the discover guide to gibraltar 2013
DESCRIPTION
Tourist guide to Gibraltar, updated each year.TRANSCRIPT
DISCOVERGIBRALTAR
EVERYTH INGYOU NEED TOKNOW ABOUTYOUR VISIT TOG I B R A L T A R
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POCKET GUIDE TO
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Because the Rock of Gibraltarcan be seen for over 100 miles,it has attracted visitors (and
conquerors) since the dawn of time.Neanderthal man made their
home here, and more recently, thePhoenicians and Romans stopped atGibraltar, then the Moors came toconquer the Rock, followed by theSpanish and the British.
All of these groups were impressed by Gibraltar’s strategic locationbetween two continents and joining the Atlantic Ocean to theMediterranean Sea, as well as its imposing appearance and, of course, itssubtropical climate.
As well as the British, Spanish and the Moors, the Genoese, Portuguese,Jews, Maltese and Hindus have also left their mark on Gibraltar.
Today Gibraltar is an important tourist destination, because of itsheritage and history, but also for its shopping and dining.Visitors cantour Gibraltar, visit caves and tunnels, see Barbary Apes roaming freelyon the Upper Rock, as well as dive under the sea and go on dolphinwatching trips.
The book is divided into 4 sections.‘Things to See’ has an A-Z guide to sightseeing, descriptions of
historical buildings and fortifications, churches, caves and tunnels, as wellas information on flora and fauna. Here you will find a list of toursincluding our own do-it-yourself historical walking tour.
‘Things to Do’ is the section for beach goers, yachters, scuba divers,dolphin trippers, anglers, shoppers and for those who enjoy dining out.
‘The Heritage of Gibraltar’ discusses the history of the Rock, majorcultural influences on Gibraltar, and military ceremonies you can watch.
‘Information and Services’ has phone numbers, facts about Gibraltar,and the services you can find here - from beauty salons to medicalservices to offshore financial services to offshore betting and more withthe latest addition of a fold away map.
This edition includes advertisements from businesses interested invisitors to Gibraltar and who offer quality service and products.
We hope you enjoy your visit to Gibraltar.
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Europa PointLighthouse
The Gibraltar Lighthouse,which has stood for over 150years, is 162 feet in height fromthe high water mark to the light.It is perched on the cliffs at EuropaPoint, the most southerly point inGibraltar, where its 3,000 wattlight bulb reaches out 21 miles ona clear night. During a heavy fogit can only be seen for two miles.It is an important navigationalsignal for ships passing through theStrait of Gibraltar between theAtlantic and the Mediterranean.
The foundation stone was laidin 1838 by Lady Dowager QueenAdelaide three years prior tocompletion.In 1994 the Lighthouse,the only one managed by TrinityHouse outside Britain, was fullyautomated.
The Europa Point area is beingrefurbished and converted intoone of Gibraltar’s leading leisurefacilities for the enjoyment ofresidents and tourists.
These improvements are wellunder way, and have alreadyimproved the area visually.
Gibraltar, a CityUnder Seige
This exhibition, located on theUpper Rock, shows what it waslike for the soldiers who lived in
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Europa Point Lighthouse
Gibraltar under siege.There isgraffiti dating back to the 18th
century as well as an old watersystem.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107.
Great SynagogueThe Great Synagogue, located
on, Line Wall Road is one of theoldest in the Iberian peninsula,dating back to 1724. Guided toursof the ‘Flemish’ synagogue,accompanied by a short history ofthe Gibraltar Jewish communitycan be arranged. Tel: (+350)20076477.
Ibrahim-Al-IbrahimMosque
The Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque,also known as the King Fahd binAbdulaziz al-Saud Mosque or theMosque of the Custodian of theTwo Holy Mosques. Located atEuropa Point, this beautiful domedmosque was built in the mid-1990s as a place of worship forGibraltar’s Muslim community. Ithas an impressive tower thatoverlooks the Mediterranean.
Koehler GunThe Koehler Depression Gun
Carriage was designed by Lt.George Koehler R.A. in 1782during the Great Siege (1779-1783) for firing down on the
enemy from the North Face of theRock. It was the first carriage of itstype in the world. Tight waddinghad to be used in the 24 pounderto stop the balls from rolling downthe barrel.
The gun on display outside theTourist Office, at Casemates, waspresented to the City of Gibraltarby the Royal Artillery in April1981 when the regiment wasgranted the freedom of the city.
MediterraneanSteps
Situated on one of thecultivated terraces above Jews’Gate lies the pathway leading tothe Mediterranean Steps. A rightturn through a copse leads to thestart of the walk.
If you park near the lookout, asign on the side of a whitebuilding nearby indicates the wayto the steps.
There are two sections to thewalk. The first part people of all
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Koehler Gun
ages can enjoy as it is an easy trailand only takes five to ten minutes.
From there you cross a stretchof loose rock then come to a set ofsteps going down. The secondstretch, about 3/4 of the walk, isnot extremely difficult but requiresmore effort, especially the climbup to the big guns.
On a hot day it can besomewhat demanding but whenyou reach the end of the climb,where the World War I gunemplacements are, you getspectacular views over the oldwater catchments and up theCosta del Sol.
For those interested in plantsor bird watching, it is an excellentplace to find a variety of specimensof both.
If you walk the full length itwill take about an hour going andto return. A good pair of walkingshoes is required and a cold drinkis recommended.Anyone sufferingfrom vertigo should avoid thiswalk.
The MilitaryHeritage Centre
The Military Heritage Centrelocated on the Upper Rockcontains an interesting variety ofmilitary artifacts housed in gunpositions which pre-date WorldWar I. It is located in PrincessCaroline’s Battery, named after
King George II’s third daughter.The development of Gibraltar’s
military defences through the agesis chronicled and there are manyrelics from when the battery wasin use.The original hoists, used toservice the 6 inch gun that was putin place in 1905, are on displayalong with shells and artefactsfrom the period.Weapons used bythe British army from the time ofthe Great Siege to present day arealso on view.
In the Memorial Chamberthere is the Roll Call of theRegiments that have served inGibraltar since 1704. This displayhonours the men and women whodedicated themselves to servingBritain in the Armed Forces.
Located at this site is an Artsand Craft Centre where souvenirs,paintings and prints are on sale.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107.
MonumentsThe American War Memorial
was erected in 1932 by theAmerican Battle Commission tocommemorate the co-operationbetween the American and BritishNavy at Gibraltar during WorldWar I. Dr Paul Gret, ofPhiladelphia designed the archwaymonument and steps.
The Black Watch Memorialis located at the eastern end ofDevil’s Tower Road. The Cairn
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was erected as a memorial to the4th BN The Black Watch (RoyalHighland Regiment) for theirunrelenting work on the defencesof the north and east sides of theRock from July 1940 to April1943 when the Battalion formedpart of the garrison.
Commonwealth War GravesCommission was established in1917 to mark and maintain thegraves of the members of theforces of the Commonwealthwho were killed in World War Iand to build memorials to thosewho have no known grave. InGibraltar’s North Front Cemeterythere is one plot of land dedicatedto those who died in both WorldWars.
Eliott’s Monument, a columnlocated in Alameda Gardens, isdedicated to General Sir GeorgeAugustus Eliott who defendedGibraltar heroically during theGreat Siege. He was rewarded forhis efforts with a pension of£1,500 a year, was given theOrder of the Bath and the thanksof Parliament. The ceremonies forhis investiture took place at King’sBastion. Four years later he wasgiven a peerage with the titleBaron Heathfield of Gibraltar.
The Queen VictoriaMemorial is situated in Governor’sParade and was unveiled on May24, 1910 by Governor Sir F.W.E.Forestier-Walker. Set on a pillar of
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American War Memorial
limestone the bust is the work ofthe Italian sculptor Lazzarini.
The Sikorski Propeller islocated on Devil’s Tower Rd nearEastern Beach. General Sikorskiwas Prime Minister of Polandduring World War II, andCommander in Chief of the PolishForces in exile. On July 4, 1943 hisLiberator airplane crashed into thesea just after take off from theairport. Sikorski and his daughterboth lost their lives, and her bodywas never found. First LieutenantEdward Pichal, the pilot, was thesole survivor. A monument wasmade from the propeller of theaircraft in tribute to GeneralSikorski, but he is not mentionedon the plaque.
The RookeStatue, locatedalong route fromthe coach parkto Main Streetin honour ofAdmiral SirGeorge Rooketo commemorate300 years ofBritish Gibraltar.
Wellington’sMonument inthe Alameda Gardens is protectedby 18th century mortars and guns.
The monument was raised at acost of a day’s pay by the entiregarrison and from civilianemployees in official employmentand was put in place in 1819 byGovernor Sir George Don. Thebust was cast in bronze from gunscaptured by the Duke.
Nelson Statue, this true tolife size statue,which standsoutside theT r a f a l g a rCemetery hasbeen cast inbronze by thewel l-knownsculptor JohnDoub l ed ay,and containscopper takenfrom HMSVictory.
Sir George Rooke
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Queen Victoria Memorial
The Nelson Statue
Gibraltar MuseumThe Gibraltar Museum is a must
see for any visitor interested infinding out more about the rich andvaried history of this Rock. Thestory of how Gibraltar gained animportance and a reputation farexceeding its size, and how thisinfluenced and shaped thecommunities that came to residehere is told via a series ofinformative galleries that display amultitude of interesting and uniqueartefacts.
Excavations in the Museumgrounds attest to the continuedhabitation of this area by asuccession of cultures. ‘The
Gibraltar Story’ is a 15-minutevideo which provides the visitorwith an overall view of the genesisand evolution of the Rock and itsinhabitants, and the Gibraltariansgallery, with its Maltese-madehorsedrawn carriage continues thistheme. Another gallery based onmaritime themes looks at theRock’s many seafaring visitors,fromearly Phoenician sailors who leftofferings at Gorham’s Cave beforesetting out into the unknownAtlantic Ocean, to the Royal Navyand well-known personalities suchas Admiral Lord Nelson who died atTrafalgar and whose body wasbrought here after that famous sea-
Neanderthal Skull
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battle. Perhaps the most importantand imposing of the exhibits are theremains of a 14th century medievalHammam, or bath-house, being oneof the best preserved remainingmedieval baths in the IberianPeninsula. Another gallery housesthe impressive model of the Rockcompleted in 1865, which showswhat Gibraltar looked like at theheight of the Victorian Empire,when the phrase ‘Strong as theRock’ echoed across the world as astatement of inexpugnability.
A notable period in Gibraltar’shistory is its Great Siege, duringwhich a small Garrison andpopulation held off attacks from thecombined forces of France andSpain for three and a half years, andthere is an entire section of theMuseum dedicated to thisimportant event.
A series of new galleries looks athow, in periods of peacetime duringthe late 18th and 19th Centuries, theRock became a hub of intellectual,cultural and sporting activities.Relics of this ‘age of Empire’include an Egyptian mummy, foundfloating in the Bay after the shiptransporting it sank in the Strait, andof course, the cast of the worldfamous Gibraltar skull belonging toan adult Neanderthal, discovered in1848. Environmental reconstructionsof Gibraltar during these prehistorictimes, and some of the manyartefacts found in subsequent
excavations are on display. Theyattest to the Rock’s internationalstatus as a site of world importancein terms of Neanderthal occupation,especially now that recent researchby the Gibraltar Museum hasestablished that this was the lastplace on earth where this differentkind of human held out beforebecoming extinct around 24,000years ago. The Museum also has agift shop which stocks a wide rangeof books and souvenirs. Lastadmission: 30 minutes before closingtime.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107.
Moorish BathsThe Moorish Baths are located
inside the Museum lying partlyunder Bomb House and Ordnance
House, and recently opened tothe public after extensiverestoration and excavation.Thearchitecture of this ancientstructure has now been revealed toshow a much more completepicture of a previous culture.
There are no baths where onecan clean oneself, which hasdisappointed many tourists whohave shown up with their towels.
Mr. Budgett, an authority onMoorish antiquities wrote of thebaths, “Except in the Alhambrathere is nothing in Spain tocompare with it.”
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Moorish CastleThe Tower of Homage is one
of the best preserved remnants ofthe Moorish Castle and dates backmore than six centuries. (A mucholder castle exists beneath thislatest tower of 1333 AD). Theoriginal walls of the castleenclosed a considerable areareaching to the sea. Of these walls,the Moorish Pier is still to be seen.
