Maeshowe Chambered Cairn - extraordinary 5,000-year-old Neolithic tomb and ancient engineering masterpiece in Orkney.

Maeshowe Chambered Cairn is one of the finest surviving Neolithic buildings in north-west Europe and an outstanding example of prehistoric engineering. Built around 5,000 years ago, the chambered tomb stands on a platform surrounded by a ditch and forms part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Visitors enter through a long, low passageway leading into the impressive central chamber, where enormous carefully positioned stones demonstrate the remarkable skill of its Neolithic builders. Maeshowe is particularly famous for its relationship with the midwinter sunset, when, under the right weather conditions, sunlight travels along the entrance passage and illuminates the chamber.

The cairn's fascinating history continued many centuries later when Norsemen entered Maeshowe around 1,000 years ago. They left behind an extraordinary collection of runic graffiti carved into the ancient stone walls, along with the famous carving commonly known as the Maeshowe Dragon. These inscriptions provide another remarkable layer to a site already thousands of years old.

Access to Maeshowe is by guided tour only, with tours beginning and ending at the Visitor Centre in Stenness. Facilities at the Visitor Centre include parking, bicycle storage and toilets. Due to the limited capacity of the cairn, advance online booking is strongly recommended to guarantee entry. Visitors should also be aware that entering the chamber requires travelling through a long, low passageway.

Maeshowe is open daily, with seasonal opening hours and timed guided tours throughout the year. From 1 April to 30 September, opening hours are 9.30am to 5.30pm, with tours at 10am, 12 noon, 2pm and 4pm. From 1 October to 31 March, it is open from 10am to 4pm, with tours at 10am, 12 noon and 2pm.

Find directions easily using Google Maps.