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Island of Elba English Fort
Located on top of the San Rocco hill 51 meters high,from which
dominates with a beautiful view across the most modern part of
Portoferraio city and on the majestic walls of the De’ Medici
fortress. The English Fort has had a troubled history also
perceptible to the various names that have been attributed over
the years.Wanted By Cosimo III Grand duke of
Tuscany, who in 1700 ordered its construction in the
former Forte di San Giovanni Battista in order
to protect the city from attacks by land.
Originally the fort covered an area of about 2800 square
meters, surrounded by a moat from which the walls erected on the
highest point arrived at a height of about 20 meters. The
entrance protected by an arched door, it was once equipped with a
drawbridge, later replaced by concrete one.
In 1728 Gian Gastone, the last of the Grand
Dukes of Tuscany, dismantle the fortress because of its high
vulnerability, which would contribute in case of siege, to
strengthen the enemy, giving them a strategic assault place once
conquered and on they hands.
In 1796, in fact, the British landed at
Portoferraio on the Acquaviva beach, settling and rebuilding the
fort that has taken the name of English Forte,
where four hundred men commanded by the Admiral
Nelson, placed their headquarters inside the fortress
and who left after just nine months of long diplomatic
negotiations with the Grand Duke.
In 1802, the French besieged Portoferraio, commanded by Napoleon
at the time First Consul, who built and fortify various points
located around the city of Portoferraio, demolishing and
rebuilding the fortress making it become a crucial place for the
external protection of Portoferraio together with Fort
Montebello, the Redoubt of San Rocco and the
Fort of St. Cloud that is located in the port
area of the city.
In 1814, Napoleon arrived in Portoferraio by exiled but sovereign
Elbe, year in which when decided to bring back to the top the
English Fort, enlarging and equipping it with cannons, officers
and soldiers at the garrison in order to make it the headquarter
of his great imperial fleet on his return winner and Emperor of
Europe.
Between 1816 and 1817, following the outbreak of typhoid, the
fortress became a place where to intern the infected people. In
subsequent years the fort suffered some decades of dereliction
and no longer manned, except during the period of brigandage as a
place of meeting of forced house.
During World War II, was equipped with an anti-aircraft battery,
with a turret armed of Breda machine gun of 20 mm and was a
refuge place for the local people during the bombing of
Portoferraio.
Thanks to its recent renovation now the Fort can be visited.
Informazioni sul Forte Inglese
| Orari |
Chiuso durante il periodo invernale è possibile visitarlo fissando un appuntamento. |
| Luogo e info |
Paese di Portoferraio Partendo da Portoferraio, è necessario imboccare la via in salita che giunge alla collina di San Rocco dove è segnalato l'ingresso della Fortezza Biblioteca Foresiana Tel. (+39)0565.937371 |
Fort Falcone
Impressive De’ Medici fortification that dominates the historic
center of Portoferraio.
Fort Stella
With star-shaped plant, it is located above the ancient city of
Portoferraio and is one of three main structures of De’ Medici
fortresses.
Elbaworld suggests
What to visit
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Recommended excursions
Discover incredibly beautiful excursions on Elba Island.