Tarik-ibn-Zeyad (who gave hisname to Gibraltar, Gebel Tarik orTarik’s Hill) was the Moorishleader who conquered much ofthe Iberian Peninsula. He took
Gibraltar in 711 and in thefollowing two years completed theconquest which would put a largeportion of Europe in Arab handsfor over seven centuries. Tarik’ssuccessors built the firstfortifications near the site of thepresent tower. A larger castlereplaced these in 1160 to provideprotection to the growing town.
The fortifications were neededas war was continuous throughoutthe period that the Arabs held theland. King Ferdinand IV of Castilleand Leon attacked Gibraltar in1309 and captured it but the Rock
Moorish Castle
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was only held for 24 years beforethe Moors retook it.
The battles of 1333 didextensive damage to the tower soit was rebuilt and this helped keepthe Spanish at bay for another 129years.What remains the gatehouse,walls and bastions dates from thatperiod, which is contemporarywith the Alhambra in Granada.
When the British tookGibraltar the Spanish attempted torecapture the Rock several times.Their artillery fire made little
impression on the solid mass ofmasonry. Admiral Rooke raisedthe British flag on the Tower whenhe captured it in 1704 and it hasflown there ever since.
The Inner Keep was used bythe British and continues to beused as a prison, however there areparts of the castle that are open tovisitors.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107.
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Top of the Rock
Nelson’s Anchorageand 100 Ton Gun
Nelson’s Anchorage, at the farend of Rosia Road, is a fascinatingmonument to Victorian artilleryand technology. It has commandingviews across Rosia Bay whereHMS Victory was anchored afterthe Battle of Trafalgar with thebody of Admiral Lord Nelson onboard. In 1805 the bay was theonly deep water anchorage inGibraltar.
The present battery wasconstructed between December23, 1878 and March 31, 1884 at acost of £35,717. Built on the siteof the old 2nd and 3rd RosiaBatteries it was named after thenGovernor, Lord Napier ofMagdala.
An exhibition is housed in thechambers that form part of a largeunderground complex serving themagnificent Victorian super gun,the 100 Ton Gun.
Nicknamed “The Rock Buster”the gun was built in 1870 andremains the best preserved of itstype in the world. Installation wasa very laborious task taking threeweeks to transport it barely onethird of a mile from the docks toits present emplacement.
Once in place a sophisticatedhydraulic system was devised tomove the gun. Response time wasclose to three hours, which today
may sound inadequately slow, butas the prime targets were sailingships prior to the invention of thesteam engine, it was sufficient.
Although much of the gunwould have been familiar to agunner in Nelson’s navy it also hadmany revolutionary features. Forexample it was not fired byigniting a fuse but by heatingplatinum with electricity from abattery.
Designed during a period ofrapid advance in artillerytechnology the 100 ton gun wassoon obsolete - having never fireda shot in anger.
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100 Ton Gun
The site remained strategic andfour 3.7 inch anti-aircraft gunswere mounted here during WorldWar II. Bren guns were mountedin a passage which had been madefor one of the giant hydraulicallypowered ramrods.
More detailed information isavailable at the exhibition, alongwith an interesting range ofsouvenirs.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107.
Nuns’WellThe Nuns’ Well is a large
underground cistern located onthe flats at Europa Point. It isbelieved that its name came fromthe nuns who were at the nearbyShrine of Our Lady of Europewho took their water from it andtended to its upkeep. It is alsothought that it may have receivedits name at an earlier point as anold map described it as “a bathingplace for ye Nuns of NostraSenora de Europa.”
Water enters the cisternthrough porous limestone afterdraining south to Windmill HillFlats and then running througha large geological fault in the cliff.
There is some thought that thecistern is pre-Moorish whichmight make it Roman, or maybeeven earlier. It is commonlybelieved that it is Moorish andmay have once been a part of an
extensive Moorish village atEuropa Point.
The arched vault is about 80feet long and supported by (whatis believed to be) pillars of 14th
century Moorish construction.
Harding’s BatteryThis battery was constructed
on part of the old 7th EuropaBattery and in between the later 1st
and 2nd Europa Batteries of 1859,named after Sir George Harding,Chief Engineer in 1844.Originally, two 18 pounders werelocated on site. In 1863 there weretwo 32 pounders located here and1877 saw the reconstruction of thebattery to take a 12.5” RML on abarbette mounting. There is norecord of when the 12.5” gun wasdismounted but by 1939 the sitehoused an AASL (Anti AircraftSearchlight). The battery nowhouses a visual and audio displayof the historic and natural aspectsof Gibraltar with particular focuson the area it is located in, EuropaPoint.
RingsWhen you are on the Upper
Rock you will probably notice aseries of rings along the roads.
These rings were used to anchorpulleys to haul guns to the top ofthe Rock. The 9.2 inch gun barrelfor the O’Hara Battery was conveyedto its position in this manner.
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St Michael’s CaveThis cave is one of Gibraltar’s
most famous attractions. Neolithicinhabitants are thought to be thefirst inhabitants of St Michael’sCave, and it is known that theRomans visited it. The cavefeatures an upper hall and has fiveconnecting passages with dropswhich range between 40 to 150feet to the smaller hall. Ofparticular interest is the crosssection of a stalagmite whichshows its history of growth. TheCathedral Cave was long thoughtto be bottomless, which may bewhy some people once believed inan underground passage whichlinked Gibraltar with Africa. TheCathedral Cave is now used as atheatre where concerts, plays andother live performances are held.
During World War II the cavewas to be used as a militaryhospital but, fortunately, was neverneeded. However, whilst miningduring World War II, Lower StMichael’s Cave was discovered.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107. Tel: (+350)20074975.
Shrine of Our Ladyof Europe
The Moors built a mosque onthe site of the present Shrine ofOur Lady of Europe before 1309.This was when the Spanish
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St. Michael’s Cave
occupation of Gibraltar began anduntil 1333 the Islamic holy sitewas used as a Christian shrine.A labourer working nearby inthe late 1900s found an image ofthe Madonna which dates fromthat period.
In 1333, the Spanish wereexpelled by the Moors whoreconverted the site to a mosque.
For another 100 years it wasa holy place for Islam but whenthe Spanish “reconquista” wascompleted in 1462 the shrineonce again became Christian.
After this, the shrine wasattacked and partially destroyed byTurkish pirates and then, duringthe British and Dutch seizure ofGibraltar in 1704 the Image of
Our Lady was badly damaged andthrown over a cliff into the sea.
It was later recovered andtaken to Algeciras for safe keepingwhere it remained until 1864,when Bishop Scandella broughtthe image back from Algeciras andit was placed in a temporary shrinein a chapel opposite the presentGovernment House on MainStreet.
In 1866 it was moved to theLittle Sister of the Poor, whereMount Alvernia Home nowstands.The marble altar and thronewere donated by Pope Pius IX.
Because of war, it was takento the Cathedral of St. Mary theCrowned in 1939 for safekeeping.
In 1961 the guard room was
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Shrine of Our Lady of Europe
Trafalgar Cemetery
restored to the church and inSeptember of the following yearBishop John F. Healy celebratedthe first mass there in 258 years.
However, it was not until 1968that the image was returned to theshrine.
The present chapel, small butsolidly built, is located in ahousing development at EuropaPoint. The way is clearly markedand is not difficult to find. In1996 the building was extendedand a bell tower added.
In 2009, Gibraltar celebratedthe 700th anniversary of devotionto Our Lady of Europe. HisHoliness the Pope gave the Shrinethe Golden Rose, the highestPapal award for any shrine.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107.
Trafalgar CemeteryIn October 1805 one of
history’s greatest sea battles wasfought between the British andFranco-Spanish fleets nearGibraltar at Cape Trafalgar.
It was a fierce and decisivevictory for Britain but their greatleader, Admiral Nelson, was fatallywounded by a French sniper.
Most of the sailors who died inbattle were buried at sea, and twosailors who died of wounds in thebattle are buried at TrafalgarCemetery near Southport Gates.
Nelson’s body, however, was
returned to England for greaterhonours. He is entombed in acrypt in St. Paul’s Cathedral.
The HMS Victory called onGibraltar immediately after thebattle. One story has it thatNelson’s remains were kept in abarrel of rum to preserve them forthe return journey to England.
Another legend would have usbelieve, though there is no evidenceto support it, that while the Victorywas undergoing repairs the caskcontaining Nelson’s body wasbrought ashore and taken toSt.Vincent House. It was placedin what is now known as Nelson’sroom where William Beaty,Victory’s surgeon changed thebarrel of brandy (as some believe itwas) to spirits of wine.
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Upper Rock NatureReserve
With its rich vegetation,spectacular views and large varietyof mammals, insects, butterflies,reptiles and birds, both seriousbotanists and the casual ramblersfind the Upper Rock NatureReserve a source of fascination.
It is a great place for birdwatchers, especially during timesof migration as a large number ofspecies move between Europe andAfrica over this area. Over 270birds have been spotted inGibraltar. Booted Eagles, EgyptianVultures, the Griffon Vulture andBarbary Partridges are among themany that have been seen.
There are over 600 species offlowering plants some of which areunique to Gibraltar. Dense matorallis the dominant species on theupper rock and there are manyplants that are unique to Gibraltar.The Dwarf Fan Palm,Europe’s onlynative palm can be found here.
There are rare, and not so rarebutterflies, lizards and snakes.
Opening times & prices, seepages 104-107.
AqueductBetween the Alameda Gardens
and Rosia Road is the solesurviving vent of an aqueductwhich was built by the Spanish onan older Moorish system.
Polish MemorialThe original propeller recovered
from the sea has become a PolishWar Memorial, situated at theentrance to Eastern Beach near thesite where Polish Prime Ministerin exile, General Sikorski lost hislife in an air crash in 1943 as hisplane took off from Gibraltarduring WWII. The RomanCatholic Cathedral in Main Streetalso has a memorial to this Polishpatriot. This memorial is situatedby the left altar.
Evacuees MemorialThis statue was erected in
honour of the Gibraltariansevacuated during WWII and sentto Morocco, Madeira, Jamaica,Northern Ireland and England.British troops occupied theirhomes locally. The Gibraltarianswho had the misfortune of beingsent to London suffered at thehand German bombings.A coupleof thousand men who held jobsconsidered essential for the wareffort were not allowed to leaveGibraltar. The very accuratememorial, the work of Jill CowieSaunders, shows families re-unitedafter the war.Those who lived thisexperience find this monumentvery moving.
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Flat BastionMagazine
Geological research, exhibitioncentre and lithology of Gibraltar.
Parson’s LodgeDominating Rosia Bay you
find Parson’s Lodge Battery, datingfrom 1875, which formerlyhoused three 18-ton guns. Theold Spanish walls were reinforcedby the British, while beneaththe battery are the formerammunition stores and livingquarters. This fortification is nowin the hands of the GibraltarMuseum who are currently usingit as a research centre, for theircave and undersea studies.
MosqueThis beautiful example of
Muslim architecture has beenstanding at Europa Point since1997. It was paid for by the lateKing Fahad Abdul Aziz of SaudiArabia and caters for the Muslimpopulation of Gibraltar, most ofwhom originate from Morocco.
The mosque is a beautifuladdition to this unique site.Whenlit up at night it stands outdramatically and is visible frommiles away.
City HallCity Hall is located on the
western side of the Piazza at John
Mackintosh Square. Officiallyopened on November 28, 1924,by Governor, General Sir CharlesC. Monro it is home togovernment offices and that of theMayor of Gibraltar. (The Mayor isselected from the members of theGibraltar Parliament (formerlyHouse of Assembly) by themembers themselves.)
This site is believed to havehad a hermitage on it and OurLady of Mercy Hospital. Thepresent building was constructedin 1815 by Aaron Cardozo, aprominent Gibraltarian, for use ashis family home.
From 1833 to 1839 the buildingbecame the Club House Hotel, inwhich the writer WilliamThackeray was a guest. In 1875Cardozo’s nephew sold the houseto Pablo Larios, a wealthy Spanishbusinessman and long timeresident in Gibraltar.
In 1876 the home was put atthe disposal of H.R.H. the Dukeof Connaught, son of QueenVictoria, who lived in the mansionduring his tour of duty inGibraltar. Until 1924, it wasknown as Connaught House.
