Once the heart of the Norse culture, Kirkwall has a history that spans many centuries. The name of the town comes from a Norse work meaning Church Bay, due to the church established by St. Olaf in the 11
th century. Nestled along the shores of the mainland of Orkney, this town is actually the capital of the area. A ferry leaves here on a regular schedule several times a day bringing residents and tourists to the outlying Orkney Islands and the airport also provides the transportation needed for these remote areas.
The town of Kirkwall appears in the Icelandic sagas as a town of some importance. That importance remains today, although visitors coming here from a large city might think of it more as a village than a town. It has narrow cobblestone streets and the buildings tend to be overshadowed by St. Magnus Cathedral. Along the waterfront, however, there are large buildings and the spires of the many churches here stand out against the skyline. The main street twists and turns as it meanders its way through the town, with many smaller side streets branching off.
The little church of St. Olaf is the final resting place of St. Magnus in the 12
th century. He had been buried at Christchurch in Birsay, but his bones were moved to Kirkwall in 1135. Some time later his relics were also moved and a cathedral was built on the spot in his memory. This church is one of the finest and best preserved cathedrals in Scotland that date back to medieval times. Because of this fact and its imposing structure, it is a popular tourist attraction for anyone visiting Kirkwall.
You will also find the ruins of two palaces in Kirkwall, one of which is called the Bishop's Palace. It was built in the middle of the 12
th century for Bishop William the Old, a friend and fellow crusader of Earl Rognvald Kolsson. It is located only a short distance away from the cathedral, which is probably why the Bishop moved the Church seat to Kirkwall. King Haakon the Old, of Norway, died here at the palace in 1263 after his defeat at the Battle of Largs. All that remains of this palace today are the shell of one building and the Moosie Tower, but it is not hard to imagine what it was like.
Directly across from the Bishop's Palace are the ruins of the Earl's Palace. This serves as a reminder of one of the darkest periods in the history of the Orkney Islands, when the area was under the control of the Stewart Earls. They were very cruel to the people and thought themselves to be above the law. It is still a two-story building, but the soft stone of the architecture has suffered badly from erosion.
The Orkney Museum is certainly the place to go for all things relating to the history of Kirkwall and the Orkney Isles. However, everything in Kirkwall is not about history. Taste the finest Scotch whisky at the Highland Park Distillery and Visitor Centre and you can tee off at the Orkney Golf Club for an enjoyable day on the course. For sports, art and leisure drop into the Pickaquoy Centre to relax in a spa or take in a movie. There are excellent shops along Bridge and Albert Streets, such as Ortak Jewellery or the Orcadian Bookstore.
There is so much to see and do in Kirkwall that it is not a place for just passing through. Walk the streets and talk to the people, drop into the pub and take a tour. You will find that you'll have to make plans to return.
