Kirkwall & central Mainland: The red sandstone front and spire of St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall under a blue sky

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Kirkwall & central Mainland

Orkney's main town: St Magnus Cathedral, the palaces, the Orkney Museum and Neolithic tombs close by

Bienvenido a la zona

Orkney's main town: St Magnus Cathedral, the palaces, the Orkney Museum and Neolithic tombs close by

Kirkwall is Orkney's largest town and its administrative centre, a port and historic royal burgh with a population of 9,293 in 2011. St Magnus Cathedral, founded in 1137 and built from local red and yellow sandstone, stands at its heart, beside the Bishop's Palace, where King Haakon IV of Norway died in 1263, and the Earl's Palace of the early 1600s.

The Orkney Museum, in Tankerness House opposite the cathedral, tells the islands' story from prehistory to the present. Within a short drive are the Grain and Rennibister earth houses, the Wideford Hill and Cuween Hill cairns, the Highland Park and Scapa distilleries and the round church at Orphir. NorthLink ferries from Aberdeen berth at Kirkwall, and the airport is about 5 km south-east of the town.

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Empiece aquí

Si solo se dispone de unas horas, estos son buenos lugares por los que empezar.

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En el mapa

The map shows Kirkwall & central Mainland and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.

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Consejos de primera mano

Antes de viajar

1

Check the cathedral before you go

Orkney Museums says St Magnus Cathedral may occasionally close for weddings or funerals, and staff may limit access when it is busy.

2

Book the big two early

Maeshowe and Skara Brae are sold as timed tickets on the Historic Environment Scotland website; book before you travel in summer.

3

Watch for weather warnings

Mainland buses are suspended for the length of any Met Office amber warning and may be cancelled at short notice in a yellow warning.

4

The Ba' at Christmas

On Christmas Day and New Year's Day the Ba' game fills the streets around the cathedral; expect crowds and closed streets.

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Créditos fotográficos

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits