The Earl's Palace in Birsay, Orkney, is a roofless but largely intact 16th-century courtyard castle built by Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney, between 1569 and 1574. This remarkable structure, with its two-storey ranges enclosing a courtyard and taller towers at three corners, reflects the power and ambitions of its royal founder, illegitimate son of King James V. Construction occurred in two phases, with inscriptions marking 1574 and further work completed in the 1580s. Though abandoned after the mid-17th century and roofless by 1700, the palace remains one of Scotland's finest Renaissance structures. Now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland, it stands free and open year-round, offering visitors insight into Orkney's unique historical heritage.
