Built in 1724 by the Grand Duke Gastone de'Medici Napoleon had some alterations done to suit his own needs
| Where | Portoferraio - Piazzale Napoleone |
|---|---|
| Phone numbers | tel. 0565 915846 |
| Prices |
7 euros / 3,50 euros* single ticket 13 euros / 6,50 euros* all inclusive valid for visits to both Napoleonic residences (valid: 3 days) *Reduced for those from 18 to 25 years old European Union residents do not pay if they are under 18 or over 65, but they must have proof of age. |
Today the Palazzina dei Mulini, once the official residence of Napoleon, is a National Museum.
Built in 1724 by the Grand Duke Gian Gastone de'Medici, the original building wasn't what it's like now, because Napoleon had some alterations done by the Livorno architect Paolo Bargigli to suit his own needs better: the central part that connected the two original buildings was made higher so he could have a ball room.
The entrance is on the ground floor, and the main rooms of the Emperor's apartment are connected by a corridor: the first room you come to is the main room, then the library and the bedroom. Going past the stairs that lead to the ball room, originally for Maria Luisa, but only used by his sister Paolina, you get to his studio and the room for his pages.
The original furniture, that Napoleon had brought from his residence in Piombino by his sister Elisa Baciochi, no longer exists. Meticulous work done on the two residences with the addition of beautiful nineteenth century Imperial style furniture has brought the true Imperial atmosphere back to life. The library, on the other hand, still has the most important Napoleonic material: the books that the Emperor brought with him from Fontainebleau and those his uncle, Cardinal Fesch, gave to him.
In the garden lying between the Building and the sea there are two beautiful statues: one of Minerva dating back to ancient Greece, the other a copy of the Galatea of the Canova (they say Paolina Borghese posed for it), while the original is in the Demidoff Gallery in San Martino.
