Position: Erice is situated on the
summit of Monte San Giuliano.
History: Erice became an Elymian city
and had a temple dedicated to the
goddess of fertility Astartes. After the
brief Greek domination, Erice was a
Punic city, massive walls are testimony
of that period.
The boundary walls were built in about the
6th century by the Phoenicians.
In Erice three mediaeval gates still stand:
Porta Spada
Porta del Carmine
Porta di Trapani
The Normans repopulated the town and in addition to various
other fortifications they built the Castle. According to the
legend it was Count Roger who gave the name st. Julian to
the Mount after he took possession of the town .In the
Middle Ages numerous churches and convents were built,
and then followed only a few baroque buildings and the
restoration of Piazza Umberto I in the 19th century.
Itinerary
Our itinerary starts from Parta Trapani . From here you can
easily get to the Duomo.
The Duomo was built in 14th century. The portico was added
to the facade of the Duomo in the 15th century; beneath it
there is great portal, which dates from the original
construction. The interior was redone in 19th century in the
manner of the Neo-Gothic revival.
The majestic Castle, the bulwark of the town and the
surrounding territory was built between the 12th and 13th
century.
Left of the Norman Castle there are two other castles:
Castello Pepoli and the medieval Balio Castle, a tower
completed in 1873.
Also of Norman origin is the Chiesa di San Martino in via Albertina
degli Abati, restructured and decorated between the 17 and 18th
century.
The Chiesa di San Domenico is now the seat of the Ettore Majorana
Scientific Centre. I suggest you should have a walk along to streets
and go in one of the many snack bar for typicol cakes, pastries, .
“amaretti”, “mustazzoli”.