The archpriest church of Santo Stefano Protomartire is located in the historic center of Porto Santo Stefano, of which it is the parish church, on the north-eastern side of Monte Argentario.
At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the village of Porto Santo Stefano, born at the foot of the Spanish Fortress, began to expand so much that, in 1741, the old soldiers’ chapel was no longer sufficient for the growing population. So, the same year, at the request of the santostefanesi families, began the construction of the new church dedicated to the St. Stephen Protomartyr, which was consecrated in 1750. The church was in Baroque style and had a short nave covered by cross vaults ending with an apse semicircular. The church, however, was blown up by the retreating German troops on 7 June 1944 and only the bell tower remained standing.
The place chosen for the construction of the new church was that of the previous one, but with a major change: orientation. In fact, the facade of the new building is located on the apse of the baroque, while the new apse overlooks the churchyard of the old church. The construction was completed in 1950 and, on Christmas day of the same year, the new parish church was consecrated by the bishop of Orbetello Paolo Galeazzi.
Between 1950 and 2006, the church underwent a series of internal restorations. The first dates back to 1963, when the great Mascioni organ was installed. The presbytery was completely rebuilt for the first time in 1980 and, more recently, in 2006. In 1981, however, the polychrome glass windows depicting various saints were installed.
The main facade of the church overlooks Via XX Settembre. It consists of four large pilasters in blocks of stone on the sides and a soaring cusp, in which is inserted the marble coat of arms of the bishop Paolo Galeazzi, as a crowning. At the center of the façade is the large portal, with a large shallow splaying with a round arch. The second façade of the church overlooks the narrow Via di Santo Stefano and ends with three large cusps. Here, below the central single-light façade, above the door, there is an inscription that recalls the proclamation of the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary
The interior consists of a large single nave covered by a lowered barrel vault. The side walls are punctuated by a series of blind arches supported by imposing pillars in stone blocks, in which the round windows are closed by polychrome glass windows. In them are represented two categories of saints: the Patrons of ecclesial groups and trades operating in Porto Santo Stefano and the saints linked to Tuscany and the Argentario. Immediately after the entrance, there are two additions to the nave, where the three side altars are located:
the altar of Santo Stefano (the first from the right) on which stands the statue of Santo Stefano, in terracotta, by Emilio Greco;
the altar of the Merciful Jesus (the second on the right);
the altar of the Virgin (facing the second on the right).
In the last part of the nave and in the large semicircular apse decorated with a blue-toned mosaic, is the presbytery, the result of the remake of 2006. In an advanced position are the main altar, consisting of a parallelepiped-shaped pillar ‘large canteen, and the ambo, on the left, which also includes the candelabrum of the Easter candle. Behind the altar, in the center, dominated by the large painted wooden crucifix, there is the seat, consisting of three marble benches plus two additional wooden sides. The tabernacle, however, is located next to the apse, leaning against the back wall of the nave.
In the apse basin, flanked by semi-circular wooden benches of the choir, is the Mascioni opus 831 pipe organ, built in 1963. The instrument, with two keyboards each of 61 keys and 32-note pedal board, is characterized by reeds, formed by the various pipes of the Main register 8 ‘of the Grand’Organo; the console is joined to the box, limited to the base of the reed bed, by means of a platform.
