(The word ‘howe’ comes from the Old Norse for ‘hill’.) Maeshowe (HY315128), considered to be one of the finest architectural achievements of prehistoric Europe, is across the road from Tormiston Mill (HY319126). Maeshowe is a significant example of Neolithic craftsmanship. It has been included in the World Heritage Site, Heart of Neolithic Orkney.. More information about Maeshowe: A monumental landscape. Any booking you make will not be placed with VisitScotland and we will have no liability to you in respect of any booking. Built around 5,000 years ago, it is a masterpiece of Neolithic design and construction – not least because of its use of massive stones.Maeshowe Visitor Centre (at Stenness), Ireland Road, Stenness KW16 3LBMonday 20 July 2020 to Friday 28 August 2020Get free entry to Scotland’s top visitor attractions with an Explorer Pass valid for 5 or 14 consecutive days.Other incredible survivals from that far-off age include the:Maeshowe sits in one of the richest Neolithic landscapes in Europe – a place of stone circles, villages and burial monuments, where people lived, worshipped, and honoured their dead.Browse images on our online learning resource.Use one of our fantastic locations on your next shoot for an awe-inspiring backdrop to your work.It seems that Maeshowe was closed up for good after several hundred years of use as a burial tomb. Maeshowe, a monumental chambered tomb, is the finest Neolithic building to survive in north-west Europe. Built around 5,000 years ago, it is a masterpiece of Neolithic design and stonework construction, not least for … It is part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site and is cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. Maeshowe is one of Europe’s finest chambered tombs, built over 5,000 years ago. In the weeks leading up to the winter solstice, the darkest time of the Orcadian year, the last rays of the setting sun shine through Maeshowe's entrance passage to pierce the darkness of the chambered cairn.
Measuring about four and a half square metres, individual stones in the walls weigh as much as 30 tonnes each.
P erhaps the best-known attribute of Maeshowe is its world-famous midwinter alignment.. All visits must be booked in advance to guarantee entry.
The monumental chambered tomb of Maeshowe is simply the finest Neolithic building in NW Europe. The paved passageway leads to a corbelled stone chamber. If you proceed to make a booking you will leave our Website and visit a website owned and operated by a third party. To appreciate its size and significance, visitors must enter Maeshowe, stooping to walk its long passageway to reach the central, stone-built chamber. The outside world feels far away, with just a small glint of light entering the tomb.Everything at Maeshowe was built on a grand scale:See the past brought to life by the imaginative year-round programme of events at our properties.Our app is your one-stop shop for information on Scotland’s iconic historic attractions.Historic Environment Scotland is the lead public body established to investigate, care for and promote Scotland’s historic environment.Our 300+ historic places serve as creative inspiration for all sorts of learning activities – and for learners of all ages.Join Historic Scotland to visit our properties free of charge for a full year and support our work at the same time.The Norse left a fascinating legacy: light-hearted runic graffiti carved all over Maeshowe’s walls. It gives its name to the Maeshowe type of chambered cairn, which is limited to Orkney. Built around 2800 BC, the Neolithic passage grave and chamber cairn of Maeshowe is located on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland. It is part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site and is cared for by Historic Environment Scotland. This mound was levelled in Neolithic times and covered with a layer of white clay to create a flat surface to build on, or maybe for a ritualistic purpose as the layer is quite thin. Expert local knowledge, gifts and inspiration.People across the globe will now be able to enjoy one of Orkney’s most enigmatic Neolithic monuments after Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled a new ‘virtual’ tour of Maeshowe chambered tomb at Winter Solstice:This booking system and any information appearing on this page relating to the availability of any accommodation is provided by third parties and not by VisitScotland. About Maeshowe A Spectacular Neolithic Chambered Cairn built 5,000 years ago. SC045925Discover more on the go – the Historic Scotland app lets you find out about Scotland’s most iconic places wherever you are.Maeshowe, a monumental chambered tomb, is the finest Neolithic building to survive in north-west Europe.
This stone may have been used by the builders of Maeshowe to block the front of the passage.