Church of San Giovanni Battista in Erice
The Church of San Giovanni Battista di Erice rises on the edge of the east side of the urban center in a panoramic position of particular beauty. It overlooks Piazza San Giovanni towards Castelletto Pepoli and the ruined Jewish quarter.
The church was founded in an unspecified period, we only have news of its existence since 1339. From historical sources it is known that, from 1430 to 1436 it was rebuilt at the expense of the brothers: the works involved the partial rotation of the orthogonal axis, so that the eastern portal in the late light mountain style which then constituted the main entrance to the church, became the secondary one. It was rebuilt a second time, in order to expand it, between 1631 and 1672, when the dome was built with this date engraved on it. The construction of the bell tower remained unfinished. In 1798 it was completed with the stucco decorations spread over the internal vestments.
The church has a double façade and the high wall that characterizes it culminates in a large and splendid dome. The primitive east portal , which became secondary after the rotation of the axis, is marked by an ogival shape typical of the Chiaromontano style , with multiple rings or more levels of splayings, decorated with zig-zag elements and preceded by a monumental fan-shaped staircase. The façades are rather simple in the texture of the local stone, with the sole evidence of pilasters, arches and cornices of the bell tower.
The interior has a rectangular basilica plan with a single nave, with a domed transept and a square apse. Four large arches characterized by pilasters frame as many chapels along the main sides of the nave. Two rectangular chapels placed on the sides of the capodicroce form the ends of the transept.
Inside the Church of San Giovanni Battista you can admire a sculpture depicting San Giovanni Evangelista by Antonino Gagini and a statue of San Giovanni Battista by Antonello Gagini .
