The Annunziata's Monumental complex

The Annunziata's monumental complex is situated in Gaeta in "via Annunziata 21" established in the 1325 and subsequently, in the same place, was built the hospital in 1355.

The Annunziata's monumental complex is a public charity and assistance institution known with the acronym IPAB.
The IPAB and "Opere Pie" form the cultural tradition of our country and they are an essential part of the social tissue that, throughout the centuries, allowed many citizens to gain different experiences.
These institutions date back to the Middle Ages as associations and they are devoted in rescuing the poor and the needy. Since the XIV century several charity institutions were founded that operated overall the city, trying to satisfy the needs of the poor. The SS Annunziata of Gaeta and its extraordinary complex occupies a significant role in the nation’s history. Since the church was built in 1321 it was believed to be an orphanage(in fact there is the "ruota degli esposti") and a hospital to cure the sick, in particular the poor, who did not have the possibility to be cured. The hospital took care of all the sick people of the city and also of the foreigners. Today it is valuably considered a Museum (fig.5) and an Art Gallery(fig. 3 and 4), it was built in the 1355 as we can see from the foundation stone of the hospital (fig.2). Over the centuries, the great room of the hospital underwent radical transformations adding the pavilion vault supported by stylish elevated capitals of the Renaissance. In the XVII century the windows on the street side were redesigned and probably around the XVIII century the gallery was built with the below cells that were made to offer some privacy to the poor (fig 4). From the gallery, which was used as aisle during crowded periods, it was also possible to access to the surgery room and to the hospital department. From the beginning the “famous Hospitale” was managed by two doctors: a surgeon and a physician that was helped by a barber-surgeon and some nurses. In the XVII century the doctors were three. The chief was the “Mastro di Casa “ that was also priest in charge to celebrate the mass at the altar for the sick “ibidem existente”(fig 12). In the period of foundation the wooden crucifix was built on the wall in front of the alter (fig 6). In 1617 the municipal administration, in order to ensure a better hospital service, called to the city the "Cammillians” or also known as the “Ministers of the sick” that were part the Roman catholic religious order founded by San Camillo De Lellis. They were paid 300 ducats to help and take care of the sick at home and at the hospital. The hospital continued exercising its activities for all the 1800’s and part of the 1900’s but at the half of the century it closed down. Today the Museum and the Art Gallery offer exhibitions and perform some activities to enhance the country’s cultural heritage with the help of high school and university students.

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Main entrance door of the Monumental SS Annunziata

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Foundation stone of the hospital "Anno Domini MCCCLV inceptum fuit hoc Hospitale die inditione"

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internal view of the hospital

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space reserved for the sick , now is an Art Gallery

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gallery,of the hospital , now is a Museum with an Archeology section

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altar on the gallery

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wooden crocifix

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medical records of the nineteenth-century

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medical instrumentations of the nineteeth-century

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  • Photos by Armando Di Bello ti.liamtoh|olleb.id-odnamra#| (November 2013)

Bibliography

  • Paolo Capobianco,"istituto della SS Annunziata attraverso i secoli", Gaeta 1987
  • Beatrice Locci,"il Complesso Monumentale della SS. Annunziata di Gaeta", Gaeta 2012

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