Erice
Erice
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|---|---|
| Città di Erice | |
Erice and the Castle of Venus, with Trapani and the Tyrrhenian coast beyond. | |
Location of Erice | |
| Coordinates: 38°2′13″N 12°35′11″E / 38.03694°N 12.58639°E | |
| Country | Italy |
| Region | Sicily |
| Province | Trapani (TP) |
| Frazioni | Ballata, Casa Santa, Crocefissello, Napola, Pizzolungo, Rigaletta, San Cusumano, Torretta |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Daniela Toscano |
| Area | |
• Total | 47 km2 (18 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 751 m (2,464 ft) |
| Population (31 December 2023) | |
• Total | 26,441 |
| • Density | 560/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Ericini |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 91016 |
| Dialing code | 0923 |
| Patron saint | Maria Santissima di Custonaci |
| Saint day | Last Wednesday of August |
| Website | Official website |
Erice (Italian: [ˈɛːritʃe]; Sicilian: Èrici [ˈɛːɾɪʃɪ]) is a comune (municipality) contiguous with the provincial capital Trapani, in western Sicily. Its historic core occupies the site of the ancient city of Eryx, one of the most significant archaeological and religious centres in pre-Roman western Sicily.
Located on the summit of Monte Erice, the city developed around a site that later became a prominent religious and military stronghold for the Carthaginians and Romans. It retains its medieval layout and architecture, with few modern interventions, and occupies a natural vantage point that historically offered strategic control over the Strait of Sicily and the western coastline.
The municipality includes both the hilltop centre and a number of modern lower districts, some of which extend to the Tyrrhenian coast, as well as small agricultural frazioni (hamlets) on the surrounding foothills.
Erice is a member of I Borghi più belli d'Italia (The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy), an association that recognises towns of notable historical and architectural interest. It has at times been mentioned in the local media as a potential candidate for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.