Which of us did not dream of being in the past and seeing with our own eyes how everything looked before. A small town on Silicia, lost high in the clouds, is ready to provide you with such an opportunity. Arriving in Erice (Erice) you can see how time has stopped.
As if at one moment the city stopped keeping up with the times, and its architecture remained where in the Middle Ages. But it is this feeling of immersion in the past that attracts tourists to Erice.
The city was built on the very top of a high mountain that dominates the coastal plain. The roots of its origin are lost in legendary antiquity. But, despite this, the charm of the Middle Ages has survived to the present day. And when the city plunges into another cloud passing through the sky, the maze of winding streets takes on a mystical context.
The feeling of time is leaving, the boundaries between the real and the mythical are blurring. The power-law present does not forget that ancient gods and ancient heroes can still be hidden in a cloudy veil ...
History and legend of the city
The city of Erice is not in vain called legendary. After all, it is a legend that tells us the story of its appearance:
Once upon a time on the top of a high mountain, constantly washed by white fluffy clouds, the son of the goddess of love and fertility - Ericks, looked in. This place and its amazing panoramas fascinated the hero so much that he decided to build a city on this place. The city received the name in honor of its founder - Erice.
The creator of the first wings - Daedalus thought to rest here after his escape from Crete. But he could find a permanent shelter in the ancient city. Even the legendary Hercules - the son of Zeus, returning from feats, stopped in Erice to regain his strength.
But these are legends. But what do historians tell us? And they say that the first building on top of Mount San Giuliano was the Phoenician pagan sanctuary, which was dedicated to the fertility goddess Astarte (Astártē). The date of its construction is still not known exactly. Later, Elim, refugees from the fallen Troy, reached the shores of the island. They found the mountain quite suitable for the foundation of their new settlement. The first historical references to the Elim in Sicily date back to the 5th century BC. (just think how long it was). However, among other things, the new settlers brought with them their culture. AND the shrine of Astarte transformed into the temple of Aphrodite, which was worshiped by the Greeks.
At that time, Mount Eric was a good guide for sailors. And soon the goddess began to be considered the patroness of sailors. Erice was located near the port, and they often visited the temple. Almost all ships passing through the bay near Erice brought with them gifts for the goddess. The priestesses of the temple came out to receive sea gifts, and in response gifted them with their love. Although it may well be that the response of the priestesses of love was the motive for visiting the sanctuary with gifts.
The favorable strategic position of the settlement doomed it to become the "bone of contention" between the Greeks and the Carthaginians. For several centuries, the city was alternately owned by one or the other. Around the 3rd century BC during the first Punic War, Erice was almost completely destroyed, and its inhabitants were relocated to the port city of Drepanon (now Trapani). Then General Hamilcar Barca, who fought on the side of Carthage, ordered the construction of a defensive structure around the city. The fortress wall was erected from the stone of the mountain on which the city stood. As a result, the crest of the mountain gradually flowed into powerful, impregnable walls. It was they who later helped contain the enemy's onslaught during the time of the great migration.
In 241 BC the ancient Romans came to the island. They preserved the temple of Aphrodite, but dedicated it to Venus of Eritsina. It was the temple of Venus that turned the city into a place of pilgrimage, where important religious rites of the ancient world were performed. The glory of the sanctuary was so great that the Romans erected a second temple already in Rome. Thanks to this, the cult of Venus subsequently spread throughout the Mediterranean coast.
With the end of the period of antiquity, the city became empty. In the Middle Ages, the Arabs owned it for some time. The city began to live a full life with the advent of the island in the 12th century A.D. Normans. Then the mountain and the settlement on it began to be called Monte San Giuliano. The city fortifications were completely renewed and a powerful fortress was erected.
The Temple of Venus was built on a completely exceptional place. After all, it is difficult to explain in another way the fact that for dozens of centuries during numerous raids and conquests he continued to stand in his place. And on the contrary, despite the lack of tolerance, the new peoples not only did not destroy the temple, but supplemented and enriched it. By the time the Normans arrived, the walls of the sanctuary collapsed simply from time to time. However, knowing the history and believing in the difficult power of this place, the northerners erected a castle on it and named it Castello de Venus.
