Church of San Giuliano

According to tradition, the Church of San Giuliano was founded around 1070 by Count Roger I following the Norman conquest of western Sicily. Although its earliest history remains uncertain, it is regarded as one of Erice's four historic parish churches. Between 1612 and 1615 the medieval building was almost entirely rebuilt to create the larger three-aisled church seen today, reflecting the renewed prosperity of Erice during the early 17th century.

The church combines architectural features from several periods. Its Renaissance entrance portal survives from an earlier phase of the building, while the elegant Baroque bell tower was completed in 1770. Inside, the church preserves a number of important works of sacred art, including the Misteri, sculptural groups depicting the Passion of Christ that play a central role in Erice's Good Friday celebrations. Adjacent rooms are dedicated to the traditional art of ceroplastics, displaying finely crafted wax models that continue a centuries-old local artistic tradition.

In 1926 part of the church collapsed, forcing its closure for almost eighty years. An extensive programme of structural restoration led to its reopening in 2005, preserving one of Erice's oldest religious buildings for future generations. Today the Church of San Giuliano remains both an active place of worship and an important monument illustrating the architectural and devotional history of medieval Erice.