Kirkwall History & Heritage for Android

11 things about Kirkwall History & Heritage

1. The interactive maps will help you explore Kirkwall’s fascinating past, from the Viking Age when the Norse Earls ruled Orkney and built St Magnus Cathedral to the Stewart dynasty, when Earl Patrick Stewart built one of Scotland’s finest 17th century renaissance palaces in the heart of the town.

2. The app is a guide to the history and heritage of the town, highlighting over 70 places of interest and including fascinating historical details, archive images, video and audio clips, maps and walking trails.

3. Learn about the people who have shaped the history of Kirkwall and Orkney over the centuries, and the origins of local traditions including the Kirkwall Ba’ game played annually in the town’s streets.

4. Wealthy merchants who grew rich on this trade built fine stone houses during the 17th and 18th centuries which give Kirkwall much of its character today.

5. Find out about the development of Kirkwall harbour, an important trading port linking Scandinavia, the Baltic and Northern Europe to the North Atlantic, Arctic and America.

6. Peedie Folk: designed for children (under 12) accompanied by one or more adults, the children’s trails are led by a character called Erlend, created by the children of a local primary school.

7. Kirkwall is the capital of the Orkney Islands, an archipelago of 19 inhabited islands lying off the north coast of Scotland.

8. He guides you around the town telling stories about the history as you go, and highlighting features to look out for on your walk.

9. The app is a fun way to explore Kirkwall’s capital and to find out about its rich and fascinating past.

10. Note: The app makes use of GPS to notify you of nearby places of interest.

11. Continued use of GPS running in the background can decrease battery life.