At some point after the Germans and the French, the Spaniards took control of the city. At this time, more and more Catholic monasteries and temples appeared on the streets. And today, Erice is a small medieval city, returning us to the time of guilds and workshops. And these are stone-paved and constantly winding streets, low houses erected from gray stone, almost no vegetation and clean mountain air.
The whole story of Erice is a continuous theater, with an endless change of characters. Phoenicians and Greeks, Romans and Byzantines, Normans and Germans, French and Spaniards. Who was not there. The city even managed to become a royal residence during the Sicilian uprising against the Anjou dynasty ("Sicilian Vespers").
In 1934, during the Nazi occupation, the city again changed its name from Monte San Giuliano to historical Erice. And after the war, turned into a scientific, cultural and tourist center.
What you should pay attention to
Despite its small size, the city has many attractions that are worth a look.
Besides, narrow streets, traditional for Italy, small shops with interesting souvenirs and small cafes give Erice its unique charm. The most famous tradition of this place is the procession of holy mysteries, which takes place on Good Friday.
Be sure to visit the street that missed no more than one knight, chained in armor. Admire the magnificent view from the castle of Pepoli. Pay attention to the city of Trapani, which lies in the bend of the blue bay. And if you are lucky in clear weather, then there will be a chance to see the Aegadian archipelago, and maybe even the coast of Tunisia.
The outlines of the city when viewed from above are close to a triangle, at the two peaks of which towers rise, and in the third there is a castle. Long streets run along the ridge, and short and rather steep alleys connect them to each other. All areas are small in size, and several of them even have an inclined pavement. The architecture of the city fully reflects its history, representing a kaleidoscope of Romanesque, Norman, Gothic monuments.
Sights
Erice sights map is available at most tourist souvenir shops.
Cathedral of the Assumption
The Cathedral (Duomo dell'Assunta) is located on Cathedral Square at Via Carvini. Its construction took place under the reign of King Frederick III of Aragon, who thus expressed his gratitude to the city residents for their support during the war of the Aragon dynasty for power. The main construction took place in the first half of the 14th century. But the chapels in the naves appeared a little later.
The cathedral acquired a modern look after a ten-year restoration in 1862.
The 28-meter bell tower was built before the temple. However, the original construction served as a watchtower. And only later, after the end of the war of 1282-1314, bells were installed on the upper level, and the tower began to be used as a campaign. The appearance of the building is a structure consisting of 3 levels, each of which has vaulted windows.
A distinctive feature of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin is its style. This is the only church building in the city, originally built in the Gothic style., unlike other churches with Romanesque roots. Subsequently, after reconstruction, the interior of the three-nave cathedral acquired the features of neo-Gothic. The main altar is decorated with the figure of the Virgin, surrounded by bas-reliefs with images of the holy evangelists.
Venus Castle
The Castle of Venus is located (Castello di Venere) at Viale Conte Pepoli about 750 meters southeast of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin. It was built in the 12th century by the Normans on the site of another ancient pagan sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Venus. In the 16th century, the castle became the property of the royal family and it housed the soldiers’ barracks and prison. In the 17th century, the Palma family bought the building into personal property and carried out a significant reconstruction in it.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the palace became the property of the city and in 1872, thanks to Count Agostino Sieri Pepoli, the final restoration work was taking place inside.
In the castle, crowned with teeth in the form of a dovetail (Gibellin), you can get up the stairs. Inside is a portal made in the form of a pointed arch. Above it is the coat of arms of the Habsburgs. To the right of the entrance are the former prison facilities. Behind them is an open space with the ruins of an ancient temple of Venus. To the left of the entrance are the former barracks. A little further you can see the ruins, similar to a small pool, which supposedly served as a tank for collecting water.
Around the castle is surrounded by a garden called giardino del Baio (giardino del Balio). On the opposite side of the palace entrance is an excellent observation deck. Standing on it you can enjoy the view of colorful patches of fields, the seashore, the city of Trapani, and even with especially good weather, the coast of Tunisia.
Pepoli Castle
After the reconstruction was completed in the castle of Venus, Count Pepoli decided to build a small house where he could retire to conduct research and audience. Below the castle of Venus, on a rocky plateau, a small rectangular Moorish-style house was erected. A round tower with battlements was built next to it. Today, most of the towers and the castle of Pepoli (Castello Pepoli) in need of serious restoration.
