Volterraio Fortress, Medieval castle in Portoferraio, Italy.

Volterraio Fortress stands as imposing ruins on the summit of the hill of the same name, at 394 m, in the municipality of Portoferraio on Elba. It has a hexagonal plan with walls entirely faced in stone, and at their base traces of older Etruscan and Roman walls are visible in places. Below the fortification lie the remains of a Bronze Age settlement with a small rock-cut necropolis.

Built around the year 1000, probably on the site of an Etruscan structure, the fortress was called Monte Veltraio in 13th-century documents. It was renovated in the late 13th century, likely to a design by Vanni di Gerardo Rau, as recorded in a Pisan document of 1298. In the mid-15th century Jacopo III Appiani, lord of Piombino, had it enlarged to its present form.

The fortress now functions as a military museum, displaying objects that show how strategically important this island was over many centuries. Visitors can explore the artifacts and documents on display to understand the role this place played in controlling the sea.

The climb to the fortress is steep and requires sturdy footwear and physical effort, so you should allow plenty of time for the ascent. It is best to check conditions in advance and plan how you will reach the fortress.

In 1544 the fortress was briefly besieged by Khayr al-Dīn Barbarossa, and again in 1553 by Dragut. A bronze coin of Volterra minted between the 4th and 3rd century BC, found near the site, points to an Etruscan presence long before the year 1000 construction.