In 1920 the property was soldto the Colonial Government andused as the parcel post house. In1924 it was transferred to the newlycreated City Council who heldtheir meetings here until 1969when the Council was merged
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
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with the Gibraltar Government.In 1995, on the initiative of the
Gibraltar Heritage Trust, and withdonations from the Marifold Trust,the Gibraltar government and manylocal businesses and individuals,the exterior was restored.
The ConventFrom 1711 the Convent,
located on Main Street, has beenthe official residence of theGovernor of Gibraltar. This iswhere the Changing of the Guardtakes place several times dailyMonday-Friday by the GibraltarRegiment.
Prior to the British takingpossession of the Rock, FranciscanFriars resided in the Convent from1531. The nave of their chapelforms the ballroom but the billiard
room was not a part of thebuilding when the order livedthere. It was added in 1879. TheConvent was further expandedupon in 1864 when the banquetroom was built. On display hereare the shield of arms, flags andmottoes of all of Gibraltar’sgovernors and distinguishedpersons connected with Gibraltarsince 711.
The panels of the end doorsare made from cedar washedashore from Spanish wrecksengaged in the Grand Attack of1782. Still clearly visible are theshot holes.
On the patio is a statue ofGeneral Eliott. It was cut from thebowsprit of the Spanish man-of-war San Juan, that was taken atTrafalgar.
The beautiful garden isenhanced with some rare andexotic plants and includes somevery old Dragon Trees. Royaltyhas contributed to the lushness ofthe garden by planting trees. KingEdward VII, the German EmperorWilhelm II, Queen Alexandra,Japanese Crown Prince Hirohito,and Queen Elizabeth II have alladded trees to the garden.
Some believe that the Conventis haunted by the Grey Lady. Shewas a Franciscan Nun who wascaught trying to elope with hersweetheart, who was a monk.Pursued, the couple tried to flee to
The Convent
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Algeciras in a row boat but a stormblew up and he perished. She wascaught and executed in theConvent.
The GarrisonLibrary
The Garrison Library whichholds the finest collections ofEnglish language books in theMediterranean, was established in1793 by Col. Drinkwater. TheColonel was posted to Gibraltarduring the Great Siege and havingbeen trapped on the Rock for fouryears without any books he was
determined not to have to sufferanother siege without readingmaterial so he set about establishinga library for the officers of theGarrison. The library wasconstructed at Governor’s Paradeon the site where the SpanishGovernor’s residence hadpreviously stood. It was inauguratedin 1793, but this was not to be itspermanent home. The newbuilding was completed in 1804with a new wing added in 1867.
The library boasts acomprehensive collection of workson Gibraltar. It is now a researchlibrary and is open to researchers
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The Garrison Library
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HISTORIC BUILDINGSOpening Hours Monday - Fridayfrom 9.00am - 5.00pm. Free Toursare conducted on Fridays at11.00am.
Parliament HouseThis building, located on the
eastern side of the Piazza, wasestablished in 1817 as theExchange and CommercialLibrary under Governor SirGeorge Don. (Don is known asthe father of modern Gibraltarbecause of the many projectswhich were undertaken during hisadministration, including thebuilding of the law courts andAlameda Gardens.) Don’s bustoverlooks Main Street from thetop of the House of Assembly.The
building was damaged by fire in1919 and the roof was redone in adifferent style. It was to be six yearsbefore in was reopened byGovernor, Sir Horace LockwoodSmith-Dorrien, on September 25,1922. On November 23, 1950 thebuilding became the LegislativeCouncil and on August 26, 1969became the House of Assembly.On 2nd January 2007, the GibraltarConstitution Order 2006 cameinto effect.The Order restyles theHouse of Assembly as the GibraltarParliament.
John MackintoshHall
John Mackintosh, a wealthy
Parliament House
philanthropist, born in Gibraltar in1865, was a simple man of aretiring nature who went littleinto society. He was veryapproachable, however, and hadmany friends in all walks of life.He was well-read and fond ofmusic as well as very public-spirited; he could always becounted on for practical help inany worthwhile cause. His genuineinterest in the welfare of his nativeGibraltar and the needs of theaged, sick and poor was reflectedin his will when he providedhomes for the aged poor, for anadditional wing to the oldColonial Hospital and also forvarious charities. He was keen tofoster the connection betweenGibraltar and Great Britain andthe educational provisions of hiswill were designed to promote andstrengthen the ties betweenEngland and Gibraltar, particularlyin the cultural and educationalneeds of the young people ofGibraltar. It was through theprovisions of this will that theJohn Mackintosh Hall was built.
The John Mackintosh Hallopened its doors to the public inApril 1964 and has been thecentre of Gibraltar’s culturalactivities ever since. The buildingwas purpose built and thearchitects were keen to make useof the Mediterranean light thatwas reflected off the Rock, and
used shade and movements of airto relieve the heat of the summermonths – an environmentalapproach well ahead of its time.The architects used theMediterranean architecturaltraditions in designing the interiorof the building too, as a series ofinterconnecting courtyards inwhich the direct sunlight wascontrolled, and which became‘rooms without roofs’, with trees,fountains and shaded areas.
Since its opening, ideas aboutthe use of the building have onlybeen slightly modified and adaptedto cater for changing times: certainrooms have been put to entirelynew uses and an increasingemphasis has been given to adultand cultural activities. The librarynow occupies the entire east sideof the building and the theatre,which was originally conceived asa multi-purpose school hall, haschanged in character so that it isnow better-suited to conferencesand lectures, as well as musical anddramatic productions, than before.
The John Mackintosh Hallcontinues to be the centre ofGibraltar’s cultural activities whereover two hundred societies andassociations meet regularly.
Law CourtsThe Law Courts are located on
Main Street near the Convent.From the 1830’s when Gibraltar
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
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Law Courts
was granted its Charter of Justicesessions have been held at thesepremises. Many famous cases, suchas that of the Mary Celeste ‘ghostship’ trial have been heard.
The Registry Office wasformerly situated in an annex ofthis building where a number offamous people have been married.John Lennon and Yoko Ono weremarried here in 1969 (this event iscommemorated on a Gibraltarphone card); Sean Connery in1975 and Des O’Conner tied theknot here in 1987.
Over a three-year periodbetween 2009 and 2012, theoriginal Law Court buildingunderwent a massive buildingprogramme of restoration andextension. The whole programmeinvolved staff moving to temporary
accommodation, the moving ofhistorical court archives and themanagement of on-going courtwork in the middle of all this.
The Main GuardThe Main Guard home of the
Gibraltar Heritage Trust since2001 dates from the middle of the18th century. Over the years andcommencing as a guard houseoccupied by the Garrison, it hasvariously been used as a fire station,public baths and Governmentoffices for the payment of utilitybills and road licences.
The Main Guard
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
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Gates,Walls &Fortifications
Casemates Gates the firstgate was opened in 1727 and wasfollowed by others in 1859 and1884. Passing through them fromthe outside one goes intoCasemates Square, at the northend of Main Street. Above theSquare the batteries and walls leadup to the Tower of Homage(Moorish Castle). This area wasunder the protection of the oldcastle and was within the confinesof the old 15th century Spanishtown. After 13 sieges by theSpanish this area was in such ruinthat it was pulled down and theSquare was made in 1731.
Charles V Wall, which comesdown from the ancient Moorishwall, past Trafalgar cemetery at thesouthern end of Main Street wasbuilt in 1552 by Calvi, the ItalianEngineer. Calvi was sent toGibraltar by the Holy RomanEmperor Charles V, (Charles I ofSpain, a Habsburg, and grandsonand heir to Queen Isabella) tofortify the defences after an attackby pirates in 1540. Attacks bypirates were frequent, but on thisoccasion Turkish pirates, under thecommand of Barbarossa, took over70 captives with the intent ofselling them into slavery. Charles’son, Felipe II commissionedanother Italian engineer El Fratino
to extend the wall to the summit.Devil’s Tongue was situated
on the present Waterport Wharfroad and was originally an oldSpanish pier built during thereign of King Philip III. At thetime it connected to thecounterguard by a narrow bridgeand a sally port which can stillbe seen today in the wall ofMontagu Counterguard nearthe roundabout. A drawbridge bythe “Chatham Wicket” opened uponto the Mole and the cementedover opening in the sea wall is stillvisible. The name is believed tohave come from the Great Siege(1779 - 1783) when the Spanishchristened it so due to thetremendous fire power of thebattery. This site was probably animprovement on the Moorish one.
Devil’s Tower played asignificant role in the Rock’sdefences. A tower, similar to theMartello Towers along the Spanishcoast, was situated at the end ofDevil’s Tower Road on the isthmusnear the eastern end of the road.The Spaniards used this tower towarn of pirates and other attackerssailing towards Gibraltar. Whenthey were spotted large bonfireswere lit which could be seen bydefenders further up the coast,alerting them to danger.
Grand Battery, the lowestpart of the original MoorishNorthern Defence, was known by
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28
the Spanish as the Curtain ofSt. Bernard. The northern areaprovided defences for theLandport entrance, the Watergateand the Cooperage.
A narrow causeway connectedSpain to the narrow land entranceinto Gibraltar though LandportGate. The sea would lap thecauseway on one side (Glacis area)while on the other side there waswater from the Inundation, dug onthe orders of the Prince of Hesse-Damstadt.
Years later the inundation wasenlarged and many deep pits wereexcavated in it. This was done sothat sharp shooters above King’sLines could fire at anyoneattempting to cross the causeway.
Jumper’s Bastion was namedafter Captain Jumper who was thefirst to land his troops in 1704when the combined British-Dutch force captured Gibraltar.Jumper’s, along Rosia Road isdivided in two, the north bastionand the south bastion.
King’s Bastion was builtin 1773 by General Sir RobertBoyd on the site of an oldMoorish Gate and a SpanishBastion (1575), and designed byCol. Sir William Green, ChiefEngineer. The bastion, whichprovided accommodation for 800men was the keystone of thedefences during the Great Siege. Itwas part of the Line Wall and theposition from where the red hot
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King’s Bastion Leisure Centre
shots were fired, and whereGeneral Eliott stood during theheaviest shelling by enemy duringthe grand attack of 1782.
During Victorian times theoriginal bastion was modified andthe cannon, fireproof curtains andother structures could still be seen.When it was no longer requiredfor defence, it was turned into anelectricity generating station. Thestation was designed by localarchitect Natalio Langdon and wasopened in October 1961. It closeddown during the 1990s and waseventually demolished in 2005.The original bastion façades werethen re-exposed.
Today, the bastion has beentotally redeveloped into one ofGibraltar's premiere leisurefacilities, the latest lease of life forthis important monument. “TheKing’s Bastion Leisure Centre”.
Landport Gate was built bythe Spaniards in the late sixteenthcentury on the site of an earlierMoorish gate. It was the only landentrance into Gibraltar. It wasdestroyed and had to be rebuilt in1729 by the British. Thedrawbridge went into a state ofdecay but in 1922 it was repairedand is now in full working order.During the Great Siege, GeneralEliott’s troops stole out throughthis gate for a surprise attack onthe Spanish lines. Bomb ProofBattery (1790), Hesse’s Demi
Bastion (1705) Couveport Batteryand King’s Lines Batteryprovided flanking cover forGibraltar’s only land entrance,Landport Gate.
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Line Wall from the time theBritish captured Gibraltar in 1704there has been a co-ordinatedsystem of defence from the NorthFace of the Rock to Europa Point.These defences, which becameknown as the Line Wall,were builton the Moorish sea-wall usingwhite Portland limestone. The sealapped at the foot of the wallswhich were almost entirelyreconstructed and fortified.All theland to the west of this wall has,over the years, been reclaimedfrom the sea.
As a memorial of his regardand welfare of the people ofGibraltar, Governor Sir HoraceLockwood Smith-Dorrien had theesplanade and steps constructedalong the Line Wall in 1921.
The Gibraltar WarMemorial on Line Wall Road isin honour of the fallen duringWorld War I including a numberof Gibraltarians. It was unveiled in1923 by the Governor General SirCharles Monro and is the work ofJose Piquet Catoli from Barcelona.As the Royal Air Force did notexist in its present form until the1st April 1918 (amalgamation ofRoyal Flying Corps & RoyalNaval Service) it relates only tosoldiers and sailors. The twoRussian guns were capturedduring the Crimean War and weregiven to the people of Gibraltarfor the help Gibraltar gave during
this war.They arrived in Gibraltarin 1858.
