Skellig Michael is the site of a monastic settlement that dates back to the 6th-century. Christian monks settled on Skellig Michael around 588AD and they stayed there until around the year 1100AD. The monastery consists of a small enclosure of stone huts and oratories. Today, these are still standing and are in remarkable condition considering their age. Then, in the 16th and 17th centuries, during the penal times, numerous Catholics found refuge on the island. Today, it is the most westerly sacred site in Europe and it attracts thousands of pilgrims each year.