Broch of Gurness

The "Brochs" are buildings in Scotland, mainly on the north and west coasts. A broch was usually a high-rise tower, built of stone, that marked important locations, especially for boaters who used them as a reference. In some of them fires were lit at nigh.. They usually have a life of about 2500 years (approximately). In Orkney, interestingly, the brochs were not isolated buildings. They were surrounded by houses, indicating that they were considered important sites. The Broch of Gurness is located on the north coast, facing another Broch (Midhowe) that can be found in another of the islands that make up the Orkney Islands Rousay, suggesting that the passage between the two islands was controlled by both Brochs and commercial communication existed between the two populations.