O’ Hara’s Tower andBattery was named after GeneralCharles O’Hara who was theGovernor of Gibraltar from 1795-1802. He believed that if only theRock was a little higher, hislookouts would be able to see theSpanish ships as they left Cadiz.He had a special tower built ontop of the highest point of theRock at the southern end whereO’Hara’s Battery stands today.
O’Hara’s Tower proved to bea failure and it became known as“O’Hara’s Folly.” The tower waslater demolished and a gun batterywas constructed in its place. Itwas subsequently reconstructedin 1935 with a 9.2 inch gun thathad a range of 16.82 miles.
O’Hara was very popular withthe officers and men and wasnicknamed “The Old Cock ofthe Rock.”
Prince Edward’s Gate is inthe Charles V Wall overlookingTrafalgar Cemetery and wasnamed after Queen Victoria’sfather, the Duke of Kent. From1802 to 1820 he was the Governorof Gibraltar.
Ragged Staff. A gate was cutthrough the Line Wall in 1736 toaccess victually warships after awharf 350 feet long was built by acontractor to the Navy VictuallingOffice.The wharf was accessed by
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a flight of stone steps, and adrawbridge.
There are many theories to theorigin of the name, though noneof them have been verified. Onetheory suggests that the RaggedStaff was a badge of the EmperorCharles V. Another suggests thatat the end of the jetty there was aragged mast that was used to hoistthe barrels from the row boats. (Anaval term for the mast is staff,hence, ragged staff.) Yet anothersuggests the name derived fromthe rough finish of the originalwork because staff can meancement or similar buildingmaterial. Major General SirJohn Jones called the area, “anill-conditioned spot...”.
The gates provide passagethrough the wall at a site that wasknown as the Ragged StaffCouvreport.
Rock Gun Battery duringthe Great Siege work was startedon a road up to the highest pointof the North Face (1300 ft), butit took far too long so theimpatient gunners took mattersinto their own hands. Using blockand tackle they hauled a largecannon to the summit where theyestablished Rock Gun Battery.From this lofty position they couldharass the main Spanish camp.
During the World War II thebattery was reconstructed and alight anti-aircraft gun platform was
positioned on the very edge of theNorth Face of the Rock.
Southport Gates wereconstructed in 1552 during thereign of Emperor Charles V. TheArms of Gibraltar and the SpanishArms are above the original gateand a second gate, opened in 1883bears the arms of Queen Victoriaand General Sir John Adye,a Governor of Gibraltar. Thethird, and widest of these gatesis Referendum Gate. It wasopened in 1967 and commemoratesthe referendum in whichGibraltarians voted by anoverwhelming majority, to retaintheir links with Britain. All thesegates provide access through anancient Moorish wall.
Wellington Front wasconstructed by convict labour in1840. Over 900 convicts workedon the construction of walls andother defensive work. The OwenGlenower (named after a WelshPrince) anchored off the Front wasthe home for the convicts. Theship’s bell, which is now in theGibraltar Museum, was rungwhenever a convict escaped.
In 1875 it was decided that itwould be cheaper to employ locallabour as the prisoners did notwork hard enough to pay for theirkeep.
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Cathedral of StMary the Crowned
The Cathederal of St Mary theCrowned is built on the site ofwhat used to be a very beautifuland richly decorated mosque.Afterthe Christians drove the Moorsfrom the Rock in 1462 themosque was used as a church untilthe Spanish King Ferdinand andhis wife Isabella decreed that it bestripped of its Islamic past and beenlarged. They donated the bellsand clock for the 100 ft tower,which remain to this day. Theircoat of arms was placed in thecourtyard where it can still beseen.
The courtyard was four timesits present size and contained anorange grove surrounded bycloisters. The church itselfextended to the opposite side ofwhat is now Main Street.
During the Great Siege, thechurch suffered extensive damage,and despite attempts to rebuild itlittle progress was made.
In 1790, Governor Boydoffered his assistance in return fora third of the land, which enabledhim to re-route Main Street. Anon-going after affect of this loss ofground is that mortal remains arefrequently uncovered duringroutine excavations of the roadoutside. During the recentbeautification of Main Street the
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Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned
opportunity was taken to do anarcheological investigation whenthe asphalt was removed to makeway for the paving stones.
Inside the Cathedral the highaltar is very grandiose, done in thestyle of that of St. Peter’s in Rome.
The beautiful marble plinthsand columns, with the six tonbogatino top were originallybound for South America whenthe ship carrying this preciouscargo sank in the harbour. It wassalvaged and placed in the church.
The Cathedral is named afterOur Lady of Europe. There is astatue in her honour at the altar, aduplicate of the original in theShrine at Europa Point.
Another statue has been giventhe unusual name of Our Lady ofthe Flannels. It was found floatingin a box in the harbour sometimein the 18th century in flannels!
Cathedral of theHoly Trinity
The foundation stone for HolyTrinity was laid in 1825 and thedesign was done in the Moorishstyle to commemorate the fact thatthe Moors first landed in Europeat Gibraltar in 711. It was not firstused as a church but as anemergency hospital when aravaging epidemic of yellow feverbroke out in 1828.
Although the church wasn’tcompleted at that time, it was far
enough along to be used in thiscapacity.
With the Dowager QueenAdelaide present, Holy Trinity wasconsecrated in 1838. With thecreation of the Diocese ofGibraltar the church became acathedral in 1838. In 1979 it wasextended to the Diocese ofGibraltar in Europe which meansthe Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar isresponsible for all Anglicanchurches in Europe excepting theBritish Isles.Holy Trinity is locatedat Cathedral Square.
Church of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland has a
small but devout congregation inGibraltar. Scotland’s nationalchurch found its way to Gibraltarwith Presbyterians in the militaryforces. Its followers experienced
CHURCHES
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Church of Scotland
many years of persecution for theirworship. It was not until 1840 that Presbyterianism became anestablished church in Gibraltar. Itserved expatriates, servicemen andmembers of other Reformchurches.
This did not stop theopposition, and it says much of thefaith and the generosity of theChurch’s followers that thebeautiful Church of St Andrews inGovernor’s Parade was built about140 years ago from their ownresources. Neither the governmentnor the armed forces made acontribution.
King’s ChapelKing’s Chapel is the name of
the Garrison church beside theConvent. Although is was knownas Queen’s Chapel duringVictorian times, Queen ElizabethII did not wish to change itsname a second time. The wife ofthe Spanish governor (1648) isburied here as are Britishgovernors O’Hara (1802) andCampbell (1813). Regular Sundayservices are open to the public.
Located in the heart of thetown. Its five bells, hanging fromthe towers, give it a unique andappealing beauty. Inside are manystatues that were brought fromGenoa. The Government beganconstruction in 1812 and thechurch was meant to serve boththe military and civilianpopulation.
CHURCHES
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King’s Chapel
King’s Chapel Interior
CavesThere are over 140 caves in
Gibraltar, some of which haveproven to be valuablearcheological sites as Neanderthalsand early humans found them tobe accommodating homes.
Gorham’s Cave has had twomajor excavations which haveyielded valuable information andartefacts.The first dig occurred inthe 1950’s while a second began inthe early ’90s.
Gorham’s Cave is difficult toreach from land as it is one of anumber of caves formed by the seaat the southeastern tip of the Rocknear Europa Point.There are stonetools and other artifacts left byhumans and deposits which areNeanderthalic (40,000 B.C.) and
Neolithic (6,000 B.C.) in origin.Romans, Carthaginians,
Phoenicians, and Moors leftremains of camp fires, glass beads,broaches and lamps in the upperlevels. Bones of animals that nolonger live in the area, such ashyenas, lion and grey seals havebeen found.
Great Siege TunnelsThe Great Siege Tunnels, once
known as the Upper Galleries,are one of Gibraltar’s most populartourist attractions.
During the Great Siege,(1779-1783) Spanish troops weregathered on the eastern side of theisthmus where they were shelteredfrom British fire by the Rockitself. A projection called “The
Great Seige Tunnels Great Seige Tunnels
CAVES & TUNNELS
36
Notch” on the northern facewould have been an excellentplace for a gun but the problemwas how to get it up there.
Sergeant Major Ince offered totry to blast a way through therock. Work commenced May 25,1782 and after six weeks thetroops had advanced 36 metres.
However, the air in the tunnelwas thick with blasting fumes andit was clear that ventilation wasneeded.
A hole was blown in the sideof the tunnel overlooking what isnow La Linea and it wasimmediately realised that such ahole would prove a wonderfulposition for a gun. By the timepeace was declared four guns hadbeen mounted in prime positionsoverlooking the Spanish lines.
By the following June nearly230 metres of tunnel had beenexcavated and “The Notch” wasreached. A large chamber, nowknown as St George’s Hall, washollowed out and embrasures wereput in place.
The heavy guns were put intoplace with the aid of large ironrings attached to the rock by spikeof over 30 centimetres long.
Molten lead was used as theadhesive.
Two large chambers, calledmagazines, were created in whichto store gun powder. Considerablesteps were taken to prevent
accidental explosion. During theGreat Siege the garrison usednearly 800 barrels of gun powderand fired 200,600 rounds of shot.
During World War II searchlights and a generator wereinstalled and a group of RoyalEngineers were detailed to operateand maintain them. TheCornwall’s Chamber, with threeembrasures overlooking WesternBeach, served as their livingquarters and remains of theoriginal access steps can still beseen.
Also during World War II theHolyland tunnel, which leadsfrom St. George’s Hall to theeastern side of the Rock, wasexcavated.
Now, inside the tunnel 18lifelike figures depict scenes fromthe time of the Great Siege.
A life-like tableaux in St.George’s Hall depicts Lord Napierof Magdala dining with formerPresident Ulysses S. Grant of theUnited States in 1878, althoughmost historians do not believe theydined inside the tunnel, but at theConvent.
Sound and visual effects bringto life what it would have beenlike to be in the caves when theywere being used by the military.
Open 9.30am - 7.15pm daily.Cost included in Nature
Reserve fee.Tel: (+350) 20043832.
CAVES & TUNNELS
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TunnelsThe Tunnels through the rock,
over 30 miles (48.28 km) aregreater in length than the 27 milesof outside road in Gibraltar. Priorto World War II there were onlyseven miles of tunnels, and five ofthose were added just prior to theFirst World War. Some of theexcavation after 1940 was done bythe Royal Canadian Engineerswho were pioneers in the use ofdiamond drill equipment. DuringWorld War II the longest and maintunnel was named “The GreatNorth Road” as a tribute to them.The Engineers constructed anunderground city with its owntelephone exchanges, frozen meatstores, water distilleries andhospitals with enough provisions tobe able to survive for six months inthe chambers in the event of anattack by the Axis powers. Onedrive-through tunnel is easily
accessed: the tunnel between CampBay and Europa Point.
Harley Street Tunnel acrossfrom the Royal Naval Hospital,leads to Gorts Hospital that wasnamed after General The ViscountGort of the Grenadier Guards whowas the Governor of Gibraltar in1941. Several hospitals were builtinside the tunnels to be used in theevent of an attack on Gibraltarduring World War II.
Landport Tunnel was built bythe Spanish in the late 16th centuryand was the only land entrance intoGibraltar. It was destroyed and hadto be rebuilt in 1729.
The 1898 Tunnel to theDockyard is a half mile longtunnel and has recently housedthe offices of the MaritimeHeadquarters and NATOcommunication centre. Theoffices were also used by GeneralEisenhower and his staff duringWorld War II as they preparedthe North African campaign“Operation Torch.”
The tunnel was excavated totransport stones from the quarryto build the dockyards, which, atthe time, was the biggestexcavation in the world.
The quarry, situated where theoil tanks are, was worked byEnglish and Scottish convicts.TheScots were called “Red Legs”because their legs were sunburnedbecause they wore kilts.
Great Seige Tunnels
CAVES & TUNNELS
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Gibraltar Botanic(Alameda) Gardens
The land for the AlamedaGardens was dedicated in 1816,outside the city walls. It was thevision of General Sir George Donwho wanted to create a placewhere the people of the Garrisoncould stroll in peace.
Trees are central to the beautyof the gardens and the namemeans “Poplar Grove.” There aremany trees now well over 200years old as they were mature atthe time the garden was formed.
A period of neglect allowedthe gardens to go to ruin but in1990 a programme of revitalisationbegan which finished in 1996 withthe completion of the beautifuloutdoor theatre.
