Prizzi

Prizzi is a town and comune of 5,711 inhabitants in the Italian Metropolitan City of Palermo, on the island of Sicily. It is located 84 km (52 mi) south of the city of Palermo at an altitude of 1045 m (3,428 ft) above sea level on a hill in the upper valley of the River Sosio. Prizzi is surrounded by the comuni of Campofelice di Fitalia, Castronovo di Sicilia, Lercara Friddi, Palazzo Adriano, Vicari, and the city of Corleone.

Prizzi Greek: Pyrízo
Comune
Comune di Prizzi
Coat of arms
Location of Prizzi
Prizzi Location of Prizzi in Italy Show map of Italy Prizzi Prizzi (Sicily) Show map of Sicily
Coordinates: 37°43′N 13°26′E
Country	Italy
Region	Sicily
Metropolitan city	Palermo (PA)
Frazioni	Filaga
Government
• Mayor	Comparetto Antonina
Area [1]
• Total	95 km2 (37 sq mi)
Elevation	1,045 m (3,428 ft)
Population  (31 December 2010)[2]
• Total	5,152
• Density	54/km2 (140/sq mi)
Demonym	Prizzesi
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	90038
Dialing code	091
Patron saint	St. George
Saint day	23 April
Website	Official website

History

Traces have been found of a small Elymian settlement, called Hippana or Hyppana, dating from the 8th-6th centuries BC on the nearby Montagna dei Cavalli. This settlement was later rebuilt in the 4th century BC, by Hiero I of Syracuse, and subsequently inhabited by Carthaginians, Greeks, Arabs, and Romans. Hippana has the highest altitude Greek theater known in Sicily. The ancient town of Comiciana was probably nearby. The town of Prizzi is thought to have been constructed by the refugees of a Roman invasion,^[3] but it is better documented to have at least pre-existed the Saracen invasion, when it was controlled by the Byzantines prior to the Arab conquest. The name Prizzi derives from the Greek Pyrizo, meaning "incendiary"^[4] as in the context of sending smoke signals, referring to its origin as an important point for fighting off enemy invaders in Sicily. The present town, of Norman origin, was a fief of Guglielmo Bonello. In 1150, it passed to the Cistercian Monastery of Sant'Angelo. Between the 13th and 15th centuries, control of the town was disputed by various lords until it finally fell to the Bonanno family, whose fief it was until 1812.

The town is known for its Easter celebration, U Ballu dei Diavoli, or, in Italian, Ballo dei Diavoli.^[5]

Climate

Climate data for Prizzi (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	7.6 (45.7)	7.9 (46.2)	10.9 (51.6)	14.3 (57.7)	19.7 (67.5)	25.1 (77.2)	28.4 (83.1)	28.5 (83.3)	22.9 (73.2)	18.6 (65.5)	12.9 (55.2)	8.7 (47.7)	17.1 (62.8)
Daily mean °C (°F)	5.1 (41.2)	5.1 (41.2)	7.4 (45.3)	10.4 (50.7)	15.2 (59.4)	20.1 (68.2)	22.9 (73.2)	23.3 (73.9)	18.6 (65.5)	15.0 (59.0)	10.1 (50.2)	6.3 (43.3)	13.3 (55.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	2.6 (36.7)	2.2 (36.0)	4.0 (39.2)	6.5 (43.7)	10.7 (51.3)	15.0 (59.0)	17.4 (63.3)	18.0 (64.4)	14.3 (57.7)	11.4 (52.5)	7.3 (45.1)	3.9 (39.0)	9.4 (48.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	98.8 (3.89)	76.5 (3.01)	80.3 (3.16)	66.0 (2.60)	37.8 (1.49)	21.4 (0.84)	16.0 (0.63)	24.2 (0.95)	77.9 (3.07)	102.2 (4.02)	107.5 (4.23)	111.5 (4.39)	820.1 (32.29)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm)	10.2	9.1	8.3	7.4	4.2	2.2	1.4	2.0	7.1	7.9	9.8	12.0	81.6
Average relative humidity (%)	77.7	74.5	69.8	64.2	59.1	52.2	51.9	53.6	66.5	70.1	75.8	78.9	66.2
Average dew point °C (°F)	0.7 (33.3)	−0.3 (31.5)	0.4 (32.7)	2.0 (35.6)	4.3 (39.7)	6.5 (43.7)	9.7 (49.5)	10.3 (50.5)	10.3 (50.5)	7.9 (46.2)	4.3 (39.7)	2.0 (35.6)	4.8 (40.7)
Source: NOAA,[6] (Dew Point for 1981-2010)[7]