Kirkwall - St Magnus Cathedral

The St Magnus Cathedral is by far the most impressive building in Kirkwall. Every year in June it is the venue for a music festival. The design of the cathedral is reminiscent of the cathedral in the Norwegian city of Trondheim. It was started in 1137 by Jarl Rognvald and was dedicated to his uncle Magnus Erlendsson who was murdered on Egilsay in 1116. The 250ft/75m long church with west front was completed at the end of the 15th C, but the oldest sections are the transept and the three niches in the chancel. Note that the huge Norman pillars are not spaced equally. Haakon the Norwegian king was buried in this church in 1263, but was later taken to Trondheim. During 1926 two pine coffins with skeletons were found in two of the pillars. These are thought to be the remains of Magnus and his nephew. St Magnus and Glasgow Cathedral are the only two Scottish churches which survived the Reformation undamaged.