SSt Magus Cathedral in the centre of Kirkwall
Today (16th April) is St Magnus Day and red, yellow and blue Orkney flags will be flying on buildings across the islands.
More can be found about St Magnus on the excellent Orkneyjar website. This site gives a far better history of Earl Magnus Erlendsson of Orkney than I ever could.
The Cathedral dedicated to St Magnus is the most northerly cathedral in the British Isles. Work started on the building in 1137 and it was added to over the years. It's a beautiful building and very much a focal point the town. It also acts as a venue for concerts - in particular the St Magnus Festival held in the summer.
When we holidayed on Orkney last year we saw flags all over the islands and didn't know what it was. It was designed by Duncan Tullock of Birsay in 2007 and chosen after a public vote. More about the flag can be found on Wikipedia. So today, when I travel to work, I'm hoping to see flags flying again. It's nice to be in a place that continues to create its own traditions.
No comments:
Post a Comment