© Shutterstock

Valerio Ricetti -

An apprentice stonemason from Italy moved to Australia in 1914 to escape the war. Story has it that he lost all his money in a brothel shortly afterwards.

© Public Domain

Valerio Ricetti -

Broke, he then moved to a cave near the town of Griffith, which he called Hismia Sacra Collina (“My Sacred Hill”). There he built a number of things, including a small chapel. Ricetti, or "The Hermit of Griffith" as he became known as, lived in the cave for around 23 years. Then World War II broke out and he was taken to a prisoner-of-war camp by the Australian government for suspicions of espionage. He died in Italy in 1952.

© Public Domain

Richard Proenneke -

The American naturalist lived alone in this remote cabin in Twin Lakes, Alaska, for 30 years.

© Public Domain

Richard Proenneke -

Richard Proenneke moved into the cabin after serving in the Navy during World War II. A book went on to be published based on his journals.

© Public Domain

Elysee Villatte -

Also known as "France's Robinson Crusoe," Villatte claimed to not have seen a doctor for over 40 years. He used to live in a small town, not far from Pillac, France. Villatte passed away around August 5, 1965 (his body was only found days later).

© Getty Images

James Lucas -

After his mom died, "Mad Lucas" barricaded himself in his mansion near Redcoats Green in Hertfordshire, England. Lucas became known as the "Hermit of Redcoats." He died in 1874.

© Public Domain

Manfred Gnädinger -

A German man named Manfred Gnädinger moved to Camelle, Spain, in 1962, where he became famous for his sculpture garden made of stones and other materials. Gnädinger was known to wear just a small loin cloth, and nothing else.

© Shutterstock

Manfred Gnädinger -

People would often visit his sculpture garden.

The German hermit/artist died shortly after a massive oil spill struck his stone garden. He was 66.

© Getty Images

Maxime Qavtaradze -

Maxime Qavtaradze is a Georgian monk who lives in a small cottage atop of the Katskhi pillar in the country of Georgia.

© Shutterstock

Maxime Qavtaradze -

He moved to the tall limestone monolith in 1993, and only comes down from it a couple of times a week or so. This takes him about 20 minutes each time.

© Shutterstock

Simeon Stylites -

But Maxime Qavtaradze is not the only man to have lived atop a pillar. Syrian Christian ascetic Simeon Stylites lived on top of one for 37 years.

© Getty Images

Simeon Stylites -

Known as stylites, or pillar hermits, these men used to live on top of pillars, where they would pray and fast. Simeon Stylites is a saint venerated by the Roman Catholic Church, as well as by both the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches.

© Getty Images

Julian of Norwich -

Julian of Norwich was an anchoress from the Middle Ages. An anchorite or anchoress is someone who withdraws from secular society for for religious purposes. It is believed that she isolated herself to escape from the Plague. Julian of Norwich famously authored the first book ever written by a woman in English.

© Getty Images

Julian of Norwich -

'Revelations of Divine Love' was the name of the book. It was first published in 1670 and it detailed the visions Julian had of Jesus, and all the revelations that came with them.

© Public Domain

Julian of Norwich -

Because of her visions of Jesus, people would seek her for spiritual guidance. But despite receiving visitors in her cell, Julian still lived a pretty reclusive life.

© Public Domain

Pope Celestine V -

Pietro del Morrone was living as a hermit when he was forced to step into the papacy in 1292.

© Getty Images

Pope Celestine V -

Before then, he used to live in a cave and practice mortification of the flesh. He was the founder of the Roman Catholic monastic order the Celestines.

© Getty Images

Despina Achladioti -

Despina Achladioti was a a Greek patriot born in 1890. She became known as the "Lady of Ro," after moving to a desert islet with the same name (pictured).

© Getty Images

Despina Achladioti -

Achladioti moved to the islet close to Kastelorizo with her husband and mother before World War II. But they eventually died and she lived there alone for the rest of her life. Every day, Despina Achladioti would raise the Greek flag, making her a symbol of Greek patriotism.

© Shutterstock

Despina Achladioti -

It is worth noting that the Dodecanese islands, of which Ro is part, were controlled by Italy at the time, during the war, and were controlled by Greece.

© Public Domain

Father Dario Escobar -

The Colombian priest became a Maronite monk and moved to the Our Lady of Hawka Monastery, in the Qadisha Valley, in North Lebanon. Escobar is said to be one of the last hermits left in Lebanon.

© Getty Images

Józef Stawinoga -

Also known as Fred, this homeless man from Poland lived for over 40 years in a tent on the Wolverhampton Ring Road in the West Midlands, England. Stawinoga passed away in 2007.

© Public Domain

Brendon Grimshaw -

In the early 1960s, a newspaper editor from England bought Moyenne Island. In 1973, he moved to the small island off the coast of Seychelles, where he planted thousands of trees and cared for giant tortoises. He did such a great job that the island was declared a national park in 2008.

© Getty Images

James McRory Smith -

For 30 years, Smith lived in a remote shepherd's bothy at Strathchailleach in Sutherland, near Cape Wrath in the Scottish Highlands.

© Getty Images

James McRory Smith -

The former Black Watch soldier from Dumbarton, Scotland, used to walk 26 miles (41.8 km) to the nearest town when he needed to buy anything.

Sources: (Ranker) (Listverse) (Express & Star) (Amusing Planet)

© Getty Images