The main walkway leadingfrom the Rock Hotel entrancefeatures an exhibition of thedifferent groups of plants foundall over the world while otherareas are dedicated to the uniqueplant life of Gibraltar.
Flora and Fauna,Birds andButterflies
Gibraltar has over 600 speciesof wild flowers, some of which areunique to the Rock such as theGibraltar Sea Lavender andGibraltar Chickweed.The Rock is
FLORA & FAUNA
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the only place in Europe that theGibraltar Candytuft grows.
Gibraltar’s position betweenEurope and Africa, the Atlanticand the Mediterranean makes it animportant crossing point formigrating birds, whales anddolphins. Migration counts inGibraltar have reached 11,500birds of prey, of up to fifteenspecies in a single day during peakmovements.The Rock is a popularlocation for bird watchers.
Gibraltar has its own uniquebird, the Barbary Partridge. Likethe ape, the bird was imported bythe British during the 18th centuryand the ones that live here areunique to Europe though native toMorocco and Algeria.
Butterflies also migrate alongthe same path, and on a calmspring day the Painted LadyButterflies are sometimes spotted.
Rock MonkeysOne of Gibraltar’s more
popular attractions is the monkeyswhich live on the upper rock.
They are often called BarbaryApes but they are tailless MacacasSylvanus. One of the popularstories about the monkeys comesfrom World War II.When WinstonChurchill was in Gibraltar heworried that the apes would dieout and provide propaganda forthe enemy (legend has it thatwhen the apes leave Gibraltar sowill the British). He ordered themilitary authorities to care for theapes, and to import more ifnecessary,which they did until July1992 when the government tookover their care.
There are now 230-240 apesliving in six packs on the Rockand they are a major touristattraction but, unfortunately for
Alameda Gardens
FLORA & FAUNA
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the apes, the tourists are a majorhealth hazard. People often feedthem chocolate and other thingsthat aren’t good for their health.
They are fed regularly, thoughthey could survive on their own.
The regular feeding ensuresthey get a healthy supply of fruitand keeps them from descendinginto town where they wouldsearch for food. Care must beadvised as apes have a tendancy toappropriate foods in plastic bagsand other items loosely held.Youare reminded that feeding the apesis not permitted.
The Apes’ Den is open 9.30am- 7.15pm daily. Cost included inNature Reserve fee.
Cable CarThe Cable Car is the best way
to the “Top of the Rock” and amust-see attraction for all visitorsto Gibraltar. The journey takespassengers 412m above sea level inapproximately 6 minutes offeringspectacular views all the way.
The Top Station is perched atthe very summit of the Rock ofGibraltar, and offers the mostspectacular views of Europe andAfrica; southwards across the Straitof Gibraltar to Africa; westwardsover the City of Gibraltar andacross the Bay to Algeciras; a birdseye view of Gibraltar airport andSpain to the north; and the blueexpanse of the Mediterranean andthe beaches and cities of the Costadel Sol to the east.
As well as meeting the famousBarbary apes which can be foundroaming the Top Station includedin the ticket is the MultimediaTour.This personal state-of-the-artInteractive Multimedia Guideallows visitors to gain an insightinto Gibraltar’s fascinating historywhilst being guided around theTop Station terraces. Thecommentary is available in sevenlanguages: English, Spanish,
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Barbary Ape
French, German, Italian, Swedishand Portuguese.
Also located at the Cable CarTop Station is the Top of the Rockself service restaurant where youcan enjoy a meal whilst enjoyingthe spectacular views and SouvenirShop where you can find a uniquerange of gifts.
If you are thinking ofcelebrating a wedding or a specialoccasion during your visit to theRock, the Mons Calpe Suitelocated with in the Top Stationcomplex can be hired for privatefunctions.
Visitors have access to theUpper Rock Nature Reserve fromthe Top of the Rock. A walkingticket is included in your CableCar ticket however you mustpurchase a separate NatureReserve ticket should you wish to
enter into the following sites: StMichael’s Cave, Great SiegeTunnels, Moorish Castle and 100Ton Gun (located outside theNature Reserve).Infomation
Open 7 days a week from 0930to 1915hrs. Last Cable Car down1945hrs
Except between 1st November& 31st March 0930-1715. LastCable Car down 1745.
The Cable Car will not stop atthe middle station between themonths of April and September(inclusive). No reservation needed.Cable Car runs approx every 10 to15 mins throughout the day. IDrequired in exchange for use ofMultimedia unit.
For further information pleasecall (+350) 20077826
Cable Car
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Dolphin WatchingGibraltar Harbour is a natural
breeding areas for three types ofdolphins, the Striped, Commonand Bottlenose.Whales and turtlesare occasionally spotted.
Dolphin watching trips areavailable from Marina Bay andQueensway Quay docks. All tripsfeature the beautiful scenery of theStrait of Gibraltar with views ofAfrica, the coastline and the Rockof Gibraltar.
A unique and unforgettableopportunity to get close to threespecies of dolphin and up to ninespecies of whale, together withflying fish, turtles and sunfish -often just inches away.
Sailing in GibraltarGibraltar is a fantastic place to
set sail from. With 2 continentsand 2 seas there is so much to seeand do right on our doorstep!
Sailing the strait with theirunique conditions, consistent windsand abundance of marine wildlife,there is never a dull moment!
Sailing in the bay of Gibraltaris a fantastic experience with themany pods of dolphins, marinewildlife and of course the amazingview of the rock itself. You havethe opportunity to see the rock ofthe Gibraltar from a new angle andare able to sail around Europapoint to the eastern beaches.
Here you are able to enjoy allaspects of sailing with theopportunity to have a gentle sailaround the bay or an exhilarating
Sailing in Gibraltar
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sail out in the strait for the moreadventurous.
Sailing here is not to be takenlightly. With one of the busiestshipping lanes in the world,Gibraltar and Algeciras ports withtheir ferries, cargo ships and oiltankers, a good look out must bekept at all times.
Gibraltar is one of the mainstopping points for yachts on theirway into the med or over to theCaribbean via the Canaries. Theworld famous Blue Water Rallystarts from Marina Bay Gibraltar.
Article & Photograph supplied by:Tomboy Sailing,PO Box 80, Marina Bay.Tel: (+44) (0) 8458388695 /(+34) 655271202E-mail: [email protected]
Do-it-yourselfHistorical WalkingTour
This is a do-it-yourself tourthat takes about 1 hour and 10minutes including taking time ateach stop to flip through this bookand read the relevant passagealoud. Time spent in the museumor on the optional tours is notincluded. This tour is along veryflat ground, and only if theoptional tour to Alameda Gardensis taken, is there any uphill
walking. Be very careful crossingthe streets as traffic can be veryheavy at certain times of the day.The starting point for this tour isthe Line Wall (Waterport,Casemates) opposite the fountainroundabout on your way intoGibraltar town centre. Walktowards the Grand CasematesGates (p.28) The bus stop is onyour left and the Public Market onyour right. Go through the gatesand continue on straight aheadtoward Casemates Square. Turnright to Main Street. On yourright is the Koehler Gun (p.8) andthen a Statue of a GibraltarDefence Force Soldier Continueup Main Street, past theInternational Commercial Centreand turn right on to CooperageLane. Carry along CooperageLane until you are past the back ofthe Shopping Centre and go upthe flight of stairs in the wall onyou left.Turn left at the top of thestairs. Cross at the light (60 metreson the right.) In front of you is theAmerican War Memorial (p.9) Goup the steps to the left of thememorial. There are gunmountings along the Line Wall(p.31). Remember that in front ofthese gun mountings was the sea -the land that is here now has beenreclaimed since the guns wereused in the Great Siege (1779-83.)The Spanish gun that once sathere is now missing.
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Return up the memorial stepsto cross the street at the trafficlights, turn to your right and walkon down Line Wall until firstopening on your left and continuedown the steps (there is a greenrailing here which leads to IrishPlace). Turn right at the firstturning - this is Irish Town.Continue past the old policestation (p.86) and turn right at theend of Irish Town (at JohnMackintosh square) and left infront of City Hall (p.22). Directlyopposite City Hall is theParliament House (p.24). From
City Hall we do a short detour,turn right, go to the Traffic Lights,Cross Line Wall Road and decendthe English Steps going left whenyou reach the bottom about100metres on, you will come tothe entrance of King’s BastionLeisure Centre (p.29). Once againsit for a break. From here retraceyour steps to City Hall. Cross thePiazza (square) to Main Street andturn right. Go past the Cathedralof St. Mary the Crowned (p.33).Just past the Cathedral turn rightat the statue of the Garrisonsoldier down Bomb House Lane.Turn left to pass the GibraltarMuseum (p.12) and MoorishBaths (p.13). At the end of thisstreet is the Cathedral of the HolyTrinity (p.34). Cross over to thesquare and turn right past thechildren’s playground. Cross LineWall Road. Go up the ramp. Toyour right is King’s Bastion (p.29)and Line Wall esplanade. Again,remember that the cannons whichare here would have been firingover water, not land.
Return to the ramp, and godown.Turn right and go down thestairs through the archway toQueensway.Turn left.
Carry along the same side toWellington Front (p.32). Cross atthe crosswalk to reach QueenswayQuay (p.58) and walk along theharbourside. Leave QueenswayQuay and cross the road near
Grand Casemates Gates
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the roundabout. At Ragged StaffGate (p.31) turn left. Continuealong Ragged Staff Road and gostraight through the intersectionto Trafalgar Cemetery (p.20).Opposite is the South Bastion(1540) and a Statue of Nelson(p.11). (Here there are severaloptions, noted below). Turn left(toward City Centre) and continuethrough Southport Gates (p.32)down Main Street past JohnMackintosh Hall (p.25). Continuealong past the Convent (p.22) andcross Convent Square staying onMain Street. On your right insidethe gardens are the Law Courts(p.26). Continue along MainStreet, and turn right up LibraryStreet.
At the top of the street is theChurch of Scotland (p.34). CrossGovernor’s Street and go throughthe white archway next to theold Gibraltar Chronicle office.TheGibraltar Chronicle is one ofthe oldest English languagenewspapers in the world and wasfirst published in 1801. Go up thestairs. At the top is the GarrisonLibrary (p.23). If the gate is open,go through the gate and cross thestreet to Governor’s Parade, if not,go back down the stairs andthrough the archway. AtGovernor’s Parade there is amonument to Queen Victoria(p.10). You can continue alongand reach Main Street from here -
the Piazza is quite close and this isanother opportunity to take theTaxi Tour (p.51) or there isshopping on Main Street.
Alternatively, you can go backup to Governor’s Street and walkalong this street until it takes youback to Main Street, near theInternational Commercial Centre.
Optional Tours forthe Do-it-yourselfHistorical Tour atTrafalgar Cemetery
Alameda Gardens: FromTrafalgar Cemetery, continue upthe hill and turn right at EuropaRoad. Continue along the righthand side of the street until youreach Alameda Gardens (p.39). Astroll in the gardens will lead youto Eliott’s Monument (p.10) andWellington’s Monument (p.11).Go back out the way you went inand backtrack down EuropaRoad. Do not turn left at Trafalgar
Trafalgar Cemetery
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Cemetery, but carry on throughPrince Edward’s Gate (p.31) inthe Charles V Wall (p.28). Takeyour first left and continue alongthis road. Take your first left toMain Street and John MackintoshHall (p.25). Continue along asabove. Taxi Tour: You can getthe official Gibraltar Taxi Tour(p.51) at Trafalgar Cemetery(p.20). This is recommended forthose who want a guided tour ofthe Upper Rock. You can returnto Trafalgar Cemetery andcontinue along with the abovetour.
Cable Car: Turn right atTrafalgar Cemetery (p.20) (towardsQueen’s Hotel) and cross at theroundabout. Turn left and thenright to find the Cable Car (p.41)in Grand Parade.
World War II TunnelTours
Licensed tour guides will takeyou on a tour lasting approximately52 minutes with a 15-minutecomfort break where refreshmentsare available. Tour includes staticexhibitions and photographicdisplays. Tours are runningthroughout the day Monday toFriday and Sunday from 10:00am- 4:30pm (last entrance, may closeearlier at weekends, it is advisableto check prior to your visit).
ROCK AND FORTRESS,Princess Caroline’s Battery,Upper Rock.Tel: (+350) 20045957.E-mail: [email protected]
M.O.D.TunnelTours
These tunnels were excavatedduring 1939-1944 and are anextension to The Great SiegeTunnels excavated during TheGreat Siege of 1778-83. TheRock is in fact honeycombed witha 32 mile-long network of tunnels.
