If there’s any part of the world that wears its
past with pride, it is Gibraltar. That’s right: not only does a Gibraltar holiday at
this time of year bring you plenty of sun, sea and sand, but you’ll also have
plenty of historical attractions to see when you come away from the beach and
start exploring the rest of the territory. Here at Visit Gibraltar (http://www.visitgibraltar.gi), we can
help you to get to grips with some of that history.
Of course, Gibraltar is utterly dominated by
the Rock of Gibraltar itself, which was formed, into pretty much the shape with
which we are familiar today, some 200 million years ago by a massive upheaval
of the earth. It was in prehistoric times that there was a collision between
earth’s plates that formed Africa and Europe, resulting in the forcing up from
the sea of a massive lump of Jurassic limestone that then flipped over. That’s
why Gibraltar’s top ridge is made from millions of compressed seashells – it
was once a long way below the sea.
Rainwater subsequently filtered through the
cracks in the Rock, leading to the formation of one of the major focal points
of Gibraltar tourism today: St Michael’s Cave. The Rock of Gibraltar may have
more than 150 caves, but this is one of the most visited, with almost a million
people showing up here every year. In the 19th century, it was used
for the likes of picnics, concerts, weddings and even duels, while it has even
been used for military purposes. Today, the largest chamber is used as an
auditorium, with many guided Gibraltar
tours focussing on Lower St Michael’s Cave.
Speaking of the territory’s former status as a
fortress, those interested in Gibraltar
breaks are also likely to be enchanted by the Great Siege Tunnels, also
known as the Upper Galleries. These tunnels in the northern end of the Rock
were dug out of the solid limestone by the British, during the late 18th
century Great Siege of Gibraltar. Today, they can be accessed as part of the
Upper Rock Nature Reserve, where visitors can find probably the territory’s
most famous residents: the Barbary macaque monkeys. Despite being so strongly
associated with the longstanding period of British rule, these monkeys were
actually here long before 1704, when Britons first captured the territory.
you certainly won’t forget the UK’s continuing influence on your holidays in Gibraltar
with classic red phone boxes and post boxes being joined by double decker buses
and the Queen’s head on the currency notes. There is also still a Royal Navy
base, despite wholesale military withdrawals after the border was reopened in
the 1980s. And of course, there is also the fact that English is widely spoken
in Gibraltar. Here at Visit Gibraltar (http://www.visitgibraltar.gi
we reckon that makes a break in this part of the world especially welcoming for
the widest range of international travellers!