Gerace

Gerace (Italian pronunciation: [dʒeˈraːtʃe]; Greek: Ierax, Gerakion) is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy. Gerace is located some 10 kilometres (6 mi) inland from Locri, yet the latter town and the sea can be seen from Gerace's perch atop a 500-metre (1,600 ft) vertical rock. The town stands on a hill formed of conglomerates of sea fossils from 60 millions years ago.

History

The name of the city derives from the Greek ierax (ιέραξ) ("sparrowhawk"). According to a legend, the inhabitants of the coast, fleeing from a Saracen attack in 915 CE, were led by a sparrowhawk to the mountains commanding the area of Locri, and here they founded the city. Archeological findings showed that the area was in fact inhabited since the Neolithic Age; also traces of Sicel presence have been found.

Later, even during the highest splendour of Locri, the hill was inhabited and was later the site of a Roman military garrison. After the Byzantine reconquest of Italy (6th century), the town became an administrative, military and religious capital under the name of Santa Ciriaca.

Gerace (river)

Coordinates: 38°13′N 16°15′E / 38.217°N 16.250°E / 38.217; 16.250

The Gerace is an Italian river in whose source is near the source of the Petrace river in the Aspromonte National Park. From there, the river flows southeast past Gerace and into the Ionian Sea near Locri.

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