Carmine Gate of Erice
The Porta Carmine di Erice is the median door between the three existing doors and maintains its medieval appearance despite the various renovations it has undergone over time. The gate, bordered to the west by a pine forest, looks out over Piazza del Carmine from which five urban streets originate and overlooked by the Chiesa del Carmine and the Palazzo Militari.
Its origin seems to be traced back to the period between 'Norman period, when the city was fortified, and the 14th century, when the city flourished again. The megalithic structure of the base of the gate and of the lateral bastions reveal an ancient origin, but the presence of the round arch, unlike the pointed arches of the other two city gates, tends to place it closer to the 14th century.
Above the arch there is a large spherical niche which houses a headless limestone statue depicting Sant'Alberto, datable inside to the 17th century. This detail gives the door importance making it one of the main access points of the city . The Porta del Carmine is the only one to have a brush bastion and an adjacent square within the walls itself.
