Christ Church Cathedral and its unexpected decoration (12 photos + 1 video)

The world's southernmost Anglican cathedral has whale bones in its courtyard.





Consecrated in Stanley in 1892, Christ Church Cathedral is one of the jewels of the Falkland Islands.



The church that graces the capital also graces the country's paper money. And although it is one of the smallest Anglican churches in the world and simple by cathedral standards, it is one of the most beautiful buildings on the islands. Its modest frame and spire are not pretentious or grandiose, but there are several treasures hidden inside and an unusual monument in the courtyard.





In 1933, an arch made of giant jawbones from two blue whales was erected in front of the church to mark the centenary of British rule. The British claimed the territory in 1785, despite the French claiming it the year before. Spain then bought it from the French and evicted the British, deciding they preferred what is now Argentina.



In 1820, the shiny new nation of Argentina swallowed the islands, but in 1833 the British returned and the Falklands have been theirs ever since. The jawbones were brought to Stanley from the South Shetland Islands in 1922 and used to create the arch that now stands out against the modest backdrop of the church.



Inside, everything is simple: wooden pews, stained glass windows and 55 cushions sewn by local parishioners and symbolizing various aspects of the Falkland Islands. However, among the usual things you might find in a small-town church, there is one item of particular interest - Shackleton's banner. Sir Ernest Shackleton was an explorer who was invited by the British to come to the Falklands and make some economic proposals, and his advice was taken very seriously. Shackleton was a member of the Order of the Garter, the most distinguished order of chivalry.



The banners of this order were supposed to hang in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, but Shackleton's son bequeathed them to Christ Church Cathedral. This is the only banner of its kind on the entire continent of South America.