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Italian Chapel history
The Italian Chapel was built in 1943 by Italian prisoners of war stationed in Orkney during the Second World War. Using two Nissen huts and basic materials available in the camp, they created a detailed place of worship, painting and shaping the interior to resemble a traditional church.
Unlike the prehistoric sites, the chapel reflects individual lives and the need to create familiarity and dignity far from home.
The chapel is usually understood as part of the wider wartime landscape of the islands rather than in isolatio
On the tour its story is explained alongside the surrounding defences and barriers built during the war.
Seeing it in its setting helps explain why it was built here, which is what the tour focuses on.
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