The Chiesa di San Giuliano dates from 1070, and is one of the oldest churches in the city.

The Castello di Venere, or the Castle of Venus, dates from the 12th century.  It was built on the site of a Phoenician-Roman temple to Venus, which was in ruins, at the time of the castle’s construction.  The towers, at the sides of the castle, are known as the Torri del Balio.

In the park area surrounding the castle, you will find a monument to Nunzio Nasi, an Italian politician who served as president of the province of Trapani.  After serving in different political offices in Rome, Nasi was accused of embezzlement, at which time he fled to France.  When he returned in 1907, he was sentenced to eleven months in prison, as well as being barred from holding public office for a period of four years and two months.  The people of Trapani believed him to be innocent of his charges, and so, they continuously elected him to the Chamber of the College of Trapani, only to have the election be overturned each time.  Nasi returned to politics in 1912.  The faith the people of the area had in him is evidenced by the monument erected in his honor, here in Erice.

Nearby, you will find a monument to Giuseppe Coppola, who was born in Erice, in 1821.  Coppola was one of the most influential members of the Trapani Revolutionary Committee, and led the assault on the Castle of Trapani in 1848.  Imprisoned because of his political beliefs, he was released in 1860, only to continue the fight by reorganizing the Anti-Bourbon Resistance.  Coppola took part in the Battle of Calatafimi, on May 15th, 1860, before joining Garibaldi in Palermo.  Coppola eventually retired in Erice, where he died in 1902.

A plaque marks the house where the priest, Giuseppe Vito Castronovo, was born in 1814.  In addition to his religious work, Castronovo wrote a five-volume history of Erice, a city he loved, and of which he was proud, to call his own.

Temptation got the best of us, and at one point, we had to go into one of the local bakeries, to sample some of the freshly baked sweets.

For our last dinner in Erice, we chose the small restaurant, Il Galletto Ericino.  We had a wonderful meal, with delicous dishes, a great local wine, and to top it all off, the owner of the place pulled out his guitar, and sang for us!  It was a fun end to an interesting stay, in a fascinating mountaintop town!

The plate of freshly smoked fish was not only delicious, but was also quite nicely presented.

 

Next up: We head to our last stop on Sicily, the small city of Carini!

 

<em>Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Erice, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!</em>