpful and the detached community centre hosts information sessions. Visit here if you are in Kirkwall.

A small,compact wonderful cathedral that was central to life in Kirkwall since been built in the 12th century and it still dominates the skyline 800yrs later . We took the Cathedral roof tour which is very recommended as you got an hour long tour right to the top of the bell tower by a very knowledgable guide who told us lots of history and fables about the cathedral while showing some of the relics that cant be put on display in the main body of the cathedral , we also got to go outside for some greast views over Kirkwall . The catghedral is a must visit when in the town and will leave a lasting impression .

St Magnus Cathedral may be smaller than most Cathedrals, but what a history it has seen since 1100. Very informative Viking sails that run either side of the main naive. The restoration over the years looks impressive, as does this little nugget in the North. Well, it's worth a visit if you're in Kirkwall.

This is a very unique Cathedral that's surrounded by 17th-19th century graves. Inside is beautiful and historic.

Incredible actually stunning and a complete surprise. The cathedral is huge inside and in great restored condition.

Yelp has two separate pages for St. Magnus Cathedral so I am including my review from the other page here too. What a lovely place of worship! The St. Magnus Cathedral at the city of Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands of Scotland is one impressive historical church. Construction began in 1137, and it is known as the "Light in the North" being as it's Britains most northerly cathedral. "The cathedral belongs to the people of Orkney and its doors are open to all". Unquestionably, St. Magnus Cathedral is a sight that every visitor to the Orkney Islands must visit. No matter what your denomination or non-denomination, there is something here for everyone to appreciate. So step inside, admire, and take it all in. So peaceful!!!!

This is a beautiful historical cathedral that you should visit. It's ornate and everywhere you look it tells a story. It's so beautiful and maintained with services still going on weekly. They cemetery outside is very historical with graves back to the 1499's. You are allowed to take photos. Please make a donation when you are inside so this beautiful church can be maintained.