The gardens take their name from the Bajulo, a magistrate who represented the sovereign authority following the Norman conquest of southern Italy. The Bajulo resided in what is now known as the Balio Towers (Torri del Balio), which also served as a gatehouse to the nearby Castle of Venus (Castello di Venere).[1][2]
The gardens are sited on 6 hectares of land surrounding the towers, previously used for grazing.[1] At an elevation of approximately 750 metres, they overlook the Strait of Sicily and much of what is now Trapani province.
The Balio Gardens were created in 1872 by Count Agostino Sieri Pepoli who leased the Balio Towers and grazing land from the city in exchange for restoring the towers and developing a public garden.[1]
The gardens were designed in an English garden style, featuring Mediterranean and exotic plants, paths bordered by Buxus sempervirens hedges, and areas of woodland.[3][4]
Features
Key features in the gardens include:
Fountains: The Fountain of Venus and the Bee (1933), and the Fountain of the Eye, located at the centre of a parterre.[4]
Pepoli Turret (Torretta Pepoli): A neo-Gothic folly, originally created by Count Pepoli as a place for contemplation, set on a rocky platform to the east of the gardens.[1][5]
Monuments: Busts of Giuseppe Coppola (patriot and civic leader) and Nunzio Nasi (politician and educator), as well as a Monument to the Fallen, commemorating those lost in war. In August 2020, a bronze bust of Giuseppe Pagoto (1875–1971), an Erice-born educator and historian, was added to the collection.[6]
Site map of Balio Gardens (Giardino del Balio) and surrounding historical features in Erice, Sicily.
Restoration
The gardens were restored and enhanced between 2019 and 2024, following the allocation of €1.6 million in funding secured by the municipality of Erice.[7][8]
The project, led by Vincenzo Giacalone and landscape architect Pietro Pio Pedone, focused on improving biodiversity, removing invasive species, and enhancing visitor accessibility.[9][10][11][12]
References
1 2 3 4 Tusa, Matteo (2017). Erice: Planning for Life. Erice: Self-published.
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