Tuscany in Italy
Tuscany is a very popular one holiday destination. But the region in central Italy has much more to offer than great beaches, stunning old towns and friendly people. Tuscany borders the Italian Regions Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Marche as well as Umbria and Latium. The area of the Tuscany region is one of the historical and important cultural landscapes of Italy.
Naming of the Tuscany region
The region owes its name to Tuscany to antiquity. The Ertuscan people lived here at that time. They referred to the region as Tuscany, to this day the region is referred to with these sonorous names.
Landscapes and life in Tuscany
The region of Tuscany extends over an area of 23,000 square kilometers. A total of about 3.61 million people live here. The capital of the region is Florence, which is in the north of Tuscany. The river Arno runs through the region of Tuscany. Pine trees, column cypresses and olive trees grow on the numerous hills of Tuscany. The grapevines, for which the region is known, are also a splendid picture. The nature reserve is ideal for nature lovers and those who enjoy hiking. The Parco dell’Uccellina is a large area that houses numerous species of flora and fauna. Visitors are sure to be impressed. Those who like to be out and about in the mountains can try their hand at the 2,054 meter high Monte Prado. This is also the highest elevation
Tuscany. Incidentally, just as impressive is the fact that Tuscany is home to a million hectares of forest.
The island of Elba and the smaller islands of Isola del Giglio, Capraia, Pianosa, Montecristo, Giannutri and Gorgona also belong to Tuscany. From a tourist point of view, the most popular areas of Tuscany are the Maremma and the Chianti area between Florence and Siena. The Etruscan Riviera, which stretches along the Tuscan coast, is also particularly popular among Italian travel destinations. The history of Tuscany Tuscany belonged to the center of the Etruscans. Its influence made it one of the most powerful countries on the Mediterranean. 351 BC Christ made the territory of Tuscany a part of the Roman Empire. Emperor Augustus then called the region Tuscia. Tuscany also played an important role in the Middle Ages and was a controversial and sought-after area for a long time.
Economy and sights in Tuscany
Tourism and travel are of great importance for the entire region. If this important source of income were to be lost, the very existence of a large part of the Tuscan population would be threatened.
Due to the numerous historical buildings and monuments, the area is also attractive for those interested in history. Florence is particularly popular with visitors. A large number of tourist facilities were built here in order to be able to offer tourists a certain level of comfort. The Florence Cathedral is an important cultural treasure that is very popular. A visit to the many Renaissance palaces is also particularly recommended. Of course, Pisa with its world-famous leaning tower is also worth a visit. The town of San Gimignano is also located in the Tuscany region declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its magnificent medieval architecture.
Elba in Italy
The island of Elba is located in Tuscan Archipelago in the Mediterranean. Elba belongs to the Tuscany region and is one popular vacation island for summer tourism. Only 10 kilometers separate Elba from mainland Italy. In the winter only about 32,000 people live on the rather small island. Most of the remaining residents are seasonal workers who only come to the island in the summer months. The municipality of Portoferraio is the capital of Elba. Furthermore, the island is made up of the seven municipalities of Campo nell’Elba, Capoliveri, Marciana, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Rio Marina and Rio nell’Elba.
The History of Elba
Today it is believed that the first people that populated the island of Elba the Ilvaten that the Ligurians had descended. But the Etruscans came as early as 750 BC to Elba and exerted a strong cultural influence on the residents. The Etruscans were particularly interested in iron, which was found in large quantities on Elba. They started mining the iron as soon as they arrived. The Greeks also left lasting traces on Elba. They came to the island in 453 BC, occupied it and renamed the island Aithalia, which means “the smoky, sooty” in German.
In 246 BC the Romans came to the island and conquered it. Elba then became part of the Roman Empire and was part of it until its fall.
In the 6th century it was the Lombards who reached Elba and usurped the rule. The island was conquered within a very short time and incorporated into the Longobard Empire. The following Franks took over the government of the Lombards around 774, including Elba. In 787 the Pippin donation to the Pope was made, which also included Elba. But the Pope himself could not rule on Elba.
From the 9th century onwards, Elba was repeatedly the victim and target of numerous attacks by Arab Muslims. They really wanted to take the island. The population of Elba was almost helplessly exposed to the attacks and raids similar to raids, and the terrifying attacks lasted into the 16th century.
The Pope quickly lost interest in the region and donated the island to Pisa in 1015. The city was booming as a sea power and was rewarded for its support against the Saracens with the island. In order to better protect the island, the Pisans built watchtowers and fortifications. These are next to different churches, which are characterized by the typical Pisan romantic style excel, still to be seen today.
Elba and Genoa were in a constant quarrel. Elba was the target of attacks from the Genoa region in the 13th century. Genoa attacked Elba because the island was part of Pisa, the city that was an absolute enemy in Genoa.
The Revolutionary Wars also brought Elba some attacks and finally an occupation by England. In 1802 Elba passed to France as part of the Peace of Amiens. But on April 11, 1814, Elba came into the possession of Napoleon’s principality. Napoleon moved to the island in 1814 after his abdication as French emperor and imposed numerous structural reforms on the residents. A year later, however, Napoleon turned his back on the island. Due to the Congress of Vienna, Elba became part of the Tuscany region and then became part of Italy again in 1860.
