Gaeta

Gaeta
Comune
Comune di Gaeta
Gaeta's historic quarter from Monte Orlando.
Gaeta Location of Gaeta in Italy
Coordinates: 41°13′N 13°34′E / 41.217°N 13.567°E / 41.217; 13.567
Country	Italy
Region	Lazio
Province / Metropolitan city	Latina (LT)
Frazioni	Arenauta, Ariana, Fontania, Porto Salvo, Sant'Agostino, Sant'Erasmo, San Vito, Serapo
Government
• Mayor	Cosmo Mitrano (PdL)
Area
• Total	28.48 km2 (11.00 sq mi)
Elevation	2 m (7 ft)
Population (9 October 2011)
• Total	20,762
• Density	730/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Gaetani
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	04024
Dialing code	0771
Patron saint	Saint Erasmus
Saint day	2 June
Website	Official website

Gaeta (Italian pronunciation: [ɡaˈeːta]; Latin: Caieta, Ancient Greek: Καιέτα) is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Rome and 80 km (50 mi) from Naples.

The town has played a conspicuous part in military history: its fortifications date back to Roman times, and it has several traces of the period, including the 1st-century mausoleum of the Roman general Lucius Munatius Plancus at the top of the Monte Orlando.

Gaeta's fortifications were extended and strengthened in the 15th century, especially throughout the history of the Kingdom of Naples (later the Two Sicilies). Present day Gaeta is a fishing and oil seaport, and a renowned tourist resort. NATO maintains a naval base of operations at Gaeta.

It is the ancient Caieta, situated on the slopes of the Torre di Orlando, a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Gaeta was an ancient Ionian colony of the Samians according to Strabo, who believed the name stemmed from the Greek kaiétas, which means "cave", probably referring to the several harbours. According to Virgil's Aeneid (vii.1–9), Caieta was Aeneas’ (another legend says Ascanius') wet-nurse, whom he buried here.