Gaztelugatxe islet at sunset, Basque Country, Spain Apr 5, 2025

Gaztelugatxe islet at sunset, Basque Country, Spain

Gaztelugatxe is a stunning islet located on the coast of Biscay in the Basque Country, Spain. It"s famous for its dramatic scenery and the small hermitage, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, dedicated to John the Baptist at its peak. The hermitage, which dates back to the 10th century, has been rebuilt several times due to damage from battles and fire. Today"s building is perched atop the islet and is accessible by a narrow path that includes 241 steps. It"s a popular pilgrimage site and visitors often ring the church bell three times and make a wish. According to legend, John the Baptist himself set foot on the islet. The views from the top offer panoramic vistas of the rugged coastline and the Cantabrian Sea. Gaztelugatxe gained international fame as a filming location for the TV series "Game of Thrones", where it served as Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen.

© Eloi_Omella/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Apr 5, 2024The Bahamas
Apr 5, 2026Lake Gentau in the French Pyrenees

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 18, 2024Pont Alexandre III, Paris, France
Mar 26, 2025Manatee in Crystal River, Florida, United States
Mar 5, 2025Khao Sok National Park in Thailand
Dec 17, 2024Reine, Norway
July 20, 2026Moon and Earth captured by the Artemis II crew
Jun 17, 2024Green-crowned brilliant
Feb 4, 2025Golden Bridge, Bà Nà Hills, Da Nang, Vietnam
Apr 30, 2025Iguazu Falls seen from Paraná, Brazil
Sep 29, 2025Rainbow houses, Netherlands
Feb 21, 2024Horsetail Fall, Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Aug 8, 2024Spotted owlet, Bangkok, Thailand
June 10, 2026Hnausapollur crater lake, Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Iceland
Mar 6, 2026The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
Jan 28, 2026Whanganui National Park, Retaruke, New Zealand
Jul 4, 2025Orosei, Sardinia, Italy
Jan 29, 2024Golling Waterfall, Salzburg, Austria
Oct 21, 2025Cap dAntibes, Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur, France
Feb 19, 2024Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
Jan 31, 2025Plains zebras, South Africa
Nov 20, 2025Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil
Apr 13, 2024Apple trees in spring, Germany
Jan 6, 2026Nuuk, Greenland
Mar 24, 2026Königssee Lake, Bavaria, Germany
Feb 9, 2026Amur leopard cat, Russia
Jan 27, 2025Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
Oct 8, 2023Veined octopus
Dec 31, 2023Phra Nakhon Khiri, Thailand
Aug 30, 2023Whale shark, Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
July 6, 2026Syracuse, Sicily, Italy
Nov 28, 2023Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, Canada