The Italian Chapel, heritage attraction in Orkney Islands

This does not grant access. Check current paths, opening conditions and ownership before entering.

What is recorded here

The Italian Chapel was made during the Second World War by prisoners who turned two plain metal huts into an ornate place of worship, hope and lasting friendship with Orkney.

Why it was built

Italian prisoners brought to Lamb Holm in 1942 needed a place for Catholic worship while they worked on the Churchill Barriers. Two joined metal huts were granted for their chapel.

People and work

Artist Domenico Chiocchetti led the decoration, helped by other prisoners including blacksmith Giuseppe Palumbi and cement worker Domenico Buttapasta. They used spare concrete, scrap and simple paint with great skill.

How it changed

After the camp closed, the empty chapel began to decay. Islanders formed a preservation group in 1958, and Chiocchetti returned in 1960 to help restore his work.

What survives

The joined huts, painted sanctuary, concrete front, altar, metal screen and wall pictures remain. Camp 60 has otherwise largely disappeared apart from building bases.

Why it mattered

The chapel transformed a wartime prison camp material into a place of beauty and dignity. Its care after the war created a lasting bond between Orkney and the prisoners' home town in Italy.