Santa Riparata di Bonifaziu would be from the IXth century, that is to say  before Bonifaziu city was built. It has been restaured in 1983, from the same model as the original one. It still remains lonely and unreachable (closed)

Unlike what we might think, the original stones polychromy doesn’t have an esthetic meaning. It is more linked to the fact that this chapel has been built from calcaire and granit. When picking up the stones needed for the building, the workers have picked either white stones, or red granitic ones.

Who was Santa Riparata ?

The legend says that this young lady ran away the night of her forced wedding. To protect herself, and to belong to our God, she hid herself in a man costume, in a…. men monastery !

Instead of betraying her secret, she accepted to be accused of seduction, which she could never have commited. She has been convicted and then executed. The truth has been said only after her death, and, as a redomption sign, she received the name “Riparata”.

In Corsica, we also call her Liberata (free from all suspicion) »