Located in Piazza Mazzini, in the heart of Rio Marina, the Waldensian Evangelical Temple is one of the most significant historical testimonies of the Protestant presence on the Island of Elba. The first Waldensian community formed in the town in 1853, but it was on March 8, 1863, that the local church was officially established, counting 23 members at the time.
The temple was inaugurated on March 24, 1864, and between 1867 and 1868 the pastor’s residence and two schoolrooms were added. The Waldensian school, however, dated back even earlier—founded in 1862—and soon grew rapidly, reaching 120 pupils, including children of both evangelical and Catholic families.
Despite waves of emigration, the congregation reached its peak in 1905 with 105 members, while the school continued to flourish, counting 192 students in 1924. With the rise of Fascism, the school was officially closed in 1925, although it continued to operate in practice until 1931.
After World War II, the former school premises became the Casa Valdese, while the religious activity of the church has continued to this day, now served by the Waldensian pastor of Livorno.
Simple and intimate in appearance, the Waldensian Evangelical Temple of Rio Marina remains a cultural and spiritual landmark—guardian of a long Protestant tradition on the island and symbol of the dialogue and openness that have defined its history from the very beginning.
Dove si trova: Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini
