<div id="wrapper">
  <h1>Place me on top please. How?!</h1>
  <div id="placeholder"></div>
</div>

#wrapper { position:relative; }
h1 { z-index:100; color:blue; font-size:5em; margin:0; line-height:0.9em; }
#placeholder {
    width:500px;
    height:300px;
    position:absolute;
    top:0;
    left:0;
    z-index:1;
}