PORTOFERRAIO - 200 years ago, on May 5, 1821, Napoleon Bonaparte, French general and emperor, protagonist of contemporary European history, disappeared. He died far from his homeland, in exile on the island of St. Helena, off the African coasts of Angola and Namibia. When the news reached the old continent Alessandro Manzoni composed the famous ode "May 5" to him, but even when Napoleon was alive he inspired writers and artists, even composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven, who dedicated symphony number 3, the Eroica, to his first military campaign in Italy, in 1796.
It was the period of conquests and triumphs when Napoleon Bonaparte, sure of his military and strategic superiority fueled by continuous victories, changed the face of Europe.
For the celebrations of the bicentenary of his death, events have been organized in many countries, especially in France and Italy: exhibitions, concerts, debates, historical re-enactments and numerous visits to the places where Napoleon wrote history.
To deepen her personality and discover anecdotes, successes and failures, the Wisits portal organizes a guided virtual tour for 21 May 5: just book on the wisits.com site and travel with an expert researcher in the places of Napoleon, retracing the stages of his life with many anecdotes and particular attention to the city of Milan, where in 1805 Napoleon was crowned emperor and which made Paris one of the capitals of Europe.
There are many places witnessing his passage, but in particular four islands are part of his history: Sant'Elena for exile, his native Corsica, the island of Elba where he resided for more than a year and × le d ' Aix, French refuge after the defeat of Waterloo. Of his hometown Ajaccio, Bonaparte said: "I could recognize it with my eyes closed by the sweet scent of its stain"; the Corsican capital is in fact surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation and an intense aroma of salt. Here are many tributes to the famous fellow citizen: a huge bronze statue on the place de Gaulle; the monument of the Jardins du Casone with the inscriptions commemorating his numerous battles; the fountain with the four marble lions which is the base for another statue of his made by the sculptor Giovanni Maglioli;and at rue Bonaparte his birthplace, transformed into a museum with furniture, maps and personal objects.
On 4 May 1814 Napoleon landed in Portoferraio, on the island of Elba, where he resided until 27 February 1815; here it is possible to follow the traces of his stay and the many events that the Tuscan island dedicates to the illustrious guest throughout the month of May, in collaboration with the European Federation of Napoleonic Cities (napoleoncities.eu), an association that brings together the cities of whose history was influenced by Napoleon, and the Route Napoleon (route-napoleon.com), a road of 314 kilometers that takes its name from the route taken by Napoleon in 1815 on his return from Italy. Among the Napoleonic places not to be missed on the island of Elba are his residences: in Portoferraio the Palazzina dei Mulini, which was part of the defensive system of the Medici fortresses and where today busts are exhibited,personal objects and furnishings; villa san Martino in the hinterland, where he had to go and live with his wife Maria Luisa, who never reached him. There are also the rooms within the walls of Forte San Giacomo in Porto Azzurro, and in Rio, next to the museum of the Mining Park, an ancient villa where Napoleon stayed. Finally, in Portoferraio, he had the Vigilanti theater built on the ancient deconsecrated church of the Carmine: it was here that his sister, Paolina Bonaparte, organized the Carnival ball on February 26, 1815 to hide Napoleon's flight to France. Here in July of the same year he went to the small island of Aix to spend the last 3 days there before embarking on the Bellerophon for his definitive exile in Sant'Elena. Napoleon arrived in × le d'Aix, off the Atlantic coast of Charente Maritime,after the defeat at Waterloo. The island was close to Rochefort, at the time the seat of the French military arsenal and from where Bonaparte hoped to sail to the United States. But he failed and gave himself up, ready for exile. To protect the arsenal of Rochefort and its harbor from the British, Napoleon had a fortified area built with ramparts and citadels. Today the tiny island is a naturalistic paradise where you can visit the Musée Napoléon, which preserves busts, paintings, documents, uniforms and furnishings that refer to those days.Arsenal of Rochefort and its harbor, Napoleon had built a fortified area with ramparts and citadels. Today the tiny island is a naturalistic paradise where you can visit the Musée Napoléon, which preserves busts, paintings, documents, uniforms and furnishings that refer to those days.Arsenal of Rochefort and its harbor, Napoleon had built a fortified area with ramparts and citadels. Today the tiny island is a naturalistic paradise where you can visit the Musée Napoléon, which preserves busts, paintings, documents, uniforms and furnishings that refer to those days.
Returning to Italy, in addition to the Milan cathedral where Napoleon was crowned with a sumptuous ceremony on May 26, 1805, there are other places and cities marked by the passage of Bonaparte. Among these is Alessandria, which is preparing for the celebrations for the bicentenary with the re-enactment of the battle of Marengo, the historic event, at the gates of the Piedmontese city, which in a few hours changed the history of the world. It was June 14, 1800 and Napoleon was always tied to the memory of that battle; in exile he took with him the cloak he wore that day and with which he wrapped himself when he died. Every year Alexandria celebrates the historic event with a spectacular reenactment of the battle, with extras arriving from all over Europe wearing uniforms and taking up the rifles of the time. IS'It is also possible to visit the Marengo Museum (marengomuseum.it), at the Napoleonic Villa Delavo, where the suggestions of the battle are relived with the exhibition of works of art, period objects, books, documents, maps and multimedia materials.
Finally, there is a place in Europe that is indispensable to complete the story of Napoleon: Waterloo, in Belgium, where the battle won by the Duke of Wellington took place on 18 June 1815 and which marked the end of Napoleon. The defeat took place in the hamlet of Mont-Saint-Jean, 4 kilometers from the city center, and due to its historical and cultural importance the whole area was transformed into a park. Here 5 observation points allow visitors to admire the most important places, following the same movements of Napoleon and Wellington in the crucial moments of the battle and, through some didactic panels, discover the secrets of the military strategies of both sides. (HANDLE).