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"
From the Middle Ages to the Medici Family "
The period that goes from the beginning of the Christian
era to the arrival of the Medici family on the Tuscan islands
has left several churches, many of them Romanesque, which stand
out in the landscape of the Archipelago and embellish the squares
and the old parts of many villages. The church of Santo Stefano
alle Trane in Portoferraio, close to Magazzini, is worth a visit.
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From
the Prehistory to the Romans |
| From
the Medici Family to Napoleon |
| From
Napoleon till Today |
Museums
Underwater
archaeology |
A nave that goes back to the XII century and preserves impressive
marble basrelieves that decorate the beams, the windows and
the lateral entrance. Rio nell'Elba is probably the municipality
with most churches. From the square you can access the church
dei Santi Giacomo e Quirico, inside the boundary walls of the
village and protected by the great bastions which were built
to defend the village from the attacks of the pirates. At 2
km from Rio, after the old mineral area, you get to the ruins
of the Romanesque church of Grassera. It was built by the Pisans
in the XI century and demolished by the Turks in 1534. From
Ottone, driving along a short earth road, you get to the Fortress,
located on the peak of Volterraio. Unfortunately it has been
abandoned. The building from XII century though some parts are
from the 17th century, preserves the well, the chapel, the defensive
parts, the merlons and the underground passages. Just about
hundred metres from Capoliveri we find the remains of the church
of San Michele, in Pisan Romanesque style built in the XII century.
The church has a nave built in rosy limestone and was destroyed
by the Saracens in the 15th century. Today the front part of
the church is heavily damaged, which was used as a graveyard
and then completely abandoned. The church of San Mamiliano is
located on the outskirts of Campo nell'Elba, along the road
that leads to Procchio. The building is from the X century,
but the restoration from the last years has completely destroyed
its charm. The arm of San Mamiliano, a saint who died in 460
on Montecristo, is preserved here. Along the road that goes
from Sant'Ilario to Monte Perone, with a panoramic location,
rises the old Pisan tower from which you can see the Piombino
channel and the Fortress of Volterraio. Not far away we find
the ruins of the Romanesque church of San Giovanni, without
the roof but incredibly charming due to the panoramic location.
The remains of the hermitage of san Francesco is not far away
which is fascinating for the wild vegetation that surrounds
the building. In Marciana the Pisan Fortress represents the
past. It goes back to the XII century and only the ruins of
the building remain today. It is a rectangular building with
four towers which gave shelter to the inhabitants when the invaders
threatened the village. You get to the church of San Lorenzo
by driving along a path which branches off from the old road
to Marciana Marina. The church was built in 1100 and only preserves
the apse and the external walls which are covered by the surrounding
vegetation. The bush is also covering the Hermitage of San Cerbone
which is situated along the road from Poggio to Marciana. The
hermitage lies close to the cave in which the Bishop of Populonia
hid in 573, while the small Franciscan cloister was built in
1421. The Pisan Tower of Marciana Marina was built during the
XII century to protect the port from Saracen's incursions. Today
it is private property. The Romanesque period is represented
by the Assunta church on Capraia, built between 1000 and 1100
with the remains of some Roman settlements. Today the church
is isolated and abandoned. During the Fest of the Assumption
the procession with the Madonna statue starts here. The building
as it looks like today goes back to the 18th century when the
fishermen fortified it to prevent the incursions of the Saracens.
The majestic Fortress of san Giorgio was built for the same
reason. Unfortunately it is closed for visitors. The main building
goes back to the XII century and was built by the Pisans, while
the Marine Republic of Genoa fortified it in 1500, in particular
the Banco of San Giorgio. The church of Santo Stefano Protomartire
completes the Romanesque architecture on Capraia. It was built
in 800 A.C., by the first hermits. The church was dedicated
to the young Christian martyr. The Pisans rebuilt it around
1000 after the Saracens' incursions and still today you are
able to see the "palmenti" the rocks that the inhabitants dug
for the grape harvest. On Montecristo, close to Cala Maestra,
a mule-track starts which in about one hour takes you to the
Convent dedicated to San Mamiliano. The convent was built by
the Benedictine monks during the Middle Ages and was abandoned
in 1500 after the devastation effected by Dragut's pirates.
The courtyard is totally abandoned, but the main part of the
Convent have been attacked by people searching for treasures
and the Germans during the last World War. Do not miss the view
from the Old Tower on Gorgona. The Pisans built the tower between
1200 and 1300 on a rock spur on the peak of Costa dei Cantoni.
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Photos from APT Tuscan Archipelago and Mediaweb srl.
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