Persons wishing to go on thesefascinating tours are advised tobring a torch and to wearcomfortable shoes. Recommendedparty sizes are a maximum offifteen and a minimum of sixor seven. The average duration ofa tour is three hours. Furtherinformation on dates, times andprices of tours conducted by theM.O.D. may be obtained from theGibraltar Tourist Board or RalphCapurro, Tel: (+350) 58009251.
Lower St Michael’sCave
Lower St. Michael’s Cave wasdiscovered in 1942, accidentally,whilst blasting a second entranceat St Michael’s Cave in orderto prepare it for use as anemergency hospital during the
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Second World War.There are reasonably priced
organised tours available to thegeneral public. The tour normallylasts around three hours, howeverdue to the fact that there is somescrambling and minor climbingwith ropes involved, durationtimes may vary.
The cave is totally in itsoriginal natural state (although it isfully lit).
This cave could be referred toas a show cave as many unique andinteresting formations are foundhere.
One of the sites visited duringthis tour is a beautifulunderground lake and fortunatelyfor the visitor, who will nodoubt not want to forget thiswonderful speleological experience,photography is permitted.
People are advised to wearstout shoes and casual clothing.
Group sizes range from 5-10people. Due to the unusual natureof this tour, children under the ageof ten years are not allowed.Threedays prior notice is also necessaryfor bookings.
Mr.Tito Vallejo,Tel: (+350) 20071871 / (+350) 56639000
Mr. Dale Vallejo,Tel: (+350) 54231000
Mr. Mario Balloqui,Tel: (+350) 20050021 / (+350) 20078105 / (+350) 54004160
Pete Jackson M.B.E.Tel: (+350) 20076849 / (+350) 54011358,E-mail: [email protected]
Europa Point
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www.gibtaxi.com
SIGHTSEEING
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Mr Raymond Bellido,Tel: (350) 20074637 / (+350) 58821000,E-mail:[email protected] / Mr. Sean Walker,Tel: (+350) 20040561
Mini Bus and TaxiTours
If you have only a brief time inGibraltar one of the quicker waysof taking in the highlights of theRock is with a guided tour. Thedriver not only knows his wayaround Gibraltar but isknowledgeable about the history,the flora and fauna, and thelegends of the Rock. Plus heknows where to take the bestpictures!
Sights include the Great SiegeTunnels, St Michael’s Cave, theRock Apes, Europa Point,O’Hara’s Battery, etc.
Various tours are offered andyou can negotiate your owncustomised tour.
Parodytur Tel. (+350) 20076070
Bland Travel Tel. (+350) 20048880
Calypso Tours Tel. (+350) 20076226
Exchange Travel Tel. (+350) 20076151
Taxi Association Tel. (+350) 20070027www.gibtaxi.com
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St. Michael’s Cave
www.johnjameswoodphotography.com
TOURSTunnel Tours
The Rock is honeycombedwith a 32 mile-long network oftunnels. As may be expected withmilitary tunnels, parts of the systemare inaccessible to the public.
Guided Tunnel Tours startat Hays Level (Exhibition ofphotographs on Tunnels) andrun Monday - Friday from10.00am - 4.00pm, cost £6.00.Tel: (+350) 20045957.
The tunnels covered wereexcavated from 1939-1944. Sitesincluded are the Great NorthRoad, Calpe Hole, ClaphamJunction and Jock’s Balcony. Youwill also visit the undergroundpower station, undergroundhospital and the gun divisions inthe North Phase.
GibjetsPrivate jet hire has become an
increasingly popular and civilisedmode of air travel in recent timesavoiding crowded airports, delayedflights and bad connections.
At gibjets we realise time is ofessence and tailor-make yourarrangements according to yourneeds whether travelling onbusiness, leisure or air ambulance,thus guaranteeing maximumflexibility point to point air travelsafely and in privacy.For further information contact us on:Tel no: (+350) 20047990E-mail: [email protected] enquiring please quoteRef: Discover Gibjets.
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What Else doesGibraltar offer?
Well, besides the sightseeing,touring, caving, wildflowerspotting, bird, dolphin watching,and wildlife watching mentionedin the last chapter, Gibraltar hassome great beaches, scuba diving,fishing, as well as shopping. Aswell, there are some excellentrestaurants to go to...
Catalan BayNestled on the eastern side of
the rock there is a feeling of isolationin the little village that curls aroundthe bay beneath the steep slopes ofthe rock of Gibraltar. Catalan Baywas settled under Spanish rule byGenoese who lived in the fishinghuts around the bay. They decidedto remain there when the British
took power and they were joined byother Italians, Portuguese, Britishand Spaniards who fled Napoleon’sarmy during the Peninsular War.
Improvements to the beach havemade this already popular area evenmore so. Great quantities of sandwere hauled in and a minibreakwater was formed belowCaleta Palace to protect the shore.
During the hot days of summerthis is one place where locals andtourists like to cool off.
The four star Caleta Hoteloverlooks the beach on the southedge of the village. Some of the bestseafood in Gibraltar can be enjoyedat the beach restaurants here.
Catalan Bay
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Our Lady of Sorrows at Catalan Bay
Eastern BeachEastern Beach is located off
Devil’s Tower Road stretching upto the end of the airport runway.
This is the longest ofGibraltar’s beaches. There arechanging facilities and a numberof food kiosks operate in thesummer.
Sandy BaySandy Bay is located beneath
Both Worlds on the eastern side ofthe Rock a short distance south ofCatalan Bay. Although it is called“sandy” bay, the beach is a mixtureof pebbles and sand. There is asmall bar/café located at beachlevel which is a pleasant place towhile away an afternoon enjoyingviews of the Mediterranean.
DivingThe waters around Gibraltar
have been witness to the sea goingvessels which have plied the watersfrom the earliest of man’s seafaring days.
A combination of accidents,sea battles and the scuttling ofvessels have contributed to theinteresting dive sites which natureprovided.
Diving in Gibraltar is differentfrom diving in other areas of theMediterranean.The flow of waterfrom the Atlantic, although not asclear as other areas of theMediterranean, is less polluted andfull of nutrition leading to a vastarray of marine life.
Visibility is normally near the10m+ mark with better visibilityin the winter months. It is colderthan the rest of the Mediterraneanso divers need a full wet suit allyear round and a semi-dry suit inwinter.Some of the 30 sites include:
SS Rosslyn - a huge freighterfoundered during a fierce storm in1890, lying just 20metres belowthe surface the bow and sternsections are fairly intact althoughthe mid section has not stood thetest of time quite so well. Coveredin bright soft corals she is certainlyone of the Rock’s prettiest wrecks.
Seven Sisters - a group of rocksand a must for any underwaterphotographer.
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Stunning rock formations anddense marine life will keep eventhe most discerning photographersnapping away for hours.The mostpopular wreck in Gibraltar has gotto be the 482 cable laying barge,scuttled less than ten years ago shehas evolved into a most excitingdive. Only 17 metres deep, divershave plenty of time to explore thislarge wreck that is now home toOctopus, Spider Crabs and somerather large Conger Eels.
Europa Reef - a reef withdepths of 15 - 40m and abundantmarine life. The top of the reef isfairly flat with the odd rocky ridgeand trench to add to its interest.
This reef is littered withPhoenician and Roman anchors aswell as a large Admiralty anchor.
Tides in the area can producegood drift divers.
SS Excellent - a 1600 ton, 260foot steam schooner which sankafter a series of collisions on the29th of February 1888. She sitsupside down in a maximum depthof 30m. Much of her remainsintact with a large cavernousinterior. Her engine remains inplace as does one of the boilers.
The large iron screw makes animpressive sight with the rudderlying on the sea-bed. Portholes canbe seen on this wreck along with aprofusion of marine life.
Los Pecos - A spectacular rockreef with a vertical wall from 20 -
60 m+.Abundant large marine lifemakes it one of the best dives inthe western Mediterranean.Situated south of Europa Point inthe Strait between Europe andAfrica this area is susceptible tostrong and unpredictable currents,but it is well worth the effort forexperienced divers.
Aircraft Wrecks - located nearthe end of the airport runway atEastern Beach. They lie in 7 - 20metres of water but they are notalways visible because of movingsand.
Gibraltar has two experienceddive companies:Dive Charters,4 Admiral’s Walk, Marina BayTel: (+350) 20045649,Mobile: (+34) 685608208,E-mail: [email protected]
Dive Hire 1st,Coaling Island,Tel: (+350) 20073616,Mobile: (+350) 56668000E-mail: [email protected]
FishingWith its unique position with
regards to the Atlantic Ocean,Mediterranean Sea and Strait ofGibraltar, the Rock is an angler’sparadise.Both fighting fish, like theConger Eel, and delicious eatingfish, like 14 species of bream, arefound in the waters off Gibraltar.
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Ocean VillageMarina
Ocean Village is Gibraltar’sonly integrated residential, retailand leisure complex…its marinahas been developed to featurestate-of-the-art facilities andsuperb modern services.While themarina location provides secureberthing all year round and in allweather's, the brand newwaterfront also featuresinternational bars and restaurants.
The further addition of LeisureIsland, an ambitious and impressiveland reclamation project, nowoffers members of the OceanVillage community and visitors acasino, nightclub, champagne barand performance area for outdoorevents and concerts.
Marina BayExcellent dining is available at
Marina Bay’s many restaurantswhere views of the water and themarina make for an interesting andrelaxing ambience for dinner or anearly evening drink. For souvenirs,gifts and postcards there are anumber of stores to explore. OnSaturdays a small market is heldwhere local crafts and homemadeitems can be purchased.
For the adventurous, divingcourses and excursions areavailable. Dolphin excursions anddeep sea fishing trips are madefrequently from the docks.
Marina Bay also offers all theservices the boater requires whileon the water or ashore. Gibraltarhas been an important harbour forhundreds of years so there is
Ocean Village Marina
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extensive experience in MarinaBay has water, electricity, TV andphone connections and a securitysystem to protect boaters and theirvaluables. Laundry and showers areclose at hand.
Chandlery services, insurance,and bonded storage for duty freegoods are available. Internationalboaters will find all the facilitiesthey would expect from a top classmarina and there is no problemwith live aboards - people can stayas long as they want, but there is ahalf day minimum stay.
Sailboats occupy most of theMarina Bay’s berths but powerboats are certainly welcome. Thesmallest they take is 6-7 metres,because the piers are fixed so if theboat is too small it may be difficultto get on and off at low tide.
Every year in September a beerfestival is held at Marina Baywhere a variety of beers are sold ata discounted price. Liveentertainment is on hand and theparty goes on until the earlymorning hours.
Queensway QuayMarina
Queensway Quay is one ofGibraltar’s newest marinas, and aswell as giving safe harbour forboats, the quay is a pleasant placefor a stroll, and it has some excellentdining available with top qualityrestaurants and bars, as well as a fewinteresting shops.
Queensway has floatingpontoons, which makes it easier forsmaller boats to moor here,
Queensway Quay Marina
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www.queenswayquay.com
PO Box 19, Queensway, GibraltarTel: (+350) 20044700 | VHF Ch: 71
Email: [email protected] | Web: queenswayquay.com
although large yachts can also takeadvantage of the Queensway Quayfacilities. All services boaters needin a marina are available, includinga laundry, and the managementtries to give that personal touch,something you might not find inlarger marinas. One of thoseservices is dealing with thecumbersome customs andimmigration forms mariners arerequired to fill out when enteringGibraltar.
Like the other marinas, thoughat the south end of the harbour, it isonly minutes away on foot fromMain Street shopping.
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Queensway Quay Marina
Bar / RestaurantDining out in Gibraltar is
always a pleasure - whether it bebreakfast, lunch or dinner.
If you are looking forbreakfast, Corks and the Clipperin Irish Town, as well as the EliottHotel and the Rock Hotel willget you going in the morning.
Corks also has a selection ofdaily lunch specials and is popularwith local businessmen. At night,Corks becomes one of the liveliestplaces in Gibraltar. A place to seeand be seen.
The House of Sacarello, alsoin Irish Town, is famous for its
coffee, but don’t miss out on itsafternoon teas as well! They alsohave great pasta dishes andelaborate sandwiches.
