Visit the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney”, the UNESCO-designated name for the closely-clustered prehistoric monuments which include the Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and the Standing Stones of Stenness.
This 5,000 year-old chambered cairn and passage grave is part of the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney”, the UNESCO-designated name for the closely-clustered prehistoric monuments which include the Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and the Standing Stones of Stenness. They were listed as World Heritage Sites in 1999.
One of the largest tombs in Orkney, Maeshowe appears as a large, grassy mound from the outside and dates from around 2800 BCE. Little is known of the people who built this, but the Norse left their mark on it as Viking crusaders broke into the main chamber in the 12th century and carved graffiti runes on the walls. Also mysterious is its connection to the Winter Solstice, as the tomb’s passageway is aligned with the mid-winter sunsets.
View Orkney Isles
