San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Spain | Stepping Stone
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is an islet on the coast of Biscay belonging to the municipality of Bermeo, in Basque Country, Spain. It is connected to the mainland by a man-made bridge. On the top of the island stand a hermitage the named called Gaztellugatexek Doniene ins Basque, dedicated to John the Baptist, that date from the 10th century, although discoveries indicates that the date might be the 9th century. The hermitage is accessed by a narrow path, crossing the solid stone bridge, and going up 237 steps, nobody really knows how many exactly According to legend, after the slightly strenuous climb to the top of the crag one should ring the bell three times and make a wish. The best season to visit are spring and autumn, to enjoy the peace of the setting, as summer s are typically crowded. Etymologically the word Gaztelugatxe comes from the Baxque gaztelu = castel and aitz = rock or crag, forming crag of the castle. Another possible translation of gatxe is bad this would means bad castle.
The small church, which is usually closed, dates from the 10th century and seems to have come from the Knights Templar. In the year 1053 it was donated, by don Inigo Lopez Lord of Biscay, to the monastery of San Juan de la Pena Near Jaca in Huesca. Medieval burials from the night and twelfth centuries have been found on the esplanade and in the hermitage. In 1593 it was attacked and sacked by Francis Drake. Among other incidents, it has caught fire several times. On November 10. 1978, it was destroyed in one such fire. Tow years later, on June 24, 1980 it was re-inaugurated. The hermitage belongs to the parish of San Pelayo in Bakio. the hermitage also houses votive offerings from sailors who survived shipwrecks. First Image Credit Daniel Zudaire Araiz
Image Credit Jose Mª Rada
Image Credit GOIENAko argazki lehiaketa
Image Credit Antonio Prado
Image Credit Jon González
Image Credit pablo feo
Image Credit Jon González
Image Credit Aitor Garcia Viñas
Image Credit Adolfo Martínez López
Image Credit German Vidal
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Spain
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Spain | Stepping Stone
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe is an islet on the coast of Biscay belonging to the municipality of Bermeo, in Basque Country, Spain. It is connected to the mainland by a man-made bridge. On the top of the island stand a hermitage the named called Gaztellugatexek Doniene ins Basque, dedicated to John the Baptist, that date from the 10th century, although discoveries indicates that the date might be the 9th century. The hermitage is accessed by a narrow path, crossing the solid stone bridge, and going up 237 steps, nobody really knows how many exactly According to legend, after the slightly strenuous climb to the top of the crag one should ring the bell three times and make a wish. The best season to visit are spring and autumn, to enjoy the peace of the setting, as summer s are typically crowded. Etymologically the word Gaztelugatxe comes from the Baxque gaztelu = castel and aitz = rock or crag, forming crag of the castle. Another possible translation of gatxe is bad this would means bad castle.
The small church, which is usually closed, dates from the 10th century and seems to have come from the Knights Templar. In the year 1053 it was donated, by don Inigo Lopez Lord of Biscay, to the monastery of San Juan de la Pena Near Jaca in Huesca. Medieval burials from the night and twelfth centuries have been found on the esplanade and in the hermitage. In 1593 it was attacked and sacked by Francis Drake. Among other incidents, it has caught fire several times. On November 10. 1978, it was destroyed in one such fire. Tow years later, on June 24, 1980 it was re-inaugurated. The hermitage belongs to the parish of San Pelayo in Bakio. the hermitage also houses votive offerings from sailors who survived shipwrecks. Like Us and Join us at Xtreme Collections for more fun and knowledge.
San Juan de Gaztelugatxe Bizkaia (VIZCAYA)
07.08.2012
The Basque coast is rough in this area. The sea ceaselessly erodes the rocky coast creating tunnels, arches and caves. The island of Gaztelugatxe is in the center of this section of coast next to the small Aketze island (Island of Rabbits) a paradise for marine birds.
Next to the hermitage there is a small shelter that lets people take refuge from the wind and picnic surrounded by the sea views.
The hermitage is accessed by a narrow path, crossing the solid stone bridge, and going up 237 steps (other sources cite the number as 229 or 231). According to legend, after the slightly strenuous climb to the top of the crag one should ring the bell three times and make a wish.
The hermitage[edit]
The small church dates from the 10th century and seems to have come from the Knights Templar. In the year 1053 it was donated, by don Iñigo López Lord of Biscay, to the monastery of San Juan de la Peña near Jaca in Huesca. Medieval burials from the 9th and 12th centuries have been found on the esplanade and in the hermitage.
In 1593 it was attacked and sacked by Francis Drake. Among other incidents, it has caught fire several times. On November 10, 1978, it was destroyed in one such fire. Two years later, on June 24, 1980 it was re-inaugurated. The hermitage belongs to the parish of San Pelayo in Bakio.
The hermitage also houses votive offerings from sailors who survived shipwrecks. (
GERMAN Language
Gaztelugatxe ist eine zum spanischen Baskenland (Provinz Bizkaia) gehörende Insel im Golf von Biskaya, die unmittelbar vor der Felsenküste der Costa Vasca zwischen den Orten Bakio und Bermeo liegt.
Die Insel ist etwa 270 Meter lang und maximal 80 Meter breit. Sie ist mit einer kleinen Steinbrücke mit dem rund 200 Meter entfernten Festland verbunden. Auf dem höchsten Punkt der Insel (50 Meter über Meeresniveau) steht das ehemalige Kloster San Juan de Gaztelugatxe (bask. Gaztelugatxeko Doniene), zu dem eine heute noch von der Pfarrgemeinde St. Pelagius in Bakio genutzte kleine Kirche gehört. Um zu der Einsiedelei zu gelangen, muss man, nachdem man die heute dammartig unterbaute Brücke überquert hat, 237 Stufen einer in den Fels gehauenen Treppe heraufsteigen, bis man die Kirche erreicht. Die Felsinsel wird von mehreren unterirdischen Gängen durchzogen und besitzt zahlreiche, zum Teil ausgebaute Höhlen.
Die Kirche wurde 1053 gestiftet und die Anlage diente im 12. und 13. Jahrhundert vermutlich dem Templerorden als Rückzugsort. Das später von Eremiten bewohnte Kloster wurde 1593 von englischen Freibeutern unter dem Kommando von Francis Drake überfallen und geplündert. Ein Jahr später wurde der Stützpunkt von Hugenotten aus La Rochelle erneut angegriffen und, nachdem der Wächter und einzige Inselbewohner, ein Einsiedler, getötet worden war, geplündert und gebrandschatzt. Das Kirchlein der verlassenen Einsiedelei diente in späterer Zeit als Seefahrerkapelle. 1978 fiel die Anlage einem von Unbekannten gelegten Feuer zum Opfer. Die Kapelle wurde zwei Jahre später wieder eingeweiht.
Gaztelugatxe hat sich in jüngerer Zeit aufgrund seiner verwunschenen und romantischen Lage zu einem beliebten Ausflugsziel und zur Touristenattraktion entwickelt. Die Felsstrände der Insel mit ihren zahlreichen Vorsprüngen, Unterwasserhöhlen und torartigen Felsformationen werden gern von Tauchern frequentiert. (Quelle:
Zikloia-San Pelaio Bakio bidetik, piñue bide erdien