The Church in Sant'Ilario

The Church of Sant'Ilario is in the centre of the hamlet that bears the same name, in the Comune of Campo nell'Elba.

There is some doubt as to the year it was built, but it was no doubt built by the Appians inside the ancient fortified ramparts put up by the Pisans who at the time were the leaders on the Island of Elba.

Interesting facts: We know that Saint Ilario, on his long journey back from Gallia, went to visit the Tuscan islands, and that in memory of this he had a church built in his name that also gave the hamlet this name.

The original building consisted of one nave only, but towards the end of the XVII century the two side naves
were added on to it.The facade is in Baroque style and at one side has an unusual five-sided steeple probably made out of what had once been a watchtower used for defense of the hamlet.

In 1765 the two brothers Don Simone and Don Erasmo Gori had the altar of the Our Lady of Sorrows built inside the church, and in 1874 another two Gori brothers, Giacomo and Francesco, had the Chapel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary built, then completed it with a magnificent wooden statue made by Antonio Rossi from Siena.

The fact that there are so many holy vestments (that today are known as Liturgical) kept in the wardrobes in the sacristy and ornaments that are necessary for the liturgy proves how significant and rich this church was.

In 1912, thanks to the dedication of the priest Don Teodoro Mannucci, the entire church was renovated and painted.

The paintings inside are the typical images of the souls in Purgatory and the saints in contemplation of the Virgin Mother with Child. The more recent frescos are by Eugenio Allori. from Elba