About
The Broch of Gurness is one of the best-preserved and most extensively excavated Iron Age broch complexes in Scotland, dramatically situated on a rocky promontory at Aikerness on the north-western coast of Mainland Orkney, overlooking the swift tidal waters of Eynhallow Sound. Dating from around 200 BC to AD 100, the site is remarkable not merely for the survival of its central broch tower — a type of massive drystone roundhouse unique to Scotland — but for the extraordinary completeness of the surrounding settlement that grew up around it across several centuries.
At the heart of the site stands the broch itself, its thick dry-stone walls still rising to several metres in height. The broch tower was an impressive defensive and prestige structure, with internal galleries within the wall thickness, a well, and evidence of hearths and domestic activity. Surrounding the tower is a dense cluster of stone-built outbuildings and dwellings — the homes and workshops of the community that depended on the broch — all enclosed within a series of concentric ditches and stone ramparts that form impressive earthwork defences around the entire complex.
Excavations at Gurness have produced a wealth of finds spanning many centuries of occupation. Most strikingly, a Viking-period burial was discovered at the site: the grave of a woman interred with two elaborate gilt-bronze oval brooches of Scandinavian type, evidence that Norse settlers of the 9th or 10th century AD chose to bury their dead within this ancient structure, perhaps drawn by its conspicuous presence in the landscape. The brooches and other finds are displayed in the small on-site visitor centre, which also provides detailed interpretation of the site's history and archaeology.
The setting of the Broch of Gurness is exceptional. The promontory commands sweeping views across Eynhallow Sound to the island of Rousay, with its own celebrated broch complexes visible on the opposite shore. The tidal races of the Sound were navigated by Iron Age islanders in skin boats and later by Norse longships; the broch's strategic position above the water crossing speaks to its importance as a place of power and control in ancient Orkney.
Managed by Historic Environment Scotland, the Broch of Gurness receives visitors from spring through autumn. The visitor centre provides context for the site before exploration of the ruins, and the combination of the well-preserved broch tower, the surrounding Iron Age village, and the Viking burial evidence makes this one of the most rewarding prehistoric sites in the Northern Isles. Orkney's extraordinary concentration of prehistoric monuments — including Skara Brae, Maeshowe, and the Ring of Brodgar nearby — places the Broch of Gurness within one of the great archaeological landscapes of Europe.
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Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
💡 Visitor Tips
- Visit in the morning when light falls best on the stone ruins and views across Eynhallow Sound are clearest.
- Spend time in the visitor centre before exploring the ruins — the finds display and interpretation panels add greatly to the experience.
- Look for the Viking burial location markers within the site and cross-reference with the oval brooches displayed inside.
- The site is seasonal (April–September only) — always check HES website before visiting to confirm opening dates.
- Combine with nearby Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar, and Skara Brae for a full Orkney prehistoric day.
- Walking shoes are essential — the site involves uneven grass and stone paths, especially around the outer earthworks.
- The car park is small; visit early in high summer to avoid crowding.
- Bring binoculars — the views across Eynhallow Sound to Rousay's own broch sites are rewarding.
Highlights
The Broch Tower
The central broch tower of Gurness is the defining feature of the site — a massive circular drystone structure whose walls survive to several metres in height, preserving the gallery passages built within the wall thickness. Brochs are a uniquely Scottish building tradition, found nowhere else in the world, and the example at Gurness is among the finest surviving.
The interior reveals the layout of ground-floor rooms, a central hearth area, a well dug into the bedrock, and evidence of the daily life of Iron Age Orcadians.
Standing within the broch tower and looking up at the surviving courses of stone gives a visceral sense of the ambition and skill of its builders around 200 BC.
Iron Age Village Surrounding the Broch
What makes the Broch of Gurness exceptional among Scottish broch sites is the extraordinary survival of the settlement that grew up around the central tower. Dozens of stone-built outbuildings, byres, workshops, and dwellings cluster tightly around the broch in a dense pattern, all clearly visible at ground level.
These structures represent the homes and workplaces of the community that depended on the broch across several generations and centuries.
The layout is remarkably legible — paths between buildings, hearth positions, storage cells, and the general organisation of a thriving Iron Age community are all apparent to even a casual visitor, making Gurness one of the most informative Iron Age settlements in northern Scotland.
Viking Burial Discovery
Among the most dramatic discoveries at the Broch of Gurness was a Viking-period burial found within the site during excavations — the grave of a woman interred with two magnificent gilt-bronze oval brooches of Scandinavian type, typical of Norse female dress in the 9th or 10th century AD. The burial indicates that Norse settlers, who colonised Orkney from the late 8th century onwards, chose to inter their dead within this conspicuous ancient monument, perhaps associating it with power, ancestry, or the spirit world.
The brooches are displayed in the visitor centre and represent one of the finest pieces of Viking-age material culture to have been found on Orkney's mainland.
Concentric Earthwork Defences
The Broch of Gurness is surrounded by a remarkable series of concentric ditches and stone ramparts that defended the entire settlement complex from landward attack. These earthwork defences are still clearly visible and well-preserved, giving the site a layered, labyrinthine quality as visitors approach the central tower through successive rings of ditch and bank.
The scale of these defences speaks to the significant investment of labour involved in constructing and maintaining the settlement, and to the real or perceived threats that made such elaborate protection necessary.
Walking the perimeter of the outermost ditch gives the best impression of the full extent of the site.
Collections
The Broch of Gurness does not hold a permanent museum collection in the traditional sense, but its on-site visitor centre displays a selection of the most significant finds recovered during excavations of the site. The highlight is the pair of gilt-bronze Viking oval brooches from a Norse-period burial discovered at the site, representing among the finest Viking-age metalwork found on Orkney.
Other displayed objects include Iron Age pottery, bone tools, stone implements, and evidence of ironworking activities.
The majority of excavated material from Gurness is held in the national collections at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Iron Age Life at Gurness
Visitor centre displays covering the Iron Age origins and development of the site, the function of brochs, and finds recovered during excavation.
Vikings in Orkney
Display focused on the Viking-period burial discovered at the site, with the oval brooches as centrepiece, contextualising Norse settlement in Orkney.
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.