Pepoli Castle

Erice, Italy

Therea re two castles in Erice, Pepoli Castle, with foundations dating from Arab times, and nearby Venus Castle, dating from the Norman period. Surrounded by a lush park, the hilltop castles alone are worth a stop in Erice, which offers charming old stone streets and several medieval churches. Pepoli Castle was at first a feudal stronghold, though Erice was eventually ceded to the Crown as a demesnial city. The view from the castle towers is stupendous. Though both castles have been modified somewhat over the centuries, they still have that distinctively medieval character one expects of such fortresses. Pepoli Castle is now a hotel.

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Address

Viale Nunzio Nasi 7, Erice, Italy
See all sites in Erice

Details

Founded: 10-11th century AD
Category: Castles and fortifications in Italy

More Information

www.bestofsicily.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Erice Cathedral (0,6 km)
San Giuliano Church (0,2 km)
Trapani Cathedral (7,6 km)
Venere Castle (0,1 km)
San Giovanni Church (0,2 km)
Madonna of Trapani (4,7 km)
Agostino Pepoli Regional Museum (4,6 km)


Segesta Temple (23,6 km)
Segesta Greek Theatre (24,6 km)
Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta (33,4 km)
Ligny Tower (8,4 km)
Motya (21,6 km)
Selinunte (54,7 km)
Castle of the Counts of Modica (33,5 km)
Salemi Castle (30,4 km)
Lilibeo (29,8 km)

User Reviews

Dan M (10 months ago)
Don't expect a huge or amazing piece of architecture, but as almost everywhere in Erice expect beautiful landscapes, which is why you shouldn't miss this it, it would be too bad. You will reach this place by walking the streets of this village and then finally get there, at the end of the village. You can also go straight from the Cable car by taking the southern street boarding the village till its end. You'll reach then 4 nice places: the Gardens of Balio, the Castello del Balio o Pepoli, this Torretta Pepoli and last the Castello di Venere. You'll have the opportunity to admire stunning landscapes spreading maybe up to hundred kilometers around. It is actually really beautiful and probably this should be more the purpose of this trip than visiting the village itself.
Ecuadorianbus Charter (10 months ago)
Pitty it was closed on our visit begining of marsh. We confess the westher was some windy and chilly but would have apreciatedca visit. From the outside it was looking atractive, specialy for my 13 years old son!
Miha S (10 months ago)
Good view from here
Ksay shade of (2 years ago)
Interesting architecture of this house. The best views on it - is from the mountain above it.
Richard Attoe (2 years ago)
Erice is a lovely hilltop village to walk around with stunning far reaching views. Lots to see and a few shops and nice restaurants. Free parking in low season. A must visit if you near.
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Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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