Gauzon Castle is a medieval fortress ruin perched on the Asturian coast near Castrillón, in northern Spain, overlooking the Bay of Biscay. The site is believed to date at least to the tenth century, when — according to tradition — King Alfonso III used it as a royal workshop, and an inscription on the Cross of Victory records that the cross was gilded and jeweled here in 908 AD. Ongoing archaeological excavations have pushed that occupation history back further, with pottery evidence suggesting the hilltop promontory may have been in use as early as the sixth or seventh century. Today visitors encounter the eroded stone foundations of the castle complex alongside active dig areas, making it as much a living excavation site as a historical ruin. Gates drove roughly 30 miles north of Oviedo to reach the castle, investigating whether physical evidence at Gauzon could corroborate the legendary origin of the Cross of Victory — one of Asturias' most sacred relics.
Earliest estimated occupation of the Gauzon hilltop site, suggested by pottery evidence uncovered during modern excavations
According to the Cross of Victory inscription, the cross is gilded and decorated with gemstones at Gauzon Castle under King Alfonso III
Carbon dating of charcoal from smelting remains places a metalworking workshop at Gauzon in the period consistent with the cross's creation
Josh Gates visits Gauzon Castle during filming of Expedition Unknown Season 12, Episode 6, consulting with archaeologist Alejandro Garcia on the site's excavation findings
Archaeologist Alejandro Garcia, who was working at Gauzon Castle to reconstruct the site's history and its connection to the legendary King Pelayo, spoke with Gates directly on camera. Garcia expressed unusual confidence for an archaeologist when asked whether the cross was genuinely gilded at Gauzon: 'In this case, we are confident.' That confidence rests on a convergence of physical evidence — recovered gemstones matching those on the Cross of Victory, the remains of smelting fires consistent with a metalworking workshop, and carbon dating of associated charcoal placing that workshop activity squarely in the tenth century, precisely when the cross is said to have been created.
The Cross of Victory itself is held at the Cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo and bears an inscription recording its completion in 908 AD under Alfonso III. The Gauzon excavations appear to offer rare archaeological corroboration for a claim usually treated as pious tradition. The discovery that gemstone types and shapes from the dig site match those on the cross is the kind of material link that mainstream archaeology takes seriously, though excavation reports and peer-reviewed publication of these findings would be needed to draw firm conclusions — details the episode does not fully address.
Perhaps more significant in the long run is what the earlier pottery evidence implies. If Gauzon was occupied as early as the sixth or seventh century — well before Alfonso III's reign — the castle may have roots in an Asturian political and military landscape that is older and more complex than the historical record suggests. This aligns with a broader scholarly interest in reassessing early medieval Iberian kingdoms, whose sophistication is sometimes underestimated in popular accounts shaped by the later Reconquista narrative.
Gates' episode contributed a vivid, accessible account of an active excavation that few outside specialist circles would otherwise encounter. By naming Garcia and grounding the investigation in physical artifacts handled on camera, the episode avoids the speculative leaps common to lesser archaeology programming. What it cannot do — and to its credit does not claim to do — is substitute for formal publication of the excavation's full findings.
The Cross of Victory bears an inscription recording that it was completed in 908 AD — one of the more precisely dated artifacts associated with the early Kingdom of Asturias.
According to the episode, the cross was decorated with 152 jewels when Alfonso III gilded it, a specific detail preserved in historical tradition.
Pottery uncovered at Gauzon suggests the site may have been occupied as early as the sixth or seventh century, potentially predating the castle's association with the Asturian royal dynasty.
Gates drove roughly 30 miles north of Oviedo to reach the castle, situating Gauzon within the broader Asturian landscape tied to the legend of King Pelayo and the Christian kingdoms of early medieval Spain.
Gauzon Castle is generally accessible to visitors as an outdoor archaeological site, though portions of the grounds may be restricted during active excavation seasons — it is advisable to check current local advisories before visiting. The ruins sit on a coastal promontory near Castrillón, Asturias, and the surrounding landscape offers scenic views of the Bay of Biscay.
Avilés, approximately 5–8 kilometers to the east; Oviedo, the regional capital, is approximately 30 kilometers to the south.
Late spring through early autumn (May–September) is generally the most favorable period for visiting northern Spain's Atlantic coast, offering milder weather and longer daylight hours. Asturias is known for rain year-round, so waterproof layers are recommended regardless of season.
La Garma Cave
La Garma Cave is also located in the Cantabrian region of northern Spain and represents another deep investigation into Iberian prehistory and early human occupation, offering geographic and thematic overlap with Gauzon's early medieval mysteries.
Cosenza
Cosenza is associated with the lost treasure of the Visigoths, another Gates investigation into early medieval Iberian and European history where legendary artifacts and royal power intersect — a thematic parallel to the Cross of Victory story.
Rome
Rome features as a Gates investigation site connected to early Christian and medieval European history, relevant context for understanding the religious and political world in which the Asturian kingdom and its sacred relics, including the Cross of Victory, operated.