Discover Gaeta
The Turk's cave
One of the most enchanting places in Gaeta.
Along the staircase that leads into the depths of the mountain, along the narrow rock fissure, on the right, you can see a Latin inscription and above it, a handprint impressed in the rock. According to legend, it belonged to a Turkish sailor who, as a non-Christian, was skeptical about the sacred origin of the mountain's fissures. As soon as he boldly placed his hand on the rock, it instantly melted according to tradition.
sanctuary ss.ma annunziata and golden chapel
On 2 May 1321, the bishop of Gaeta authorized the construction of a hospital with an adjoining church-ward, although the church of the Santissima Annunziata and the hospital were founded in 1320. Consecrated on 11 May 1354, the church became solely a place of cult since the 17th century, decorated with works by Andrea Sabatini and other artists. The golden chapel is incorporated inside the Annunziata establishment and overlooks Via dell'Annunziata with a baroque portal.
In the 20th century, despite the wars, the masterpieces of the church and chapel survive, including the organ. In 2009, the church became a sanctuary and twinned with Lourdes.
san francesco's temple
The Temple of San Francesco in Gaeta was founded by Francis of Assisi in 1222 as a small convent with chapel, located outside the city walls. The construction of a larger church began in 1283 thanks to donations from Charles II of Anjou and was completed in the 14th century. The Gothic church, characterized by a vast nave and side chapels, became an important place of worship for the local community. Over the centuries, the complex underwent various restoration interventions, including a significant one in the 1850s under Pope Pius IX and Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies, who transformed the building into a neo-Gothic style. Used as a military hospital during the Napoleonic period, the church fell into decay until being restored again in the 20th century. After various interventions, the church was reopened to the public in 2008 and remains a historical and cultural point of reference in Gaeta.
Angevin castle
The Gaeta Castle, also known as the Angevin-Aragonese Castle, is one of the symbols of the town that closes the Tyrrhenian gulf of the same name, a few kilometers from Latina. Built from the 6th to the 7th century AD after the first invasions of the Goths, the imposing fortress which dominates the city from above has been expanded over the centuries and today presents itself to its visitors as two communicating structures dating back to different times.
The Angevin wing, the lower one, dates back to the period of Angevin domination, more precisely to the reign of Charles of Anjou and until a few years ago it was the seat of the Military Prison of Gaeta. The highest part, the Aragonese wing, was built by Emperor Charles V with the aim of strengthening the military defense of the area. The Carabinieri Student School had its headquarters here until the end of the Second World War, while today it houses the Mazzini barracks of the Guardia di Finanza Nautical School.
