Erice Among Towers, Churches and Crafts

Erice reveals its history through towers, churches, walls, museums and living crafts.

Towers, Castles and Religious History

The Torretta Pepoli is an elegant Moorish-style building in the Giardino del Balio; Count Agostino Pepoli promoted its construction around 1870. Following extensive restoration, completed in 2014, it was returned to the public as the Osservatorio Permanente di Pace and Faro del Mediterraneo. The Torre di Re Federico is a watchtower of Norman origin in the historic centre of Erice and offers panoramic views over the town and the surrounding sea.

The Castello di Venere dates in its present form from the Norman period. The Romans had previously built the Temple of Venus Ericina at this site. Near the Porta Trapani stands the Duomo di Erice, the Chiesa Matrice. It is considered the town’s most important religious building. The Chiesa San Giuliano is located at the highest point of the historic centre and is considered one of the most significant places in the city’s religious life.

Churches and Sacred Art

The Chiesa San Martino is one of Erice’s oldest religious buildings. According to local tradition, it was built in 1076 by Count Ruggero d’Altavilla out of gratitude to San Giuliano, after the latter had helped during the siege of Monte. The Chiesa di Sant’Orsola was built in 1413 and preserves its original Gothic groin vaults. The Tesoro del Duomo houses valuable silver collections that rank among the most important in all of Sicily.

Institutes in Former Monastery Buildings

The Istituto Blackett is located in the former San Domenico monastery and is one of the seats of the Fondazione Ettore Majorana e Centro di Cultura Scientifica. The former San Francesco monastery now houses the Istituto Wigner.

The Museo Cordici in the Former Monastery

The Museo Cordici was founded in 1876 in the former monastery of the Third Franciscan Order to bring together works of art from the Val di Erice and convey the history of this area.

It includes sections dedicated to archaeology, decorative arts, weapons, sculptures and paintings, as well as contemporary art; there is also a room for temporary exhibitions. Guided tours of the Museo Cordici are available on request.

Walls, Garden and Paths

The Mura Elimo-Puniche are a historic monument dating from the 7th century BC and are associated with the Elymians. The surviving section of wall extends for about 700 metres around the village of Erice. The best-preserved section runs along the Via dell’Addolorata between the Porta Carmine and the Porta Spada. The Giardino del Balio was restored as a public garden at the end of the 19th century through the efforts of Count Agostino Pepoli.

Carpets, Ceramics and the Quartiere Spagnolo

The ancient art of carpet weaving continues to thrive in Erice to this day. The small shops in the medieval town offer colourful carpets in various sizes. Hand-decorated ceramics are also available. The restored Quartiere Spagnolo was used to welcome tourists.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

Locogrande, Marausa, Castelvetrano, Petrosino, Scauri, Ballata, Campobello Di Mazara, Guarrato

To the overarching travel overview: Trapani.