I mentioned the Italian Chapel on Orkney before. On that 2017 visit we didn’t go inside, in June this* year we lingered a bit longer.

Information board:-

Internal Information board:-

Door wall from inside. Unfortunately the light from outside obscures things for the camera a bit:-

Frieze above door:-

The interior is striking. Amazingly all of the effects are examples of trompe l’oeil. What looks like tiling is in fact painted. The metal bits were made from bits of tin can and such, fashioned into shape.

Altar:-

Closer view of altar:-

Ceiling:-

More of ceiling:-

*It’s last year now.

During World War 2 Italian prisoners of war were held on Orkney. After the sinking of the Royal Oak, Churchill ordered the gaps between four of the islands at the southern end to be filled in. These links between the islands came to be known as the Churchill Barriers. One of the photos in the link shows – still there over 70 years later – the remains of a pre-barrier block ship that was sunk early in the war before the barriers’ construction.

The Italians were set to work on building them. At first they objected as the barriers were military measures on which they were banned from working by the Geneva Conventions. When it was suggested to them that they were being built to improve civilian communications between the islands they happily acceded.

Another part the prisoners’ legacy is the ornately decorated chapel that they built (see pictures here) on the island of Lamb’s Holm, plus the statue of Saint George nearby.

The Italian Chapel is now a tourist attraction in its own right. It was quite busy when we visited so I only photographed the outside.

Italian Chapel:-

Statue of Saint George:-