Forte Falcone

forte-falcone

Impossible to miss, Forte Falcone stands mightily with its huge bastions, dominating the entire town. On Elba it is one of the most tangible symbols of the Medici power, particularly in Portoferraio, the administrative centre of the island and its main port.

In 1548, in order to protect this port and its harborside, Cosimo I de Medici decided to build a system of fortifications to resist the invasions of pirates. The town was renamed Cosmopoli, “City of Cosimo” but also “City of cosmos”, to emphasize its architectural and structural design.

The renovation of the Fort enables the visitor to enter and to retrace some of the crucial moments of the history of the island, walking through the alleys and terraces, among stairs, underpasses and hidden underground bunkers.