The 5 Best Points of Interest & Landmarks in Portoferraio, Tuscany

The Villa delle Grotte is one of the archaeological remains of the Roman era on the island. The Roman Villa delle Grotte is located on the headland in front of Portoferraio. Both the decorative building material that show the origin of the villa to the Augustan age . The entrance of the villa was planned along the north side , so as to immediately put out the view of the arm of the sea between the Elba and the coast. The pool was surrounded on three sides by a large open space that was to be placed in the garden and surrounded by a columned porticus . All architectural and aesthetic solutions indicate that the Villa was destined to the nobility . The decoration of residential environments were very accurate, according to current tastes at that time in the capital: the rooms were frescoed or lined with colored marble , white marble above the Elba and chives . In addition to materials related to the construction and architectural decoration, during the excavations were found numerous fragments of pottery related to the daily life of the inhabitants of the villa : coarse pottery to store and cook food , others more refined for serving food and beverages. In particular, the jars (which were the main transport container ) we show how the villa was a participant in the network of trade flourishing in the Augustan age between Italy and the provinces , with supplies of wine from Italy , Spain and Greece islands , while still coming from Spain oil and fish sauce. It is possible that the Villa was originally the residence on characters who were in contract mining, so as to control their own economic interests without sacrificing the natural beauty of the island. The abandonment of the Villa delle Grotte was a consequence of an economic choice , and it is possible that the building has been systematically stripped of its most valuable furnishings and works of art that were to decorate the rooms and gardens at the time of the " removal " of its owners. Floors and structures were damaged over the centuries by the continuing farm work , during which they were found marble slabs , lead pipes , idols and coins. The operation was the most serious destructive use of the area for military purposes during the war between France and the Kingdom of Naples to the dominance of the island at the end of the eighteenth century.