Infomation about the Island of Elba
The main centers of Elba - Portoferraio
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Portoferraio counts 11.000 inhabitants today and is the 'capital' of the island. Called 'Fabricia' by the romans and 'Cosmopoli' in 1548 when Cosimo de'Medicis began the construction of the actual Portoferraio. A typical example of a fortified city, Portoferraio has an old town center of a rare beauty and incomparable fascination.
Due to its quite recent past as a steel working industrial town, Portoferraio has not developped into a 'tourist center'. This has nearly totally preserved the aspect of the town, except of course for the natural deterioration for which no remedy has been found until now. The renovation, during the last years, of the fortress, which surrounds and overlooks the city, makes therefore the visit particularly interesting.
THE MEDICEAN PORT OF PORTOFERRAIO
BEACHES
La Biodola, Scaglieri, Forno, Il Viticcio, Enfola, Sansone, La Sorgente, Acquaviva, Seccione, Capo Bianco, La Padulella, Cala dei Frati, Le Ghiaie, Le Viste, Il Grigolo, San Giovanni, Schiopparello, Magazzini, Ottone, Ottonella.
PLACES OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INTEREST
A Guide to Discovering the Roman, Medici and Napoleonic town;
Little Palace dei Mulini, a national monument, placed in a wonderful panoramic situation between the fortresses 'Stella' and 'Falcone'. This palace was the official residence of Napoleon and his sister Paolina. The palace contains numerous relics and souvenirs of this period;
Villa of San Martino situated in the valley with the same name, 5 km away from Portoferraio). The 'Villa' was the summer and country residence of Napoleon;
The Church of the Reverenda Misericordia, in this church are kept numerous relics from the napoleonian period, one of them being the bronze death mask taken by the personal doctor of Napoleon, Dott. Antonmarchi, at Sant'Helena. The 5th. of May, every year, an office is celebrated in honor of the Emperor;
The Church of S.S. Sacramento, the church displays numerous historical and religious relics. On the left side, entering the church, a sanctuary, made after the design of Arch.Crott, remembers all the fallen soldiers of Elba during the first world war. In front, three windows painted by the Prof. Giuseppe Mazzei, a pupil of Barabino.
The Medicis fortress. In the year 1548, on the ruins of the antic 'Fabricia', and following the order of Cosimo I de'Medicis, Ruler of Florence, the city of Cosmopoli, the actual Portoferraio, was built. The largest fortifying buildings of the city are the 'Forte Stella', the 'Forte Falcone' (both situated on the higher part of the city), the 'Torre del Martello' and the entrance of the old harbour. There are also numerous other fortresses and fortifications: all of them together form a masterpiece of military architecture;
Villa Romana - loc. Le Grotte (I sec.);
Villa Romana and archeological museum - loc. La Linguella;
The Roman Church of S. Stefano - loc. Le Trane (XII.);
The high fortress of pre-roman time - loc. S. Martino;
International Art Center di Italo Bolano - loc. San Martino;
Pinacoteca Foresiana, Salita Napoleone;
Biblioteca Foresiana - Palazzo Comunale.
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