On the 3rd May 1814, while Louis XVIII entered Paris, Napoleon Bonaparte entered the Gulf of Portoferraio on his vessel, the “Indomitable”. He would be staying on the Island until the 26th of February 1815.
During his 10 months government, he left many traces. He built roads, reorganized the mining economy, increased the production and exportation of the local wines; from an ancient deconstructed church he made a charming theatre, the Teatro dei Vigilanti, which, thanks to a clever restoration, is today home to important international cultural events.
He also left two magnificent residences, both of which are now national museums frequented by thousands of visitors each year: the Villa dei Mulini, where the visitor can admire period furniture and furnishings, autographed letters and various paintings, and the summer residence at San Martino, some 4 miles from Portoferraio.
The island has prepared a year full of initiatives and events celebrating Emperor Napoleon’s stay on Elba. You can find all of them on:
www.napoleoneimperatoreelba2014.it.
In particular, on occasion of the celebrations for the Bicentennial, Napoleon’s original field tent will be on display in one of the rooms of Villa di San Martino and you can enjoy a journey through the culinary traditions of the Island of Elba during the Napoleonic era.
