Tuesday 9 August 2016

St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney

This rather wonderful redstone building dominates the heart of Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney.  The building of the Cathedral was started in 1137 and continued on and off for 300 years.  Those dates and numbers are rather impressive I have to say.

Rather than copy material from a well known on line encyclopaedia, you can find the history of this Cathedral here.

When I was in Orkney there were a series of events to commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Jutland in WW1.  This battle, which resulted in the death of over 9000 men, was the last time that large fleets of battleships ever fought a battle.

There was a sculpture - called Weeping Window - installed next to the main entrance to the Cathedral.  The ceramic poppies used in the sculpture were some of the nearly 900,000 that were used in a similar way at the Tower of London in a commemoration to the British or Colonial serviceman who died in the First  World War.  Those number are as depressing as the date are impressive.










You can find more shots from around the world at Our World Tuesday.

18 comments:

  1. Lovely and austere and sad.

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  2. amazing place. The history oozes, huh.

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  3. I saw a post somewhere else when there were those ceramic poppies at the Tower ... too sad for words, but the poppies are a perfect symbol and I would imagine they will cause more people to think and remember (some who might not know the history or stop to think about a plaque or read a book...)

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  4. Thanks Stewart. This really is beautiful and moving. How is it that the same species can produce such brutality, and such poignant art?

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  5. A very emotional time reading and viewing this post. So many lives lost in so many wars.

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  6. A magnificent structure and memorial.

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  7. beautiful doorways and i love the interior.

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  8. Thank you for this post Stewart - a moving reminder of the futility of war. Love that doorway.

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  9. Even the doorway looks like a coffin. What a moving post.

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  10. This is a amaazing both inside and out and those Poppies are very moving Stewart

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  11. It is a beautiful Cathedral. I especially like the colour of the stone, it calls out for you to touch it.

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  12. Great post and great photos. We will not forget. Diane

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  13. Hari OM
    Oh I forgot this was on at this time - so very glad you got to experience it Stewart! YAM xx

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  14. Every time I see a poppy the same feeling comes over me. Very touching those poppies in your photos Stewart. And your photos of the cathedral are fantastic. Such an amazing structure and to think it was built all those many, many years ago.

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  15. Lovely photos of the cathedral, especially the wooden door. And sobering to think about the number of casualties in the war.

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  16. Old and elegant..I love old architecture Wonderful cathedral photos..Poppies always remind me of our Vets..Love these..Moving post Stewart..Lots of history there for sure....Thanks

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