The Church of Saints James and Quiricus in Rio nell’Elba is an ancient religious building dating back to the Pisan domination of the island. Its three-aisled layout, although altered by 18th-century renovations, still reveals its medieval origins. Historically, the church was integrated into the village’s fortified system, protected by defensive bastions that once enclosed the medieval settlement known as Rio Castello.
Already mentioned in documents from the 11th century, the church was expanded in the 15th century under the rule of the Appiani, Lords of Piombino, who succeeded Pisa in 1398. The dedication was later extended to Saint Quiricus after his relics were transferred here from the ancient church of Grassera, destroyed in 1534 during the raids of the pirate Barbarossa. In 1773, Saint Paul of the Cross preached within these walls, confirming its importance in the religious life of the island.
The church also witnessed significant historical events: on 5 May 1814, during his second day on Elba, Napoleon Bonaparte visited Rio and attended a solemn Te Deum celebrated here, while inspecting the local iron mines.
Over the centuries, the building has undergone numerous restorations, including the reconstruction of the bell tower and the remodeling of the exterior terraces between the 19th and 20th centuries, when parts of the fortifications were removed to open the space in front of the façade.
Inside, the church preserves notable artworks, such as the 17th-century painting “The Mystical Marriage of Saint Catherine”, attributed to Giovanni da San Giovanni, and a beautifully carved wooden statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. Marble plaques and sculpted coats of arms commemorate governors and prominent figures once buried here, reflecting the church’s key role in the civic and spiritual life of the community.
Today, the Church of Saints James and Quiricus remains one of the most meaningful landmarks in Rio nell’Elba—an essential place to discover the intertwined history of faith, defense and local identity in eastern Elba.
Dove si trova: Via Ilario Zambelli.
