The Medici Fortress in Elba Island

THE MEDICI FORTRESS IN ELBA ISLAND

The construction of the Medici Fortress began in the beginning of April 1548 on the orders of Cosimo I, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, with the consent of Carlo V, King of Spain who was exercising an active protection of the Principality of Piombino of which the Isle of Elba was a part. Cosimo's objective was the expansion of an already rich and flourishing Duchy of Tuscany, the protection of his commerce in the Tyrrhenian,and the growth of his prestigious European camp. The fortification system planned for the Grand Duke by Belluci and Camerini, was composed of two defensive areas: the Liguella and the Attack Front, positioned at the two extremes of the anchorage in Portoferraio, the whole of which is connected by bastions and covered communication trenches that terminates in the North at Fort Stella and Fort Falcone, the two principle poles of the general architectural composition.

With restoration completed in 1994, the visit begins from the Attack Front, through the entire bastions that run for a length of about 500 meters and concludes near Cosmopoli West, Cosimo's city. It's an imposing architectural complex, majestic and sober and above all secure enough to discourage an attempted attack, commissioned by the French in 1553, by the feared Turkish pirate Dracut who, after carefully studying the defensive front, pronounced it invulnerable.

BASTIONS OF FORT FALCONE Medici's by origin, it was built at the highest point of Portoferraio, dominates the entire bay and allowed the look-outs to guard the city.

BASTIONS OF FORT STELLA - also Medici's by origin, the bastions owe their name to the star shape formed by the walls.