Kirkwall, Orkney Islands - Capital, Stone Circles and Skara Brae Stone Age Village (with AIDAaura to Greenland and Iceland 14)

In Kirkwall we had to take a tender boat to the city, which initially annoyed us (especially when we waited for the boat in the hallway for 20 minutes). In the end, this way to the city turned out to be advantageous: instead of a long walk from the cruise ship dock or a ride in the crowded shuttle bus, we arrived directly in the city center at the dock.

We walked around a lake next to the city center to get to the center.

On the way, we passed the well-designed garden of Tankerness House.

A short distance away stands St. Magnus Cathedral above the city.

A little further on, in the community house, we saw a short film about its creation and the history of Saint Magnus (whom we did not know until then).

He was a peaceful ruler of the Orkney Islands who lived during the Norwegian supremacy on the islands. His cousin, who ruled with him, was not quite as peaceful and had him murdered in an ambush.

Opposite the cathedral are the medieval ruins of Earl's Palace, which we visited.

The bishop also had a palace right next door, but only remnants can be seen today.

In both complexes, information boards with illustrations give an impression of what it once looked like.

Finally, we strolled through the shopping street, which was quite crowded due to the two cruise ships in town.

We also visited the exhibition about the island and its history in the Orkney Museum opposite the cathedral.

There, the unique chairs, which are only made on Orkney, were also exhibited. They have two drawers: one for the Bible, the other for the bottle of whisky.

In the afternoon, our excursion took us to the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'The Heart of Neolithic Orkney'.

First, we drove to the Stone Age village of Skara Brae, which has long been buried under sand dunes.

In 1850, a storm uncovered the structures, and the about 5000-year-old village was rediscovered.

Even the interior, with a fireplace and beds, was partially preserved.

The nearby Skaill House is a mansion from the 17th century.

Here we could see rooms that still had furnishings from earlier times.

Next to the visitor center of Skara Brae, there is a replica of one of the houses from the archaeological site.

There, you can get an impression of the grass-covered roof and the interior.

On the way back, we saw two stone circles.

We stopped at the Ring of Brodgar to take a closer look and walk around it.

The stone circle is about 5000 years old.

Today, 36 of the original 60 monoliths, which are between 2 and 4.5 meters high, are still standing.

The circle has a diameter of 103.7 meters.

Its function is still unclear today, but it is a very popular photo motif for visitor groups...

We finally returned to the ship with some delay and took the last tender boat that was waiting for us.

Then our ship set course for Bremerhaven, where our journey ended.