Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain
Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia, Spain (© Eloi_Omella/Getty Images)
A Catalan cliffhanger
Perched on the edge of a basalt cliff, a town peers at the river running below. Today's image takes us to Castellfollit de la Roca in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain. This town is not for the faint-hearted: there's a 48-metre drop down to the Toronell and Fluvia Rivers, which converge at the base of the cliff. Many of the buildings, which are made of the same basalt that the town stands on, seem to teeter on the edge of the precipice. Pictured at the end of the crag is the 13th-century church of Sant Salvador. Although eruptions ceased some 11 millennia ago, the area is still considered seismically active. In 1428, a major earthquake struck the area, which was felt in Barcelona more than 80 kilometres away. Today, it's a serene haven for trekkers, akin to the trails of the Western Ghats, inviting enthusiasts to explore volcanic vistas untouched by time.
© Eloi_Omella/Getty Images