Gerace is a small  town in the Calabria region of Italy, more precisely in the province of Reggio Calabria. The town is located a few kilometers from Locri and Reggio Calabria, on top of a hill which is made from sea fossils and is believed to have formed 60 million years ago. Gerace is spread over an area of 24 sq km and has a population of close to 3000.

It is believed that the region has been inhabited since Neolithic times and traces of the Sicels’ presence have been found in the area. The town later became a Roman military settlement.  During the 6^th century, Gerace became an important town for religious, military and administrative purposes and was known as Santa Ciriaca.