This wonderful place in the Basque Country that has recently been used by Game of Thrones for the filming of its next season, is one of those beautiful places in the world, which should not be missed if you visit Northern Spain, or more exactly the Basque Country. San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, whose name means “castle in the rock” in Basque (“gaztelu” = castle + “aitz” = rock) is a very small island situated near Bermeo, which is a traditional fishing village.
The beautiful walk down the hill, across the causeway and up to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, with its 241 steps, is an adventure that will undoubtedly be rewarded by the impressive views it has. Once there, you will find a small church which is said to be dedicated to John the Baptist. Although not proven, it has been said that he even set foot on the island. The church has a bell situated along the front of its facade. According to the legend, after you have completed the climb, you should ring the bell three times and make a wish.
The ocean at this point can be particularly rough and the waves crash hard against the rocks of the island, adding beauty to this spot.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is connected to the mainland by a man-made neck of land over which there is a stone causeway, topped by a narrow path containing more than two hundred steps, which zigzags its way back and forth to the top.
The church on top of the island is not the original. Over the centuries the church has burned down and been rebuilt several times. It is believed that the first hermitage that existed here was erected in the 9th century. In the 12th century, it became a monastery. However, two centuries later, the monks abandoned it taking with them everything of value.
In the past San Juan de Gaztelugatxe has been used for strategic purposes as a defensive area for the lords of Biscay. It was used as a bastion against the King of Castile, Alfonso XI.
In 1596, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe was attacked again, this time by Sir Francis Drake and his corsairs. They plundered everything they found and killed the hermit that was living there by throwing him off a cliff to the rocks and water below.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe also played a role, albeit small, during the Spanish Inquisition. Witches and their ritualistic meetings known as Akelarre in Basque, make up a part of the Basque mythology. For this reason, the Catholic Church focused much of its time during the times of the Inquisition on hunting for witches in the region. Several accounts seem to indicate that many of the accused were locked up in the caves of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe.
This little island that has seen pirates, witches and legends, deteriorated over the years and finally in 1886 it was demolished and rebuilt. Unfortunately, during the demolition process, all of the artifacts found in the ground, such as coins and cannon balls, were thrown into the sea.
