St Magnus Cathedral

The St Magnus Cathedral is a cathedral in the city of Kirkwall on Orkney in Scotland. The cathedral is dedicated to St. Magnus. It houses the mortal remains of the saint. The cathedral is known as "The Light of the North".

History of the Cathedral

In 1137 the St. Magnus Cathedral was founded by Count Rognvald -Kali. He was a nephew of St. Magnus. Before the Reformation the cathedral belonged to the Archdiocese of Trondheim. 1468 came Orkney to the Scottish kingdom. In 1486 the Cathedral was handed over to the people of Kirkwall. From 1560 to 1688 she was Anglican bishop church. After the Anglican bishop had to leave office in 1688, the cathedral was a Presbyterian church. Today the cathedral is used by the Scottish Reformed Church.

Renovations took place in the 1850s and 1900-1925. In these years, a new floor, the windows and the central tower were added. In the 1970s, the cathedral was stabilized because it was slightly sagged towards the west.

The Cathedral

The oldest parts of the cathedral are the transept, the choir and the east side of the nave. The cathedral has been built in a style mixture of north-western Europe, Romanesque- Norman and early Gothic styles. The east side castle in the 12th century in an apse. About the Westbau only assumptions are known. So to have been planned in the 13th century, a twin-towered facade. To the west are the youngest parts of the cathedral.

The interior

The nave is dominated by the massive columns in the Norman style. The aisles are characterized by grave stones from the 17th century. The high choir was the founder of the cathedral, St. Rognvald consecrated in the 1960s. In the chancel there is also a monument to the Arctic explorer John Rae. The crossing is dominated by early Gothic columns. These columns support the tower.

Organ

The organ was built in 1926 by the organ builder Henry Willis & Sons in a designed by George Mackie Watson organ case. In 1969 the instrument was reorganized, and redesigned the choir organ to a positive work of the main organ. The instrument has 42 registers on three manuals and pedal today.