The Clipper Bar / Restaurantsituated at the heart of Irish Town,offering a warm welcome withour friendly staff and nauticaltheme. With large TV screens anda mouth watering selection offoods ranging from sandwiches tofish & chips, are looking forwardto seeing you.
Located in the centre ofGibraltar, the Eliott Hotel hastwo restaurants - the Palm Courtand the Victoria Garden with a
Queensway Quay Marina
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good selection of internationalcuisine, specialising inMediterranean flavours. Andduring the afternoon, enjoy hightea in the lobby. Later in theevening, savour the good life atEliott Hotel’s Piano Bar,Verandah, which features melodiesat the grand piano in a tranquilambience.
Another family favourite,Pizza Hut, is located on theground floor of the InternationalCommercial Centre and they havethe famous salad bar, piping hotpasta dishes and deep dish and panpizza.
For lighter meals, check out
Gibraltar’s pubs.The Angry Friar(opposite The Convent) servestraditional English meals anddrinks, and if you’re lucky, you’llsee the changing of the guard fromtheir terrace. The Royal Calpe,further down on Main Street,offers a wide range of pub grub.
For al fresco diners, there is anoutdoor courtyard you can eat inas well as tables out front.
Biancas situated on the watersedge in Gibraltar’s foremostyachting Marina Bay.We offer anextensive a la Carte menu withfreshly cooked daily specials,specialising in steaks, fish & pizza.
We also have a children's
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menu, vegetarian menu and asuperb wine list. Lovelysurroundings to enjoy our popularSunday roast carvery, a Gibraltarfavourite. If you are looking forquality food and drink atcompetitive prices, then come toBiancas. Located overlooking themarina at Queensway Quay, TheWaterfront Bar/Restaurant hasfabulous views from its terrace andserves a wide selection ofinternational dishes. Try it forlunch, dinner, snacks, drinks or itsfamous summer barbecue.Chicken, steaks, fish and seafoodand pasta dishes are all on thevaried menu.
Lek Bankok, the finest,authentic Thai cuisine preparedfrom the very best ingredientsincluding fresh herbs, spices andexotic vegetables sent to us everyweek from growers in Thailand.Lek Bangkok’s menu is aboutchoice, flavours, quality andpresentation - a true taste ofThailand.
The traditional Thai food iscertainly full-flavoured, soupssparkle with chilli and lemon grass
and curries are rich with aromaticand spicy tastes.
Theme: Lek Bangkok in amodern Thai restaurant withinfluences from both east andwest. The restaurant is situated inone of the most modern parts ofGibraltar, Europort is a hive ofbusiness activity with surprisinglyfew places to eat. The restauranthas two floors decorated in Thaiartefacts with modern light effectsto set the feel. Lek Bangkok’smenu is about choice, flavours,quality and presentation - a truetaste of Thailand.The meal can beformal or informal with family,friends or business colleagues, wehave the ability to make everymeal a culinary experience thatyou will never forget.
If you are looking for aSpanish-style tapas restaurant bar,you will find no better than CasaPepe in Queensway Quay.This isthe real thing and you can getpaella, jamón pata negra, chorizo,as well as a large selection of tapasand canapes.
A little farther up the Rock,you will find the world famousRock Hotel. Dine informally onthe Wisteria Terrace where theyserve lunches, dinners, andafternoon teas. Or choose themore formal restaurant with itsstunning views and 3 course housemenu or full a la carte menu.
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Shopping inGibraltar
Price and selection makeshopping enjoyable in Gibraltarbut there is far more to attract theserious shopper who is looking forquality, diversity or a very specialgift. It isn’t just price that attractsvisitors because not all goods arecheaper than elsewhere. There aremany factors that lure shoppers tothe Rock.
Most of the shop assistants inGibraltar are bilingual providingservice in either English orSpanish.
Tobacco is one of the greatbargains in Gibraltar. A carton ofCigarettes will cost half of what itdoes in Spain and a third of whatit does in Britain.Cigars and spiritsare also good buys.
Those looking for electronicgoods and photographicequipment have a number ofstores to choose from. Videocameras and some SLR camerasare the best deals to be found.
Men looking for a very specialgift for their sweethearts will findjewellery a good buy - some itemsare about 35% cheaper than inSpain. Gold, silver, pearls,diamonds and watches can befound at well established jewellerslocated on Main Street.
Special gifts can be foundat some very unique stores.Check out the perfumerieslocated on Main Street, for allyour perfumes and cosmetics.Prices are 15 to 20% cheaper thanin Spain while 20 to 25% lowerthan in the U.K.
There are franchises for someof Britain’s best-known HighStreet shops including BritishHome Stores, Marks &Spencer, Peacocks, Mango,Top Shop Mothercare and thebeautiful designer wear ofMonsoon.
Shoppers can find the qualityand selection they expect fromthese stores and everything comes
Main Street
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www.facebook.com/TheJewelBoxGib
in a good range of sizes.If you are looking for U.K.
or international newspapers,magazines, stationery, or children’sbooks drop into the ImperialNews Agency - established in1919 and still going strong. It’slocated opposite The Convent.
There are several antique storesin Gibraltar specialising in itemsparticular to Gibraltar.There is agreat interest in anything military.Prints, plates from old books andcharts are very popular.
For a gift made in Gibraltar,you can watch glass-blowers createa genuine piece of GibraltarCrystal.
Remember, not all ofGibraltar’s shops are located onMain Street, and a little exploringmay lead the way to somebargains. Located on Engineer’sLane, just one block east of MainStreet, you will find BargainStores, which specialises in everytoy or game a child (or adult)could want.
Whatever you are in search of,it is a good bet that it will be easyto find in Gibraltar and everythingis VAT free here.
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HISTORY
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StampsOn the 1st January 1886 the
Colonial Government of Gibraltarassumed control of its PostalServices. As an interim measure,Bermuda plates were overprintedwith ‘Gibraltar’ using differentcolours. These were replacedby Gibraltar’s own design inDecember of that same year.
Gibraltar's stamps were usedwith peseta values from 1889 to1898 since trade was carried out inthis currency. Stamp designs wererather stereotyped until 1931when, at the Governor’s request,Captain Garrood, Gibraltar’sCrown Surveyor and Engineer,produced the first pictorialDefinitive.
The first commemorative issuewas in 1935. The release of suchissues were confined up to 1966 toCrown Agents 'Omnibus' issuesand marked events of internationalinterest. Since 1966 subjects of apredominantly local flavour havebeen chosen though internationalevents are also featured.
Today Gibraltar continues toadopt a conservative stamp issuingpolicy thus maintaining its highreputation amongst the philatelicfraternity. Current stamp issuesrange from seven to eightcommemorative issues a year
together with a change ofdefinitive issue every five or sixyears.
CoinsAll of Gibraltar’s coins have
been struck by the Pobjoy Mint inSutton, Surrey since 1988. Beforethis time, only Sterling coins werein circulation. In 1991, theGovernment introduced threelegal tender ECU coins. Limitededition coins can be purchased atthe General Post Office on MainStreet.
Neanderthal ManBut for a quirk of fate
Neanderthal Man - the bestknown of the primitives - maywell have been called GibraltarMan as it was in a cave in Gibraltarthat the first remains of HomoNeanderthalensis was found.
Neanderthal Man lived in thecaves around Gibraltar between120,000 and 60,000 years ago. Itwas in Forbes’ Quarry Cave at thenorthern end of Gibraltar in 1848that an almost entire female skullwas found.The significance of thisfind was not realised until 16 yearslater when Fuhlrott discoveredanother skull in the NeanderthalValley near Düsseldorf inGermany. It was only later, after
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[email protected] I www.facebook.com/golfgibraltar
this new species had becomeknown as Neanderthal Man, thatthe Gibraltar skull’s characteristicsidentified it as being of the samespecies.
In the meantime thecircumstances of the Gibraltar findhad been forgotten and the skulltaken to Britain for further study.
It is now on display in theBritish Museum in England alongwith subsequent discoveries.
Well over 100 Neanderthalshave been uncovered worldwideincluding a child’s skull found inForbes’ Quarry Cave in 1926.
Gorham’s Cave, on the southside of the Rock has been the siteof numerous archeologicalexpeditions and many implementsof bone, flint and other materialsrelated to the Neanderthals havebeen uncovered.
Replicas of the skulls, and findsfrom Gorham’s Cave are on displayin the Gibraltar Museum.
Mons CalpeThe Romans christened
Gibraltar ‘Mons Calpe’ inreference to the numerous cavespermeating the Rock. They hada base at Carteia, which had beena Phoenician colony west ofGibraltar and they left evidence oftheir presence here.
Both Greek and Romanmythology tell the tale of theLabours of Hercules, which hadhim opening a waterway bysplitting apart what is now Europeand Africa and creating the Straitsof Gibraltar. Hence Mons Calpe isone of the Pillars of Hercules withthe other being Mons Abyla, a hilleast of Ceuta.
Pillars of Hercules
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The Roman name lives on,most notably in the coat of arms ofGibraltar which was presented tothe people of Gibraltar by QueenIsabella and King Ferdinand inthe early 1500’s. Much later theofficial Royal college of Heraldsadded the words Montis InsignisCalpe in the scroll at the base ofthe shield on the coat of arms.
Moorish andSpanish Dominion
The Muslim invasion ofEurope began in the Bay ofGibraltar where the Visigoths sidedwith Muslims by lending theirships to the Berber Chief, TarikIbn Zeyad. Tarik conqueredGibraltar in 711, naming it “JebelTarik” (Tarik’s mountain), fromwhich Gibraltar is derived.
Gibraltar continued underMoorish dominion for 700 years,but in the early 14th century, itwas taken by Spain for 24 years. In1462 Spain re-captured the Rock.
Coat of ArmsThe Gibraltar Coat of Arms
was granted to the people ofGibraltar in 1502 during theSpanish occupation of the Rock(1462-1704). It is said that whenthe Gibraltarians asked their
The Gibraltar flag (flanked by the Union Jack and EU flags) is red and white with the Gibraltar Coat of Arms
in the centre.
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monarch for a Coat of Arms,Queen Isabella, passing the time atSanta Fe during the Spanish siegeof Granada designed andembroidered the banner. She usedfine golden thread stitched carefullyonto a square of bright red damask.
The emblem incorporates athree turreted castle, representingthe fortress of Gibraltar, fromwhich hung a large golden key.
The key represents theCrown’s belief that Gibraltar wasthe key to the Spanish territories -after all, it was through Gibraltarthat the Moors had entered andsubsequently conquered a largepart of Spain.
Above the emblem sits acrown, representing the Spanishmonarchy, and a golden wreathencloses the design.
At the surrender of Gibraltarto the Anglo-Dutch force in 1704,the Spanish residents fled. Many ofthem settled just a few miles awayin San Roque where they are stillknow as “the citizens of Gibraltarin San Roque.” They took withthem the coat of arms which nowhangs in San Roque’s Town Hall.
The flag that now flies overGibraltar has changed little fromthe original. The crown of Spainhas gone and the background isnow one-third red and two-thirdswhite. The castle and the key
remain unaltered. To the Britishthe key has come to symboliseGibraltar’s role as the ‘Key to theMediterranean.’
British ‘inperpetuity’
Gibraltar remained a Spanishpossession from 1462 until 1704when it fell to a combined Anglo-Dutch Force. The Treaty ofUtrecht (1713) ceded Gibraltar tothe ‘Crown of Great Britain’ inperpetuity, but Gibraltar continuedto be subject to bloody conflictwith Spain, and in 1782, workbegan on the Great Siege Tunnels.
The Battle of Trafalgar wasfought close to Gibraltar in 1805.
20th centuryDuring World War II Gibraltar
was home to naval fleet Force Hand was the focal point fromwhere General Eisenhowermasterminded the North Africanlandings in 1942.
Spain attempted to revive herclaim to Gibraltar during theFranco era. This conflict resultedin the closure of the borderbetween Spain and Gibraltar in1969 and it remained closed for 13years and was fully opened in 1985(to vehicles).
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Today there is still conflictbetween Spain and Gibraltar, asthe Spanish government continuesto want to make the Rock aSpanish possession.
The HinduCommunity
Following the opening of theSuez Canal in 1869 the firstmerchants from India arrived inGibraltar with the permission ofthe Governor, and had the samerights as any other traders in thearea. The present population iscomprised almost entirely of
descendants from Hyderabad,Sindh (now Pakistan.)
