Rio Marina - Elba Island

Rio Marina (LI)

Elba Island - Tuscany (Italy)

Rio Marina is a town in the province of Livorno in Tuscany, on the east coast of 'Island of Elba. It is located about 130 km southeast of Florence and 80 km south of Livorno, the area is 19.5 km ². It was recognized independent town in 1881.
The area of Rio Marina has been used since the time of the Etruscans for mining purposes, due to the strong presence of iron ore in the ground. The first permanent settlements date back to the fifteenth century: at that time the area was known as "Piaggio Rio", and was the point of access to the sea near the town of Elbe River. In those times because the pirates drove the inhabitants to build their villages on the hills, the only time these buildings were the Watchtower, the oratory of San Rocco and some buildings. It is in the eighteenth century, when the pirates are a reminder that the village began to grow, some ship owners and sailors, Ligurian and courses, moved to Rio Marina and all the guards, the weighers, some fishermen and other owners and sailors fell from the Elbe River, giving rise to the first community Piaggesi. At the time of the French invasion of 1799 the country has about 800 inhabitants. It is during this period that begins the industrial exploitation of iron mines: new technologies are imported and open new quarries. In 1841, despite strong opposition from the parish of the Elbe River, a bishop's decree stipulates the establishment of the parish peasant, which will be based in Santa Barbara. The church will be completed in 1843, destroyed in 1860 and later rebuilt on the outskirts of the village, where it is today. In 1853 he settles in a small country Waldensian community, active until today. With the push of the mines, the country sees a strong population growth, reaching a peak in the late nineteenth century, when it had one of the best fleets of the peninsula and was directed by men economically strong and politically determined. In this period the division of the autonomous town: to celebrate the occasion, on top of the octagonal tower, now unused, is built a tower with a clock, giving the monument its current appearance. At the turn of 1900, the country experienced a deep crisis which will end when the company Elba gets possession of the entire chain of production in mines of Rio, from extraction to transportation. These are moments of wealth for the country, often working conditions in mines are bad: twelve hour shifts in an unhealthy environment, poverty of workers who forced the elderly and women to work. It is at this time arriving in Rio the new socialist ideas and anarchic: born in 1904 the local branch of the Socialist Party. In 1911 he opened a tough challenge against the leaders of the workers in mines, which ends with the humiliating defeat of the proletariat and the dismissal of many workers. Nine years later, in full red biennium, was even attempted self-employment and in mines, but despite the help of the municipal socialist this attempt also failed. However, with the advent of modern times, the mines suffered a sharp downsizing, until final closure in 1981. After the closure of the mines, mining had to give way to tourism development, transforming Rio Marina in a thriving seaside resort.