Island of Elba: Capoliveri

The Capoliveri District covers for 39.51 Km2 and counts less than 3,000 inhabitants (2,808 on 1st January 1996), highly concentrated in the town centre that only in these last decades expanded itself in new quarters outside the ancient town walls. The whole town is gathered around the top of an isolated ridge and was founded during the Etruscan-Roman age as a hill fortress in a strategically position from where it was possible to control both the Western and the Southern sea and, from some higher places, to even look at the Northern sea and Portoferraio itself - the ancient Roman town called Fabricia.

This is one of the most interesting places on the island and was acquainted with the Etruscan presence, due to the great economic importance of iron mines and the trade the Rasenna - so the Etruscans called themselves - extended over their confederation's frontier.

One of the most representative votive statuettes of that age, the "Offerer", is contained at the National Archaeological Museum in Naples and was found out in the Profico necropolis, not very far from the town centre. Besides this one, we can observe a large number of ancient finds such as coins, fibulas, little vases and urns.

Capoliveri was founded as an elevated and fortified place surrounded by large walls on the top of a hill 167 m high. Its profile is ship-shaped with its prow towards the sea. The town was also known during the Latin age as "Capitis Ilvae" "Caput Liberum" and "Caput Liseri" or "Liveri".
Marketday: Thursday.