Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
|
The
Remarkable Historic Old Town of Gaeta, Italy
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
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Italian coastal
towns have
experienced the gamut.
Because having a
viable port cuts both ways, these towns were able to take advantage of sea merchant
trading making their communities rich and profitable.
But that same harbor made
them vulnerable to invasion - which happened over and over again throughout
history.
Today's historic Old Town
in Gaeta shows the evidence of these invasions by the ruins and architecture
left behind.
Take a look.
Billy and Akaisha
We are standing in front of one of the many
Medieval wooden doors found in Gaeta.
They are made with thick wood, huge
nails and have tiny windows to catch the view of the person knocking on the outside.
These doors are also tall, and in many cases
tall enough for a man on a horse to ride through.
Do you have any of these in your
neighborhood?
Probably not!
The Villa Cisterns of the Empress Faustina
These Villa Cisterns are believed to have
been part of a luxurious Roman villa that belonged to Faustina the Elder, who
was the mother of Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
The villa was likely used as a summer
residence due to its location along the coast.
The block squares from another angle
This large underground cistern was used to
collect and store water for the villa.
The cistern has an intricate system of arches
and chambers that allowed rainwater to be collected and stored for domestic use.
The Romans were famous for their urban
planning, engineering and water management techniques.
Beautiful wall
Look at this beautiful wall with the
individually cut stones laid at an angle to create a diamond pattern. The bottom
is a curved framework, showing skill and artistry.
And to think these walls are hundreds and
hundreds of years old.
Believed to be part of a
larger villa, these walls were unearthed in the late 1950's.
Another look
As you can see, this wall goes up for several
levels and the rounded brick and stone layers took precision to make.
Impressive!
A fortress
Because Gaeta has served as both a trade
center and as a military base for centuries, this fort was built in 1737 when
the House of Bourbon arrived in the Kingdom of Naples.
The modern roadway that you see here today
was blocked by a massive wall with five cannons at the top.
House of Bourbon fort
The massive walls that connected the fort on
both sides was a major artificial barrier to those who wanted to besiege Gaeta.
These continuous walls that went all the way to
Monte Orlando and the many cannons that sat atop them made Gaeta practically
impenetrable.
By 1860, there were 390 cannons that lined
this wall.
An elaborate window frame
I would love to know the full stories of what
went on in these fortresses and villas.
This elaborate window frame shows the
artistic wealth in this location at that time.
The Sanctuary of the Most Holy
Annunciation on the hill looking out
Further down the road from the Medieval fort
and the Roman cisterns is this Sanctuary built around the 10th to 11th
centuries. It looks
down upon the town and out onto the Gulf of Gaeta, part of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
According to local
tradition, the sanctuary was founded to commemorate a miraculous event in which
the Virgin Mary appeared to a local fisherman, guiding him safely to the shore
during a storm. The
current structure that you see underwent significant renovations and
expansions over the centuries.
A close up of the Sanctuary
This Sanctuary is still actively used for
worship and Holy Mass.
It serves as a hub for the local Catholic
community and remains a destination for pilgrims and visitors who come to seek
spiritual solace.
The Palace of Culture
A beautiful side view of the Sanctuary, with
the Palace of Culture building underneath.
Historic residences and buildings
All along Gaeta's waterfront, there are
several historic residences and buildings that have been repurposed as
restaurants, cafes, shops, hotels and galleries.
These buildings often showcase a mix of
architectural styles, including medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque influences.
Walking along the waterfront is a gentle
artistic experience with nature on one side and history on the other.
The Civic Gallery of Modern Art
Amid all these Medieval and Roman ruins, some
of the buildings have been updated for modern day activities.
This waterfront gallery is dedicated to
showcasing modern and contemporary artworks.
The collection includes works by both Italian
and international artists.
The Angevin-Aragonese Castle
This castle is a historic fortress that
overlooks the town of Gaeta and the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Over the centuries it has
undergone various modifications and renovations, and today it's a popular
tourist attraction.
Can you imagine living in a place like this?
The origins of the castle
date back to ancient times, but it's current form started to take shape during
the medieval period. The Lombards, Normans, and then the Angevin dynasty all
controlled this place.
The Angevins were a French royal house that
ruled over the Kingdom of Naples.
But then, as life comes and goes and with
various conflicts and changes in power, in the late 15th century, the castle
came under the control of the Aragonese dynasty, which was of Spanish origin.
It saw involvement in
battles during the Napoleonic era and the struggles for Italian unification in
the 19th century.
The Italian unification
changed southern Italy's financial future to this day.
View of the Sanctuary from down the harbor
walk
This view shows you a bit more of the
waterfront walk, looking back at parts of the Old Town.
Hard to imagine the battles that went on
here, when the sea is so calm. There's no trash on the street, the beautiful
mountains rest in the distance, and cafes and restaurants line the other side of
the sidewalk.
Cafe waitress and Akaisha
Speaking of which,
here is a little cafe
where we sat to soak up the view and digest all the history we just walked
through.
You can see the classic buildings behind us
painted in those lovely pastel colors. The harbor is to the right of the photo,
and this morning there was a group of motorcyclists who parked their bikes and
came here for their morning espresso.
Just another beautiful day in Southern Italy!
For more stories, photos and videos of
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About the Authors
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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