Erice is a small town at the extreme north-west corner of Sicily, on the top of a mountain (751 m. above sea level) about 12 km from the seaside and 96 km from Palermo
The town overlooks the city of Trapani ,and the low western coast towards Marsala. Monte Cofano and Capo San Vito, to the north-east, and the Aegadian Islands on Sicily's north-western coast are also visible from the town.
Erice originated as a settlement of the Elymians, a population originally from Asia Minor which arrived in Sicily and settled some of the island's western regions around 1200 BC. During the same period the Sicels colonised the northeastern part of the island; both coexisted with the native Sicanians. During the Greek domination most of the Elymians, including those of Segesta assimilated culturally with the Greeks. Evidence suggests that the Elymians of Eryx, however, assimilated more readily with the Punic culture of the Carthaginians. Erice was known in antiquity as Eryx, and was famous throu Because of its long history, the town has an exceptional number of palaces and churches, as well as convents and cloisters. Although the town is primarily medieval in character, ancient remains include cyclopean walls with Phoenician inscriptions (Photo 5 – but I don’t have one) and fragments of the celebrated temple. There are two castles that remain in the city: Pepoli Castle , which dates from Saracen times, and the Venus Castle, dating from the Norman period, built on top of the ancient Temple of Venus, where Venus Ericina was worshipped. Ecclesiastical architecture is not absent from Erice. The principal church is the Chiesa Matrice (1314), with a portico from 1426 and a detached tower from 1312
Due to its altitude, the town’s atmosphere is often much cooler than the valley, and Erice offers a much wanted relief during the hot days of summer. There are plenty of restaurants in which food typical of the Trapany province is served. The menus include pasta, lots of fish (octopus salad, stuffed sardines, grilled swordfish or tuna) and the occasional couscous dish, a salute to the city Arab past.
A recent article on Erice and its surroundings is available by clicking on More on Erice history and food can be found here: http://www.msadventuresinitaly.com/blog/2007/11/05/erice-sicily-and-le-genovesi/ or here: |
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ghout the Mediterranean for the temple of Venus Erycina, which grew out of a local Greek cult of Aphrodite. In the First Punic War, Eryx fell to the Carthaginians, and in 260 BC Hamilcar destroyed it. In the following years it was much contested by Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans. In 831 Eryx was conquered by the Arabs during their drive toward Palermo and other parts of western Sicily, and was renamed Gebel Hamed (Mountain of Hamid). It was ruled by Arabs until the Normans took over and in 1167 was renamed by the Normans Monte San Giuliano. This name remained until 1934, when it was given back to its original Latin name.
