Tingwall Church dates back to the 12th century, though not in its present form. Originally it was St Magnus Church, one of three steeple churches in Shetland. This building survived five to six hundred years, and part of this building may be seen in the burial crypt adjacent to the church. In charge of the Church, and indeed of all Christianity in Shetland, was the Archdeacon of Tingwall, an office that dates from 1215 AD, and lasted until the final establishment of Presbyterianism in Scotland in 1690 AD. The present building was opened for worship in November 1790, making it the second oldest church building currently in regular use in Shetland (the oldest being at Lunna).
References:The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.