Monte Cassino & Its Abbey

Monte Cassino & Its Abbey

One hour's drive inland from Gaeta lies the town of Cassino and its famous abbey which was the site of one of the most vicious battles during WWII. After the Italians capitulated in September 1943, German troops constructed the Gustav Line anchored on Cassino which stopped the the allied advance for four months in early 1944. The Abbey of Monte Cassino, on it's hilltop perch at 517 meters above sea level was heavily damaged during the battle but has been restored, mainly with American donations.

The Abbey was founded by the order of St. Benedict (San Benedetto) as this Saint dedicated all his life for its construction. His tomb is still today an example of inspiration for the Christianity. The Abbey was meant to isolate the order of St. Benedict from the rest of the world as they had to be totally devoted to their cult and prayers. Most of their time was spent to copy an incredible number of ancient sacred manuscripts by hand. Famous centre of religious, spiritual and artistic life throughout the manifold vicissitudes of its 14 centuries of history, the Abbey was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Destroyed around 581 by the Lombards, it was rebuilt in the VIII century and a period of great splendor began and lasted until 883, when the Saracen hordes devastated it again, even killing the Abbot St. Bertario. In 1349, a violent earthquake razed it to the ground, but only after a few years it was rebuilt again regaining its previous admirable beauty which, unfortunately, was not meant to last forever.

The 1944 battle was the most recent destruction of the abbey. As a result of all these destructions and re-buildings the monks of the Abbey wrote the motto "Succisa virescit" (Struck down it comes to new life) in their coat of arms. After the visit of the Abbey, the cloisters, the crypt and the famous church, guests will return to the coaches for their drive back to Gaeta.

Notes: Comfortable shoes are recommended for this Land Adventure. Please avoid: wearing improper clothes (minishorts, low-necked dress for women, minishorts and t-shirts with no sleeves for men); Writing on the walls or everywhere else (you can record your signature in a register which is provided in the waiting room, opposite the information office); Taking photography with flash; Smoking or eating inside the Abbey.

A minimum participation is required to operate all Yachting Land Adventures and some have limited capacity. All adventures and prices in the SeaDream Yachting Land Adventures program are subject to change. Not all of the land adventures shown will be offered on all voyages and departure times are subject to change. Final pricing and departures times will be published onboard.

Port: Gaeta

Duration: 4 hours

Current Price: 129 USD