Gaztelugatxe
| Gaztelugatxe | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Waters | Atlantic Ocean | |
| Geographical location | 43 ° 26 '50 " N , 2 ° 47' 7" W | |
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| length | 270 m | |
| width | 80 m | |
| Highest elevation | 50 m | |
| Residents | uninhabited | |
Gaztelugatxe is an island in the Spanish Basque Country (province of Bizkaia ) in the Bay of Biscay , which lies directly in front of the rocky coast of the Costa Vasca between the towns of Bakio and Bermeo .
The island is about 270 meters long and a maximum of 80 meters wide. It is connected to the mainland about 200 meters away by a stone bridge. At the highest point of the island (50 meters above sea level) stands the former monastery of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe ( Basque Gaztelugatxeko Doniene ), to which a small church still belongs to the parish of St. Pelagius in Bakio. To get to the hermitage, after having crossed the bridge, which is now built like a dam, you have to climb 237 steps of a staircase carved into the rock. The rock island is traversed by several underground passages and has numerous caves, some of which have been developed.
The church was donated in 1053 and in the 12th and 13th centuries the complex probably served as a retreat for the Knights Templar . The monastery, later inhabited by hermits , was raided and looted by English privateers under the command of Francis Drake in 1593 . A year later the base was attacked again by Huguenots from La Rochelle and, after the guard and only islander, a hermit, was killed, looted and burned. The little church of the abandoned hermitage later served as a sailors' chapel. In 1978 the facility fell victim to a fire set by unknown people. The chapel was rededicated two years later.
Gaztelugatxe has recently become a popular destination and tourist attraction due to its enchanted and romantic location. The rocky beaches of the island with their numerous protrusions, underwater caves and gate-like rock formations are popular with divers.
The island is one of the filming locations for the TV series Game of Thrones .
Picture gallery
General view of the island
The bridge between the mainland and the island
Exterior of the church
Choir of the church
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung of December 16, 2010, page title: Reiseblatt, p. R4, ring three times for a request
- ↑ http://www.goettinger-tageblatt.de/Nachrichten/Medien/Fernsehen/Game-of-Thrones-Zu-Besuch-in-Drachenstein