Marciana (Tuscany)

Marciana
Country	Italy
region	Tuscany
province	Livorno (LI)
Coordinates	42 ° 47 ' N , 10 ° 10' E Coordinates: 42 ° 47 '25 " N , 10 ° 10' 11" E
height	375 m slm
surface	45 km²
Residents	2,127 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density	47 inhabitants / km²
Post Code	57030
prefix	0565
ISTAT number	049010
Popular name	Marcianesi
Patron saint	Catherine of Alexandria; (November 25)
Website	Marciana
	; Marciana with the Capanne massif and the main town

Marciana is one of the seven municipalities of the Italian island of Elba with the main town Marciana Alta and 2127 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019). It belongs to the province of Livorno in Tuscany .

geography

The municipality of Marciana is located in the western part of the island of Elba and stretches along the coast from Procchio to Pomonte around the massif of Monte Capanne , which is also part of the municipality, but without the district of Marciana Marina , which has been an independent municipality since 1951 . At 1019 m slm, Monte Capanne is also the highest point on the island of Elba. Large parts of the municipality are part of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park .

The district of Poggio

The districts are Marciana Alta as the main town, Poggio , Sant'Andrea, Chiessi, Pomonte and Procchio. Other places worth mentioning are Colle d'Orano, Patresi and Zanca in addition to the many smaller fractions such as. B. Le Casine, Conca, Maciarello.

Procchio, Sant'Andrea, Chiessi and Pomonte are right by the sea.

The neighboring municipalities are Campo nell'Elba , Marciana Marina and Portoferraio .

history

The area has been inhabited since the Bronze Age, as archaeological finds show. Marciana Alta was founded as the oldest community in Elba in 35 BC by the Roman Marcius . In the Middle Ages and the early modern period, Marciana, like the rest of the island, often and inevitably changed affiliations.

The place received a fortress in the 12th century under the rule of the Republic of Pisa . It offered the population protection against the pirate attacks that were frequent at the time. In the immediate vicinity of the former fort ⊙ is the archaeological museum of the community with numerous finds from the area. 42.789033317778 10.1672673225

The formerly associated place Marciana Marina became an independent municipality in 1954.

Landscape and nature

The western part of the island of Elba and thus also the municipality of Marciana is characterized by granite rock that forms the mountains and extends into the sea. The granite peaks are visible from afar. The north-facing mountain slopes are lush with forests of chestnut and holm oak . The west-facing part is very sparse in terms of vegetation and is essentially limited to macchia .

The highest peaks are next to the 1019 m high Monte Capanne, the Monte Giove with 855 m and the Monte di Cote with 950 m, a western branch of the Monte Capanne.

The coastal area is basically rocky and steep except for the places where mountain valleys flow into the sea. There you can find smaller bays with beaches that are mostly covered with gravel or gravel. However, some places, such as Sant'Andrea, laboriously fill their beaches with sand and maintain them accordingly.

View from the panoramic road approx. 160 m higher over the bay of Sant'Andrea. Starting on the left you can see Zanca and reaching to the sea Sant'Andrea. In the background you can see the northern tip of the island of Corsica lying in the haze , the Cap Corse and on the right the island of Capraia , which also belongs to the Tuscan Archipelago .

Tourism and transport

Of course, the municipality of Marciana is also developed for tourism. The main road is the panoramic road that bypasses the island and, because of the mountains, is about 160 m above sea level in this region. Numerous set up viewpoints, mostly equipped with tables and benches, offer indescribable views. Public bus transport is also secured here. The villages by the sea can be reached via narrow and winding, but well-developed roads.

Bank branches can be found in most of the places mentioned, and the post office can be found in Marciana Alta. The village of Sant'Andrea is very popular with tourists due to its quiet location, the granite bathing rocks and the turquoise sea in this area. The place is especially known among mountain and hiking enthusiasts.

The shopping possibilities are limited to the bare minimum. Small grocery stores and souvenir shops with bath items that are open during the holiday season can usually be found. The range of hotel complexes and holiday homes and apartments is plentiful in the holiday centers.

Attractions

In addition to the places Marciana Alta and Poggio, which are worth a visit as such, there are extensive hikes in this region of Elba. Numerous well signposted high-altitude trails connect the seaside villages in stages.

Marciana Alta:
- The town center with its many staircases and picturesque little squares is particularly worth seeing.
- The church of Santa Caterina ⊙ dates back to the 16th century and was built in place of a previous chapel. The construction turned out to be difficult because of the extreme slope of the site.42.789486040278 10.169300436944
- An ascent to the pilgrimage church of Madonna del Monte ⊙ at an altitude of 630 m should not be missed. Due to the height, there are wonderful and wide views over the entire Tuscan Archipelago to Corsica . The church is from 1595 and is located on the slope of Monta Giove on a picturesque pilgrimage route with the twelve stations of Christ. Every August 15th there is a pilgrimage from Marciana along the Passion Path to the church. In the late summer of 1814 , Napoleon spent two days with Countess Maria Walewska in the nearby Hermitage .42.791096130556 10.152729749722

Poggio:

See there

The strange shapes of the rocks are called stone monsters , which indeed, with a little imagination, are reminiscent of large animal figures and can be found along the way.

A 15-minute cable car ride in standing baskets to the summit of Monte Capanne in good weather is also worthwhile because of the view over the entire island area and the Tuscan Archipelago.