Church of St. John the Baptist
The oldest Catholic church of Erice is located on the eponymous square on San Giovanni Street. It was erected in 1339, and over time underwent a series of powerful transformations. So, for example, in the 17th century, the building was greatly expanded. As a result, only portals dating from the 15th century are preserved in their original form. The church (Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista) is decorated with sculptures by artists from the Gagini family (Gagini) They depict Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist.
St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church (Chiesa di San Pietro) is located east of the Cathedral along Guarnotti Street. The construction of the temple was begun in 1365 at the behest of Pope Urban V. In the mid-18th century, the building underwent a massive reconstruction. The sculptures of Saints Peter and Paul dating back to the 16th century have survived to this day.
Ettore Majorana Science Center
However, a walk in Erice can not only take you far into the past, but also show how Sicily is involved in solving the problems of the present. After all, exactly in Erice is the Ettore Majorana Science Center. The congresses of scientists taking place in it and the discoveries made by them strongly affect our planet.
However, the premises in which the scientific center was located were far from always close to science. Much earlier it was the church of San Domenico. And only in the 60s of the last century, it was decided to place an international science center in the building. They decided to dedicate it to a native of Catania, who was successfully engaged in research from the field of physics, Ettore Majorana.
Today, in the building that used to be a church, the Erice Award Ceremonies for a significant contribution to science are being held. Russian scientists also managed to receive this award. The most famous of them are Sergey Kapitsa and Andrey Sakharov. Even Pope John Paul II received a prize for supporting scientific work. He personally came to the ceremony, leaving as a souvenir an autograph that is still kept in these walls.
City Museum named after Antonio Cordici
It is worth seeing the city museum named after Antonio Cordici, located in the city hall. It presents collections of archaeological finds dating back to the 5th century BC, paintings and sculptures. I would especially like to note the marble composition "Annunciation" by the master Antonello Gagini (Antonello Gagini), dating from 1525 and a small head from the statue of Venus.
The municipality is located on Umberto I Square (Piazza Umberto, I).
The museum is open from Monday to Thursday from 8-30 to 17-00 (break from 13-30 to 14-30). Friday from 8-30 to 13-30. Free admission.
City walls
Not bad preserved in Erice and the city walls. They are also called Elimo-Phoenician or Punic. They were erected from the 8th to the 3rd century BC. e. For a while they completely covered the city from the northeast. This was the only side that could be attacked. Today you can still see the Phoenician inscriptions preserved on the walls. Later, already under the Normans, the walls were equipped with watch towers and a pedestrian path.
It was possible to climb the wall along steep steps. Additional openings allowed residents of the city and helped to supply the city with supplies. You can walk along the wall between two of the three city gates of Porta Spada and Porta Trapani. By the way, it was near Port Spada after a popular uprising in the 13th century that the Anjou rulers of the city were executed.
If, for example, Palermo or Catania, were to some extent influenced by urbanization, then Erice retained the atmosphere of the Middle Ages. And neither factories nor high-rise buildings violate it. The unique town acts today as a single attraction.
How to get there
The nearest village from which you can quickly get to Erice is the port city of Trapani. The distance between them is only about 15 kilometers. But do not forget about the narrow mountain serpentine characteristic of Sicily. If your vestibular apparatus is strong, then the road will give you a lot of impressions. Climbing the steep slopes, the track winds all the time, allowing you to enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the coast.
- Read about the villa of our friends Mario and Antonella on which we stop several times a year, as well as about our trips to the island of Favignana from Trapani.
If you do not have a car, then the bus on Erice leaves from Trapani from the port area (No. 21, No. 23). Information on public transport is available at www.trapaniwelcome.it.
If the mountain roads are not your joy, then you should use the services of the cable car. The only inconvenience of this option is the weather. The funicular does not work in bad weather. You can check the working hours of the cableway in advance on the website: www.funiviaerice.it.
Spending more than one day in Erice is difficult. But skipping this city while traveling in Sicily will be an irreparable loss.
It is so different from other cities on the island that it resembles a fragment of the past, lost in time. It is easy to make a respite from the daily hustle and breeze and enjoy the silence and the feeling of time stretching.
And the views from the viewing platforms are simply unbelievable. Standing above, you can enjoy the view of the sea, merging with the sky at the horizon.And clouds were swirling underfoot at that time, justifying the name “cities on clouds”.
