Balio Towers
The Balio Towers are a group of medieval fortifications located in the historic city of Erice, Sicily.
Situated at the summit of Monte Erice, the towers once served as a key defensive outpost overlooking the surrounding countryside and the Strait of Sicily. Today, they are among the most recognisable landmarks of Erice and one of its most frequently photographed sites.
The Balio Towers served as the civic and administrative heart of medieval Erice, effectively functioning as the town hall. They marked the end of the town’s principal thoroughfare, the Royal Road, and stood at the centre of civic life. The name “Balio” likely derives from the bajulo, a medieval official who administered royal justice and taxation.
History
The Balio Towers were originally constructed during the period of the Normans. They may date to the same era as the bell tower of the Chiesa Matrice near Porta Trapani, which tradition attributes to King Frederick III of Aragon during his stay in Erice amid the siege of Trapani in 1314–1315. An Aragonese coat of arms remains visible on the curtain wall near the west entrance, suggesting significant royal involvement or later restoration during the Aragonese period.By the 18th and 19th centuries the towers’ military role had diminished, while their civic and administrative functions became more prominent. By the mid-19th century the towers no longer met the needs of the city’s expanding municipal administration. Around 1861 the municipal offices moved from the towers to the new Palazzo Municipale on Piazza della Loggia, which was enlarged in 1874–75 by incorporating the adjacent Palazzo dei Marchesi Pilati.
As the towers fell into disuse, the surrounding land was leased for grazing, and the site entered a period of neglect. In 1872, Count Agostino Sieri Pepoli initiated a major restoration effort. With his financial backing and architectural guidance, and in cooperation with Mayor Luciano Spada, the towers and fortifications were restored. The area—described at the time as “a very bad note of filth and ruin”—was transformed into a landscaped English-style garden, now the Balio Gardens, which remains under municipal care.