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Campo nell'Elba 
Rio 
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Marciana 
Portoferraio 
Porto Azzurro 
Marciana Marina 
Island of Elba The Christianity on Elba
During Christianity, Pianosa
was repopulated by the early Christians, who digged the catacomb
complex on the island, the most important one north of Rome. From
that moment the history of the islands and that of Christianity
were interlaced. In the Middle Ages the Archipelago became a
refuge for monks and hermits who erected monasteries and
churches, which blended beautifully with the natural landscape.
The oldest traces of the Christian faith are discovered, in fact,
in the countryside and in the valleys. Capraia was visited by
Eudoxius who builded, in the valley of Piano, the church of Santo
Stefano Protomartyr.
Mamiliano, the bishop of Palermo escaped from slavery imposed by
the Vandals and reached Montegiove. According to a legend, he
there lived as hermit fighting a dragon that succumbed after a
tremendous struggle: the island was then renamed
Montecristo. San Cerbone,
bishop of Massa Marittima and Populonia, took refuge in Elba to
escape the Lombard invasion. The sanctuary holding the same name,
located on the trails of Mount Capanne, is still
a pilgrimage site.
During the second millennium, the Archipelago's history is
interlaced with that of the maritime republics and principalities
in Tuscany: Pisa, Genoa and the Appiani of Piombino. In this
period were erected important religious buildings: the church of
San Lorenzo in Marciana,
Santo Stefano alle Trane in Portoferraio, the
church of San Giovanni in Campo, of San
Nicolò in San Piero and San Quirico in Rio
nell'Elba. Military defense was also built: in Elba, the
fortress of Volterraio and the Tower of
San Giovanni located between San Piero and Sant'Ilario;
in Gorgona the fortress with the old tower; the defence walls of
Giglio Castello; in Capraia the fort S. Giorgio , widely
remodeled in the Renaissance.
Elbaworld suggests
What to visit
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Recommended excursions
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