Pietra Murata

On the southern slope of the island, above the villages of Cavoli, Seccheto, and Pomonte, while walking along the many trails in the area, you may come across numerous and important naturalistic and historical-archeological sites.

Consisting of grasslands and characterized here and there by semi-worked granite boulders, from this area, numerous trails branch out, allowing quick access to areas where the remains of ancient perimeter walls are well preserved, such as in the area known as Le Mura; or goat sheds, such as at Macinelle, a clearing with two goat sheds facing each other, which gives the area a very picturesque pastoral appearance.

Infoelba suggests: In this area, muflons (wild sheep) have found their natural habitat. Always be cautious; when the animals are upwind, unaware of the human presence, it becomes "easy" to spot them. Therefore, around every bend of the trail, beyond each rocky outcrop, you are likely to see them and, if you’re quick, photograph them before they move away.

Pietra Murata is an irresistibly fascinating place: it is home to a massive granite monolith to which a pastoral complex, consisting of a pen and a stone hut, is attached.

All around, the typical low Mediterranean scrub of cistus, broom, and fern, and in the background, the giant Monte Capanne, showing its full majesty.

The site, visually connected with the Mure area, is part of the ancient protohistoric settlements of the first populations who colonized the Island of Elba, from the Bronze Age through the Etruscan period and up to the 14th century. It was already used in pre-Roman times as a strategic point for the observation and defense of the island.

In the Middle Ages, at the top of the rock formation, a watchtower was also created, consisting of a seat, a vigilance point for watching the sea by an armed sentinel.

From here, the view is breathtaking. Particularly, one can enjoy a magnificent view of the southern coast of the Island of Elba, Corsica, and the southern islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, especially Pianosa, Montecristo, and Giglio.

As mentioned earlier, in this area, it's not difficult to spot semi-worked granite boulders present in abundance: rough-cut columns and abandoned stones among low shrubs, altars, and basins that, forgotten in what were the ancient quarries, remain as traces of the old granite craftsmanship.

In these quarries, exploited as early as the Etruscan and Roman periods, the quarrying techniques are visible: cuts for block extraction, slabs for smoothing, and semi-worked pieces at various stages of processing. The quarry, opened by the Romans between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, was likely later used by the Pisans from 1000 to 1400.

Infoelba recommends: If you find yourself on this side of the Island of Elba, there are also other sites not to be missed. In particular, the area known as the Sassi Ritti, a fascinating place, likely an ancient burial site evidenced by the presence of four menhirs, and the Mulino del Moncione, the largest and most beautiful on Elba, with the large water collection basin still intact and the machinery used for grinding grains still clearly visible.