Page 107 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sicily

NOR THWESTERN SICIL Y  105

del Municipio (town hall), VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
which houses the Polo
Museale A. Cordici. Practical Information
Road map A2. * 25,000.
E Polo Museale A. Cordici n Viale Conte A. Pepoli 11 (348-
Via V. Carvini. Tel 3465-773 550. 691 2335). ( Mon. _ Misteri
Open Apr–Oct: 10am–6pm daily (to (Good Fri), Estate Ericina (Jul–Sep).
8pm summer); Nov–Mar: 10am–4pm Transport
Sat & hols; weekdays by appt. @ 16 km (9 miles) from Trapani.
∑ fondazioneericearte.org/ Cable way Erice–Trapani (0923-
museocordici.php 869 720/569 306).
This museum features finds from
the necropolis, coins, terracotta
items and a small head of
Venus. Some rooms also exhibit
vestments and old paintings
and sculpture such as the
Annunciation, a marble group
by the artist Antonello Gagini.
The austere exterior of the Chiesa Madre
in Erice R San Pietro
Via Filippo Guarnotti.
R Chiesa Matrice Founded in the 14th century in
Piazza Matrice. Tel 0923-869 123. the middle of Erice, this church
Open Mar: 10am–4pm; Apr–Jun: Oct: was rebuilt in 1745, and a fine
10am– 6pm; Jul & Sep: 10am–7pm; Baroque portal added. The
Aug: 10am–8pm; Nov–Feb: nearby convent is now one of
10am–12:30pm. & the bases for the Polo Museale
This church was built in 1314 A. Cordici. This centre, founded
and is dedicated to Our Lady of in the early 1960s to honour the Impressive Baroque interior of San
the Assumption. brilliant Sicilian Martino church
The austere scientist Ettore
façade has a Majorana who buildings on the square. The
portico with disappeared in church was begun in 1080 by
pointed arches myster ious Roger I but was radically altered
surmounted circumstances in the 1600s. It was closed when
by a beautiful before World the vault caved in on the central
rose window; Plaque commemorating the Sicilian War II, runs section of the nave; now
it faces the scientist Ettore Majorana courses and restored, the church is used as
detached conferences a cultural and artistic centre.
campanile with double lancet on subjects from medicine to
windows, which was built as mathematical logic. The centre R San Giovanni Battista
a lookout tower. The interior makes use of abandoned buil- Piazzale San Giovanni. Tel 0923-869
was drastically restored in dings such as the former 123. Open only for events.
1865, and little remains of its convents of San Domenico, This white-domed church is
original look. San Francesco and San Rocco. the largest and probably the
oldest in Erice, despite the
P Corso Vittorio Emanuele P Via Generale Salerno many alterations that have
The corso (main street) in Erice This street, with its noble changed its appearance. The
begins at Porta Trapani, one palazzi, connects Corso Vittorio last refurbishing phase took
of the three gates through the Emanuele with the castle area. place in the 1600s, when the
massive city walls, and goes Immediately to the left is San nave was totally rebuilt.
uphill. The street is lined with Martino, a Norman church with The church is now used
Baroque patrician houses and a Baroque portal and interior, only as an auditorium, but
tempting pastry shops selling where there is a fine 17th-century interesting works of art remain.
local specialities. wooden choir. The sacristy These include the statue of
To the left is San Salvatore, takes you to the Oratorio dei St John the Baptist by Antonio
which once had a monastery Confrati del Purgatorio, built in Gagini, who came from a family
annexe and boasts a 15th- Rococo style, with a carved altar of sculptors and whose work is
century portal. At the end of decor ated with gilded stucco. the first example of Renaissance
the corso, formerly called Via Further along the street is art in Sicily. The 14th-century
Regia, is Piazza Umberto I, San Giuliano, which looks over frescoes come from the
redesigned in the 19th a square made more spectacular deconsecrated church of Santa
century, and the Palazzo by the pink colour façades of the Maria Maddalena.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp202–3 and pp211–13

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