Set in the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, the Ring of Brodgar is a dramatic setting overlooking the Loch of Harray and Loch of Stenness. It has been described as one of the finest stone circles in the world.
It is slightly younger than the Stones of Stenness, being built around 2600-2400BC, and was the last of the great Neolithic monuments to be built in the area.
It is thought that stones quarried from multiple locations across Orkney, which may have been places of local significance.
The Ring of Brodgar is the third largest henge in Britain. The stones form a perfect circle of just over 100m diameter surrounded by a ditch, but no bank. This is still about 3m deep and is thought to have been about 10m deep when first constructed. Two causeways gave access to the centre of the circle.
In the C19th only 14 stones were standing but others have been re-erected and there are now 36 stones. There may originally have been around 60 stones. The stones vary from 2-4.5m in height and are a lot more substantial than the Stones of Stenness.
The Ring of Brodgar occupies a prominent location surrounded by hills and water and formed part of a huge ceremonial complex of standing stones and buildings, with the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Bookan forming part of a ceremonial route with Brodgar at the centre.
Only a fraction. of the site has been excavated.
The Ring is also surrounded by unexcavated bronze age burial mounds, dating from 2000-1500BC, indicating that the site was considered sacred and important for a long period of time after the Neolithic.
The site was used for tank training in WW2.
The monument is in the care of Historic Environmment Scotland .
Website
It is slightly younger than the Stones of Stenness, being built around 2600-2400BC, and was the last of the great Neolithic monuments to be built in the area.
It is thought that stones quarried from multiple locations across Orkney, which may have been places of local significance.
The Ring of Brodgar is the third largest henge in Britain. The stones form a perfect circle of just over 100m diameter surrounded by a ditch, but no bank. This is still about 3m deep and is thought to have been about 10m deep when first constructed. Two causeways gave access to the centre of the circle.
In the C19th only 14 stones were standing but others have been re-erected and there are now 36 stones. There may originally have been around 60 stones. The stones vary from 2-4.5m in height and are a lot more substantial than the Stones of Stenness.
The Ring of Brodgar occupies a prominent location surrounded by hills and water and formed part of a huge ceremonial complex of standing stones and buildings, with the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Bookan forming part of a ceremonial route with Brodgar at the centre.
Only a fraction. of the site has been excavated.
The Ring is also surrounded by unexcavated bronze age burial mounds, dating from 2000-1500BC, indicating that the site was considered sacred and important for a long period of time after the Neolithic.
The site was used for tank training in WW2.
The monument is in the care of Historic Environmment Scotland .
Website