Orkneyinga Saga: St. Magnus Cathedral- Kirkwall, Orkney
The Orkneyinga Saga was written around 1230, by an unknown Icelandic author, written in that language as well. The saga is complied with numerous sources, sharing narrations about the history of the Orkney Islands from their capture by the Norwegian king. For example, it combines oral legends, with both fictional stories, as well as historical documents in order to tell the tale of the lives of the earls of Orkney, and how they came about their "earldom." In other words, the saga shows how one would typically become an earl in medieval Orkney, and the problems that would ensue if more than one person shared the earldom.
The picture above shows the Saint Magnus Cathedral. The Cathedral, set in the heart of Kirkwall, the capital city of the Orkney Islands. The Cathedral was founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, in honor of his uncle, St. Magnus. In the Orkneyinga Saga epic, Earl, in chapter 72, was advised by his father Kol, "that thou wilt let a stone minster be built in the Orkneys at Kirkwall if thou canst get that realm, so that there shall not be another as splendid in that land, and let it be hallowed in the name of Saint Magnus the earl thy kinsman, and that thou wilt lay out money, so that the church may grow and thrive, and that thither may come his halidom, together with the bishop’s seat.” St. Magnus Cathedral demonstrates the Romanesque architecture used throughout Orkney. The Cathedral belongs to the people of Orkney, however it is open to everyone beyond the people of Orkney. Saint Magnus Cathedral is viewed to be a place of stillness, of inspiration, of warmth, and is steeped in the presence of God. Robin Waugh's, “Saint Magnus’s Fame in “Orkneyinga Saga,” discusses how the fame of Magnus can be interpreted and how this can be related back to Christian beliefs.
The map location shows the coordinates of the St. Magnus Cathedral, located in Kirkwall. It relates to the multimedia because the image is an actual photo taken of the Cathedral. The Cathedral plays an important and symbolic role in the Orkneyinga Saga Epic.
Citations:
Waugh, Robin. "Saint Magnús's Fame in "Orkneyinga Saga"" The Journal of English and Germanic Philology 102.2 (2003): 163-87. Web.
Anonymous. "Orkneyinga Saga." Sacred Texts. Evinity Publishing INC, n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2016.