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The Montagna Spaccata and the Grotta del Turco at Gaeta: Faith, Legend, and Saracen Pirates
On the headland of Monte Orlando, in the Riviera di Ulisse Regional Park, the Montagna Spaccata (the Split Mountain) is one of the most unusual sites on the Lazio coastline. Three vertical fissures leave the limestone cliff plunging sheer to the sea: according to tradition, they opened up at the moment of Christ's death. Here, in the 11th century, Benedictine monks founded the Sanctuary of the Most Holy Trinity, which still welcomes pilgrims and visitors today.
The Hand Imprinted in the Rock
Descending the stairs that cut through the central fissure, one can see the so-called Mano del Turco — the Turk's Hand: five fingers pressed into the rock face. According to the legend, a Saracen sailor, sceptical of the miraculous origin of the split, placed his hand against the rock, and felt it soften beneath his fingers. Geologists refer instead to a karst phenomenon, caused by the flow of rainwater.
The Chapel Suspended Over the Sea
In 1434 a boulder broke away from the wall and became wedged between the two faces of the fissure, around 40 metres above the sea. The Chapel of the Crucifix was built on top of it, and it is still accessible today.
The Pirates' Cave
The Grotta del Turco takes its name from the Saracens who, in the 9th and 10th centuries, used this cavity as a base for coastal raids, until their defeat at the Battle of Garigliano in 915. Since 2025 it has been open to visitors again, after ten years of closure, via the 275 steps descending towards the sea.
