A must-see when in Kirkwall. Beautiful cathedral full of history and quirks, such as the leaning columns and spotting the original stonemasons' marks. There's a very handy leaflet (available in English, French, German and Italian as well as a version in a number of far Eastern languages) as well as a more comprehensive guide book. I would recommend buying one or the other for the information and insight they give. There's a very small selection of gifts/souvenirs for those that want them, all done on an honesty box system. Absolutely wonderful cathedral, definitely worth a visit. And take the time to really explore it - it's fascinating.

Incredible building to have survived Orkney weather for nearly 900 years! You can see the massive stone blocks more clearly inside the cathedral and marvel at how all this was achieved just using hand tools, manpower and horsepower. Also there is a poignant tribute to those lost in HMS Royal Oak, torpedoed in Scapa Flow in 1939.

Wow....amazing place. Lovely architecture and history. Free entry. Some fascinating tombstones to read inside. Be careful as they close for lunch so check opening hours. We found the cemetery held some interesting people too and spent ages outside as well. The iron work around some of the plots is varied and beautiful. Well worth looking at. I could of spent more time here.

Very quiet and peaceful the day I visited. Work is ongoing but did not detract from the grandeur of the outside. Inside the building is spectacular. I loved it. The cathedral is such a beautiful space.

Absolutely stunning Cathedral that photos don't do justice. I was lucky enough to hear a school orchestra in there yesterday, a truly moving performance in thee most beautiful building in Orkney.

Great example of generational years of building. Colors and history of the building are very interesting. Worth taking a couple of hours to absorb the beauty.

This is just stunning...this is what I expected Rosslyn Chapel to be...but it fell short of our expectations...St Magnus Cathedral however, is truly beautiful, a jewel in Orkney's crown. Highly recommended.

An amazing historic 12thC cathedral with beautiful stained glass windows. The red and yellow sandstone is beautiful and unique. There were no tourist brochures in English which was a shame

We did the upper floors tour including going outside at the very top. Amazing! Absolutely want to go again! Just a heads-up....if you're afraid of heights and/or claustrophobic you might struggle in some places.

Beautiful ancient church that's hard to miss when visiting Kirkwall. Unfortunately it was closed when I visited so I wandered the surrounding graveyard and made do with taking photos of the headstones and church exterior. Easy access with plenty of parking nearby. Highly recommended.

Lovely cathedral with unique Red stone. Fascinating history.

Two St. Magnus Festival concerts in 2 days. Excellent sound acoustics and beautiful surroundings . Peace and tranquility resonates within these walls.

Stunning church with 900 years of history. Beautifully kept and very accessible with guide and even a gift shop.

Stunning. Simply stunning. This is a must-see stop for any Scotland adventure. There's no entrance fee. It's a quiet place to contemplate.

Very tranquil building to visit. There was an artist painting inside, his pictures were beautiful, capturing the changing light shining through glass windows. The organ was being played, which added to the atmosphere.

The most beautifully crafted piece of architecture I have ever seen. No photos in the world will do it justice. The history is very interesting too. Had the pleasure of meeting one of the custodian of the cathedral, Ingrid, who shared her family history and connection with the cathedral with us. What an amazingand humble woman! We also sang folk song we both new in Swedish. A very peaceful place. Don't miss when in Kirkwall!

Simply one of the most spectacular cathedrals I've had the pleasure of visiting with an equally incredible history. Few can said to be named for a 'Pagan Saint' and fewer still a Viking one. The stonework is beautiful. It is true that when Christians make a church they truly do not miss!

What a masterpiece. Probably one of the most beautiful cathedrals I've ever seen. Simple yet extremely rich and loads of history shown along the walls. A must on Orkney

One of my favourite Cathedrals. Really taken back by the beauty of this spot. Must see on Orkney!

Absolutely Loved this Cathedral. So Fascinating Finding Out About the History of St.Magnus 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Once the most southern cathedral in Scandannavia, now the most northern in the UK. Built after Magnus was made a saint in 1133 by his nephew Rognavald and his remains taken from St Magnus Church in Birsay to Kirkwall, and later found in a pillar within the Cathedral. Known by the skull struck down the middle as stated in the Orkney Inga sagas. Perfect acoustics for concerts, which we heard fiddlers from the local secondary school, playing to commemorate Norway Constitutional day, as Orkney once belonged to the Norway kingdom, given as a dowry in 1492 when King James 3rd of Scotland was to wed Princess Margaret of Norway. Also houses a memorial to John Rae who discovered the fatal Franklin expedition of the North West Passage in Canada, and the bell from the Royal Oak, which sunk in nearby Scapa Flow, only 6 weeks into WW2 with the loss of 833 men, and resulted in Winston Churchill ordering the barriers be built to the southern isles.

Stunning medieval cathedral with an absolutely superb foundation story. Could have spent all afternoon just soaking up the atmosphere. Well worth a visit