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Discovering the Historical and Cultural Centre of Gaeta: from ducat coins to masterpieces
Housed in the ancient Hospital of the Santissima Annunziata (Most Holy Annunciation), the Centro Storico Culturale of Gaeta is the city's principal museum. Within its walls, the Pinacoteca Comunale (Municipal Picture Gallery) stands alongside a remarkable archaeological and medieval collection. This place tells the story of the city through unique exhibits — from the coins of the Duchy to Baroque canvases — offering a comprehensive perspective on the evolution of the territory.
A journey from ancient Rome to the Middle Ages
The exhibition route begins with finds from the Roman era, including fragments of sigillated ceramics and glassware. Yet it is the medieval section that holds a true gem. Here visitors can admire the "follari", copper coins minted by the autonomous Duchy of Gaeta in the 10th and 11th centuries, testament to a past of great prestige and independence.
Great paintings, from the Gothic to the Baroque
The heart of the collection is the picture gallery. It opens with late-Gothic works — such as those by Giovanni da Gaeta, after whom the centre is named — before moving on to the great masters of the 17th and 18th centuries. The rooms house canvases by painters of the calibre of Luca Giordano, Sebastiano Conca and Giovan Filippo Criscuolo, brought from the churches of the city and the surrounding area.
