The Commune of Rio Marina

Rio Marina was once considered the Capital of Iron of the Island of Elba. The mines and port were used for the excavation and transport of iron ore, which, even today, with its glimmer and classic reddish color, characterizes much of the town, from the facades of houses to the beaches, including the seabeds.

After the closure of the mines (the last one closed in 1981), the mining activity gave way to tourist development, transforming Rio Marina into a flourishing seaside resort and the buildings that once belonged to the mines into museum structures.

Inside the building that once housed the Mine's Directorate, the Museum of Elba Minerals and Mining Art and the historical archive of the mines are currently hosted. In the museum halls, the original mining environments are recreated, and an important collection of mineral and stone samples from the Island of Elba is preserved.

Of particular historical interest is the hexagonal tower of the port, built around the middle of the 16th century at the request of Jacopo V Appiani, while the original clock tower dates back to 1882, the founding year of the Maritime Municipality, and the oratory of San Rocco erected in 1570.

Open Sky Museum of Rio Marina

The Open Sky Museum offers an immersive path along the streets of the town, enriched by seven installations celebrating the mining history of the Island of Elba, “land of iron and sun”, and in particular of Rio Marina, once the heart of this industry.

These works were created using tools and mechanical components that tell the story of the hard work done in the mines by generations of miners. Starting from the former San Jacopo Workshops and proceeding along Via Magenta, home of the Mineral Park, you can admire winches, couplings, drippers, benders, and crushers. Each piece is accompanied by captions and includes a QR code. By scanning the QR code, you can access videos that illustrate the functions of each artifact, narrated by one of the last miners from Rio Marina, a direct witness to an era that ended more than forty years ago.

The aim of the museum is to keep the memory of this important past alive, not only for those who lived through that period but also to make the new generations aware of the roots and culture of their community.

Events: Every year in Rio Marina, two festivals are celebrated: on December 4th, the Patron Saint, Santa Barbara, is honored, and events are also organized for San Rocco di Montpellier on August 16th.
To discover events, visit the site www.elbaeventi.it.