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| Where | between Portoferraio and Rio nell'Elba |
|---|---|
| How to get there | from Portoferraio, take the provincial road towards Porto Azzurro; after about 6 km, turn left towards Magazzini / Bagnaia and after about 1.5 km turn right for Rio nell'Elba (it is a very steep road with tight bends: please pay close attention). Continuing on, on the left you will find a large open area where you can park your car and from where (50 metres further on) a dirt path starts that leads to the Castello del Volterraio.
Average time: 30 minutes uphill and 20 minutes downhill Length: about 1.4 km (round trip) Route difficulty: hiking trail, with uneven ground and steep gradient Uphill elevation gain: 190 m Trails: 255 |
| Visits | There are two visiting options. Guided tour of the Fortress: the guided tour departure time will be adjusted to the season and communicated at the time of booking. The excursion will take place once a minimum number of 6 participants is reached.
From 15 June to 15 September, the Fortezza del Volterraio will be open every day except Tuesday, from 17:30 to 20:30, and it will be possible to reach the monument entrance independently by following the trekking path and to visit it with the help of the Park Guide on site. |
| Prices | Guided tour: full price € 20, reduced € 10 over 65 and residents of the Tuscan Islands, reduced € 5 residents over 65, free for children 0-12, resident students up to 19 years old, people with disabilities. The price includes round-trip transport, trekking, admission and the visit with a Park Guide.
Fortress admission: full price € 8, reduced € 4 over 65, residents of the Tuscan Islands and children 5-12 years old, free for people with disabilities and their companions, children 0-4 years old and students residing in the Tuscan Archipelago (up to 19 years old). The external visit is free of charge. |
| How to book the visit | InfoPark Arcipelago Toscano Office
+39 0565 908231 - info@parcoarcipelago.info - information requests and bookings » |
The Castello del Volterraio is the oldest fortification on the entire Island of Elba. The origin of the name is uncertain. Some scholars trace it back to Volterra or volterrano, thus attributing the foundation to the Etruscans. Others start from the same root but link it to what is considered the true founder of the fort, the architect Vanni Gherardo Rau, commissioned by the Pisans to oversee the reconstruction of the castle and who was originally from Volterra. Finally, another hypothesis traces the name back to the Latin Vultur (vulture), which would once have nested up here.
The Castello del Volterraio stands on a rugged height of 394 metres, visible from almost every point on the island and even from the ferry arriving in Portoferraio.
The site was chosen by the Etruscans to build the first lookout post. As you climb the mountain on whose summit it stands, you understand why this strategic position was chosen: on three sides the castle overlooks steep walls and cliffs and from up there it was possible to watch over and defend almost the entire Elban territory.
In 1281 the structure was then expanded by the Pisans who continued to use it for defensive purposes. Around 1440, in the context of strengthening Elba’s defences desired by Jacopo III Appiani, Lord of Piombino, it was expanded and reinforced and was still used as a lookout fortress with wide-ranging guard functions and defence of the entire Elban territory.
The Castello del Volterraio is one of the few Elban fortresses never conquered by the Turkish pirates who, during their raids, looted Elba several times: it was also used as a refuge by many Elbans who found shelter there during the sieges of 1544 and 1554.
Purchased by the Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago Toscano in 1999, the castle was in a severe state of decay. In January 2016 the first phase of the planned restoration works was completed to secure the fortress and restore some architectural elements including the original entrance, the perimeter walkway, and the recovery of the tower with footbridge and the chapel.
On 18 July 2017 the result of the completion of the second phase of the works was presented. The ancient access paths were improved, with wooden steps and handrails in the most difficult points, making the structure more accessible and, with the collaboration of the Archaeological Superintendency, the original paving was recovered.
infoelba recommends: It is worth climbing to the top of the mountain that hosts the Castello del Volterraio to admire the majestic remains of the walls and enjoy an extraordinary view over the central part of Elba and in particular the Gulf of Portoferraio and on the horizon the wild island of Capraia and Corsica. Absolutely not to be missed: the sunset view.
The structure of the Castle
The Castello del Volterraio is built on a hexagonal plan. The oldest parts of the castle are the curtain wall and the square tower, built at the most suitable point for lookout. Thanks to a signalling system, from the watchtower it was possible to communicate with other towers in the area and partly also with the Tuscan coast.
The entrance to the tower is connected to the walkway by a wooden drawbridge.
In the corner facing the access side, the walkway widens into a small square that probably represented the most vulnerable point and where artillery had to be concentrated. Today it forms an incomparable panoramic terrace.
On the south side there is a ravelin with very high parapets in which numerous arrow slits open, which served as further defence of the entrance.
At the end of the interventions, the Parco Nazionale Arcipelago Toscano commissioned a video to document the restoration work on the Fortezza del Volterraio.
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