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Broch of Mousa

The Broch of Mousa is considered to be the best preserved broch anywhere in the world. It stands a few yards from the western coast of the Isle of Mousa looking across Mousa Sound towards Sandwick on Mainland, Shetland. It is thought to be unusually massive for a broch, and this together with its remote and isolated location and particularly sturdy construction have probably been the main factors in its survival in such good condition.
It is about 2000 years old making it date from the Iron Age period which in Scotland and the Northern Isles coincides with the Pictish period, though in Shetland the influences have always been largely Norse or Scandinavian.
Although at 44'(13m) thought to be unusually tall, its diameter, and in particular, its inner diameter is unusually narrow, giving it great solidity and strength which have no doubt helped it endure. It is shaped as a narrowly tapering frustum of a cone with a slight widening again at the top. This makes it remarkably similar in shape to the cooling towers associated with electricity generating stations.
The visitor can enter the central chamber, and climb up a stone staircase between the inner and outer walls. This staircase allows views into the interior of the broch through several internal windows, though there are no external ones. The staircase eventually leads out to a wall walk along the circumference of the top of the tower, thankfully with tall enough external walls to prevent plummeting! There is a strong grille over the central opening to avoid any similar fate on the inside.
by Rob Farrow

Created: Wed, 23 Nov 2011, Updated: Sat, 26 Nov 2011


19 images use this description:

HU4523 : The Broch of Mousa by Michael Earnshaw
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - Looking down through internal window by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa from the east by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - View straight down inside from the top by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - Central floor by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa by Philip Cornwall
HU4523 : Inside the Broch of Mousa by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - The view from the top by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : The top of the broch by Michael Earnshaw
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - Climbing the stone staircase by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa from Burgi Ayre by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - Looking upwards inside by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : The interior of the Broch of Mousa by Michael Earnshaw
HU4523 : Mousa Broch from the ferry by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - View down the stone staircase by Rob Farrow
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa by David Dixon
HU4523 : The Broch of Mousa by Michael Earnshaw
HU4523 : Broch Of Mousa by Sandy Gerrard
HU4523 : Broch of Mousa - the start of the descent by Michael Earnshaw


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