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

Gaztelugatxe is a stunning islet on the coast of Biscay in the Basque Country, Spain. It is 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

Let’s have a lek, see?
Apr. 5, 2024The Bahamas

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep. 24, 2024Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland
Aug. 2, 2025Petroglyphs near Fruita in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States
Apr. 6, 2025Yellow warbler
Mar. 9, 2024Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico, USA
May 11, 2024World Migratory Bird Day
Apr. 1, 2024April Fools Day
Oct. 24, 2024Bodie State Historic Park, California, United States
Nov. 4, 2025Tower Bridge, London, England
Apr. 5, 2024The Bahamas
What are they celebrating?
We’ve made it to Halfway Day!
A road not for the faint of heart
May 22, 2025International Day for Biological Diversity
Jun. 15, 2024International Surfing Day
Jan. 29, 2026Milwaukee City Hall, Wisconsin, United States
Dec. 8, 2024Notre-Dame reopens
Jan. 17, 2025World Pizza Day
Jun. 11, 2024A group of Southern gemsbok in the savannah, Botswana
Jan. 12, 2026Eurasian otter and pup, Estonia
Poetry in suspense
Apr. 4, 2024Red lechwe, Okavango Delta, Botswana
Dec. 15, 2025Spiegelgracht canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Apr. 27, 2025Coastal redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
If given Menton, make lemonade
Dec. 29, 2024Borobudur temple, Java, Indonesia
Feb. 2, 2026Groundhog Day
Jun. 2, 2024Annas hummingbird
Jul. 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park
Jul. 8, 2025Seceda, Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy
The sea pool of Penzance