Kirkwall Castle

Kirkwall Castle was a fortification that once stood in the heart of Kirkwall's old town on the Orkney Islands. The structure occupied a strategic location at a key street intersection with impressively thick defensive walls.

The fortress was built in 1379 by Henry Sinclair, Earl of Orkney, following his appointment by the Norwegian king. It arose during the period when the Orkney Islands remained under Norwegian rule.

The castle represented Norwegian influence in the Orkney Islands during the medieval period, when the archipelago belonged to the Norwegian crown.

Today only the buried foundations of the original castle remain beneath street level at the former site. Visitors can locate the spot at the street intersection in central Kirkwall to understand where this structure once stood.

During routine road maintenance in 2019, workers accidentally uncovered the castle foundations buried beneath the street. This archaeological discovery confirmed the exact location of the structure after centuries of being lost to memory.

Location: Orkney Islands

Inception: 1379

GPS coordinates: 58.98230,-2.96050

Latest update: December 8, 2025 21:02