travel united kingdom scotland orkney islands kirkwall st magnus cathedral
ARCHITECTS: EARLY-UNIDENTIFIED, RESTORATION-GEORGE MACKIE WATSON (1908)
St. Magnus is a Romanesque style cathedral begun in 1137 and founded as a final resting place for the relics of St. Magnus.
It's fine exterior masonry uses red sandstone from the Kirkwall area and yellow sandstone from the island of Eday in an unusual pattern.
(See links below for more historical and architectural details)
We visited St. Magnus on an overcast day in May and found it to be quite interesting.
While the structure featured some nice masonry, stained glass windows, and other details, I particularly liked the detail of the exterior doorways.
Crowds were moderate and the cathedral is a relatively easy walk from the waterfront of Kirkwall.
An added incentive to visiting St. Magnus is the fact that the Earl's Palace, another interesting site to visit, is right across the street.
Parking in the area can be difficult to find.
LINK TO WEBSITE FOR ST. MAGNUS CATHEDRAL
LINK TO WIKIPEDIA'S WEBSITE ON ST. MAGNUS CATHEDRAL
LINK TO WIKIPEDIA'S WEBSITE ON ARCHITECTURE OF CATHEDRALS AND GREAT CHURCHES
TRAVEL: 2019
This location has earned an over-all three-and-a-half star (good+) rating from
Travel Fanatics Unlimited
***1/2
unless noted otherwise all images copyright d. holmes chamberlin jr architect llc
View from the northwest, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
West-facing main entrance, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Detail of the large stained glass window over the narthex, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
South-facing facade, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Choir wing extension to behind the trancept, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Detail of the point where the trancept crosses the nave, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Detail of the beautiful door on the south wall of the trancept, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Detail of the door to the right of main entrance, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Detail of an exterior door on the south wall of the nave, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Interior of nave looking back from the crossing toward the narthex, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Looking from the crossing through the choir toward the apse, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Looking from the nave toward a side aisle, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Detail of the ceiling, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Detail of the carved wooded pulpit, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Stained glass window over the narthex entrance, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Stained glass window above the apse, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Stained glass window of "Joseph of Arimathea," St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
Memorial to Scotish explorer John Rae, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
John Rae was a Scotish surgeon who explored parts of northern Canada and the Arctic coast near Victoria Island.
Memorial to Scotish explorer, naturalist and philologist William Balfour Baikie, St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, 2019.
copyright d. holmes chamberlin jr architect llc
page last revised may 2019