San Giovanni Tower

Old ruin with a great view

The watchtower of San Giovanni is located on the slope of Monte Perone at an altitude of around 300 meters and dates back to around the 12th-13th century. Century back when the island of Elba fell under the control of the Republic of Pisa.

At that time there was, on the one hand, the threat of the Saracens and, on the other hand, the enmity between Pisa and Genoa, which soon turned into a war for control of the Mediterranean.

For this reason, the Pisans built an important system of fortifications to defend the entire island. To guard the Gulf of Marina di Campo, a place then vulnerable to attacks from the sea, the Tower of San Giovanni was built.

The tower was not only a lookout tower, but also had a strategic position as a watchtower, for controlling the sea and for communicating with optical signals; Today you have a breathtaking panoramic view from here. Source: infoelba.net

The watchtower of San Giovanni is located on the slope of Monte Perone at a height of about 300 meters and dates back to the 12th-13th century