It is located in the upper part of the historic center of Portoferraio, on the natural terrace formed by the hills on top of which stand the Medici forts Stella and Falcone. It overlooks a high cliff, above the Viste beach, with a beautiful view of the open sea.
The building stands within one of the bastions of the fortified perimeter of the city, which was to beat that side, already validly protected by the aforementioned cliff. The area took the name Mulini, precisely because four Windmills were built here, thanks in part to the abundant ventilation, which were essential to the needs of a stronghold. On Napoleon’s arrival they no longer existed, torn down a few years earlier by the French authorities.
Napoleon personally took care of the furnishings and furniture. Informed by one of his faithful that his sister Élisa, La Baciocca as they called her in Tuscany, had fled Piombino to take refuge with Murat, he sent men who as naturally as possible carried out the removal of the furniture, the dismantling of the shutters and floors, even ironically leaving a receipt for the interdict General Starhengerg.
A stroke of luck then helped her complete the furnishings: Napoleon learned that a ship, sheltered by a storm in the gulf of Porto Longone, contained the furnishings of Camillo Borghese, the most illustrious Roman prince, husband of Pauline Bonaparte but now effectively separated, who was taking refuge in Rome. "Bah!" wrinkled Napoleon’s hands, "all this does not come out of the family!"
Unfortunately, the original furniture has gone missing.