Because Gibraltar was regardedas nothing more than a tradingoutpost, it was not until 1925 (over50 years after the arrival of the firstmerchant) that the first Indian wasborn in Gibraltar. In the mid-1920s proprietors and senioremployees began to reside herewith their families.
Until 1921 there were onlyabout seven licensed Indiantraders. Once licensed theyenjoyed freedom of trade and theright to have as many alienemployees resident in Gibraltar as
Hindu Temple,Al Mandir
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they deemed necessary.By this time the civilian
population of Gibraltar wasgrowing rapidly and the shortageof housing and poor livingconditions resulted in aliens beingrestricted to one place of businessfor each license holder and thenumber of alien employeesrestricted to the number necessaryfor the conduct of business.
The Governor also decidedthat no further aliens should bepermitted to open businesses here.
This culminated in the TradeRestrictions Ordinance whichlimited Indian traders to deal onlyin goods which Gibraltarians werenot interested in selling.
After World War II a largenumber of Hindus moved out ofthe sub-continent and somesettled in Gibraltar.
In 1950 there were 23 licensedIndian traders and by 1961 thenumber had risen to 26. Traderswere allowed two non-Gibraltarian employees to reside inGibraltar.This resulted in about 50Indian families living in Gibraltarwith the remainder living in the‘Campo’ area and commuting towork each day.
The 1950s saw a radical changein the legal status of (but not therights enjoyed by) Indians inGibraltar. The British Nationality
Act 1948 conferred upon Britishsubjects aged over 21 and living ina British territory for not less thanfive years the right to be registeredas citizens of the U.K. andcolonies. Indians were Britishsubjects and, those who had livedin Gibraltar for more than fiveyears, were registered as U.K.citizens.
The withdrawal of Spanishlabour in 1969 forced theGovernment to ease restrictionson expatriate labour residing inGibraltar. Hindus who held U.K.citizenship and resided in Spaintook up residence in Gibraltar.
Hindu traders were allowed torecruit more Indian nationals toreplace Spanish shop assistants.
Restrictions on tradinglicenses and immigration controlsremained.
1973 saw a dramatic change inthe fortunes of the HinduCommunity with the entry of theU.K. (and with it Gibraltar) intothe EEC. Those members of theCommunity who had acquiredBritish citizenship qualifiedovernight for treatment as EECnationals with the same rights as300 million Englishmen,Frenchmen, Italians and citizens ofthe member states.
The right to live, trade andwork in Gibraltar has transformed
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the Hindu Community into amore dynamic and outwardlooking people. This has broughtnot only increased investment inproperty and trade but also achange in the nature of thebusiness conducted.
The increased confidence andthe sense of belonging to Gibraltarand a sense of integration into thewider Gibraltarian community hasenabled Gibraltarian Hindus toparticipate fully in serviceorganisations such as the RotaryClub, the Lions Club of Gibraltar,in the Chamber of Commerce andin other walks of public life.
In 2004, Mr Haresh BudhraniQC was appointed Speaker of theHouse of Assembly (now theGibraltar Parliament) and over theyears these members of theCommunity have also beenappointed Justices of the Peace.
The JewishCommunity
Though only numberingabout 600, the Jews in Gibraltarhave a strong presence in localbusiness and social affairs.
The Community’s ManagingBoard has overall responsibilityfor communal matters andpolicy ranging from finance toeducation.The Board is headed
by a president and comprises11 elected members.
Sephardi Jews, who had beenexpelled by Queen Isabella in1492 and had dispersed to manycountries, settled here soon afterthe British took control in 1704.
However, Article X of theTreaty of Utrecht,which formalisedBritish ownership of Gibraltar,prohibited both Jews and Moorsfrom residing here.
As the Jews and Moors weretraders, bringing in much neededgoods, local authorities werereluctant to comply with thetreaty. Orders came from Britainto expel them, which thegovernors did their utmost to getaround. In 1714 it was reportedthat all Jews had been expelled,except for those who had not paidtheir accounts.This turned out tobe most of them.
In 1717 there were more than300 Jews in Gibraltar and thepressure was still on to have themremoved, and many were. From1719 - 1721 relations with Spainagain deteriorated and Jews wereallowed to return to Gibraltar,which was due as much to theSultan of Morocco as to Britishauthorities.
The Sultan said that hissubjects in Gibraltar must betreated as well as the British were
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treated in Morocco. The Britishsigned a treaty with the Sultanagreeing to his terms. Many Jewsreturned to Gibraltar as citizens ofMorocco.
Those that were here duringthe first siege by the Spanish in1727 were of help to the garrison.
This is hardly surprisingconsidering the treatment theirancestors had received at the handsof the Spanish.
In general, the Jews weretreated equitably and though therewere a number of nationalitiesliving on the Rock everyonemanaged to live in harmony. Someattribute this to both the severityand even handedness of themilitary justice.
In 1724 land was granted toIsaack Netto who was given “apiece of waste ground” on whichhe built the first synagogue. It wasseriously damaged in January 1766when a landslide caved in manyadjacent houses and killed 50people. It was rebuilt in 1768 on amore lavish scale with a newentrance on Engineers Lane.
In 1749 a grant of land, in thename of Mr. Isaac Aboab, wasmade in order to erect asynagogue. It wasn’t until 1768that the synagogue opened forservice.
There was another smallsynagogue in Irish Town, “EsHayim.” It had been a “yeshiba,”an academy, before becoming aplace of worship in 1759.
The Spanish attacked again1779. Many Jews becamesoldiers and some distinguishedthemselves. One was AbrahamHassan who was granted a houseon Southport Street by GeneralEliott for his service. TheSynagogue was shelled and burnedon May 17, 1781.
The Nefusot YehudahSynagogue was built on Line WallRoad in 1800 from a houseowned by Semtob Sequerra. It hadto be redone in 1812 when itsuffered fire damage. It was knownas the “Flemish Synagogue” asmany of the people had comefrom Holland and the synagoguewas done in a Flemish style. TheSynagogue was again damaged in1951, along with a great deal ofGibraltar, when an ammunitionship blew up in the harbour.
Abudarham Synagogue wasbuilt in Parliament Lane in 1820.
In 1858 the law was changedto allow Jews to swear an oath ofallegiance that did not conflictwith their faith. From then onJews have occupied all posts inGibraltar, including that of ChiefMinister.
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There are two Jewishcemeteries in Gibraltar. NorthGate cemetery is located near theairport. The cemetery on theUpper Rock, is older and is wortha visit. It is known as the WindmillHill Cemetery and it was closedMay 6, 1848.
The MoorishConnection
When General Franco closedthe Gibraltar-Spanish border in1967 not only was the steadystream of workers which flowedacross the border halted but so wasthe import of food and water.
Gibraltar turned to Moroccofor workers and supplies.
A ferry connected Gibraltarwith Tangier bringing in freshvegetables and workers. AtlasMountain water was brought overon water barges.
In the first year workersnumbered 5,000, but now thereare about 3,000. Many lived in theold barracks at Grand Battery, thelowest part of the originalMoorish northern defence wall.
Inside it is easy to imagine youare in Morocco. Men squattedhere and there, everyone isspeaking Arabic and there werevegetables and general goods forsale.
A café offers mint tea, andthere is a small mosque. As well,there is the Ibrahim Al-Ibrahimmosque at Europa Point.
Most of the Moroccans arefrom Tangier and Tetuan, whichwas once called Spanish Morocco.
Many of the Moroccans fromthere speak Spanish, which madethem natural recruits for Gibraltarwhere many residents speakSpanish.
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Ibrahim-Al-Ibrahim Mosque
Roman CatholicCommunity
About 80% of Gibraltarians areRoman Catholics and they areserved by five parishes, each withtheir own church. There arechapels at Catalan Bay, St.Bernard’s, Mount Alvernia, and theShrine of Our Lady of Europe, atEuropa Point.
It was in 1462, when Spainexpelled the Moors, thatCatholicism became permanentlyestablished on the Rock. Until1704 Gibraltar was part of theDiocese of Cadiz. During Britishrule the Catholic Church formeddirect links with Rome, and thisrelationship remains.
In 1704 the Catholics were, ofcourse, in the majority, inGibraltar.
However, at the time, they
were being persecuted in England.In Gibraltar the Protestantgovernment went to great lengthsto protect the Catholics, going sofar as to post guards outside theCathedral. Spanish speakingCatholic priests were broughtfrom Minorca, then a Britishterritory, to run the church.
Today Catholics live inharmony with the Protestants,Jews, Hindus and Muslims withwhom they share this territory.
MilitaryCeremonies
At the frontier dividingGibraltar and Spain a model of thePort Sergeant holding the Keys ofGibraltar can be seen.The model isa reminder of the tradition beganby General Sir George Eliott whowas Governor of Gibraltar duringthe Great Siege. He carried thekeys of the Garrison on him at alltimes and was even said to haveslept with them under his pillow(currently removed due to majorlocal works).
Since this time successiveGovernors have kept up thetradition by carrying the keys at allofficial functions. The only timewhen the keys were not in thepossession of the governor waswhen they were handed over toOlden days relived
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the Port Sergeant for the dailyceremonial opening and closing ofthe gates of Gibraltar. This was adaily task which was carried outby the Garrison until thebeginning of the century. This
ceremony is now re-enacted onlyonce a year during May.
Changing of the Guard. Thechanging of the Guard is a dailyceremony performed by theGibraltar Regiment. It takes placeseveral times daily, on weekdays,outside the Convent - the officialresidence of the Governor ofGibraltar. Special ceremonialevents are held at regular intervalsthroughout the year, but the datesare not announced very far inadvance for security reasons.
Daily changing of the guard
Olden days relived
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AccommodationBristol Hotel10 Cathedral SquareTel: (+350) 20076800E-mail:[email protected]
Caleta HotelSir Herbert Miles RoadTel: (+350) 20076501E-mail:[email protected]
Cannon Hotel9 Cannon LaneTel: (+350) 20051711E-mail: [email protected]
Emile Youth HostelTel: (+350) 20051106
O’Callaghan Eliott HotelGovernor’s ParadeTel: (+350) 20070500E-mail:[email protected]
Queen’s HotelBoyd StreetTel: (+350) 20074000 / (+350) 20041682E-mail:[email protected]
Rock HotelEuropa RoadTel: (+350) 20073000E-mail:[email protected]
Airport/AirlineAir TerminalTel: (+350) 20073026]
Air Terminal Car ParkTel: (+350) 20073913
Flight InformationTel: (+350) 8998
British AirwaysDestinations: London Heathrow(LHR), UKwww.ba.com
There are flights available to and from Gibraltar daily by British Airways, Monarch Airlines and Easyjet.
Gibraltar’s airstrip is on the narrow isthmus connecting the Rock with Spain.
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EasyJetDestinations: London Gatwick(LGW), UKwww.easyjet.com
Monarch AirlinesDestinations: Birmingham(BHX), UKLondon Luton (LTN), UKManchester (MAN), UKwww.flymonarch.comTel: (+350) 20047477
Malaga Airport InformationTel: (0034) 95 204 8404 or(0034) 95 204 8484
Bank HolidaysJanuary 1 (New Year’s Day) Mid March (Commonwealth Day)March/April (Good Friday, Easter Monday) May 1 (May Day) Late May (Spring Bank Holiday)Mid June (Queen’s Birthday) Late August (Bank Holiday)September 10 (National Day)December 25 (Christmas Day)December 26 (Boxing Day.)
BookmakersRock Turf AccountantsTel: (+350) 20079720,(+350) 20076865
Victor ChandlerTel: (+350) 20006996
Business ServicesFine Design LtdTel: (+350) 20076204
Bus RoutesVarious new routes have been
introduced throughout Gibraltar,Route 5, is the only bus routecurrently operating from theFrontier to the Market Place. Thisroute will operate from theFrontier via Market Place toReclamation Road and return tothe Frontier via Europort Avenue,Waterport Road and Market Place.
From the Market Place,additional bus services will cover allpoints in Gibraltar except a journeyto the frontier so please consult theroute maps shown within the busshelters for the correct Bus No. foryour destination.
The Gibraltar Bus CompanyTel: (+350) 20047622.
CasinoIf you have a gambling streak
in you, you can satisfy it at TheGala Casino which, unlike otherEuropean casinos, has no entrancefee. There are no membership orpassport requirements. CoralSports Lounge,VIP high stakesarea, 150+ Jackpot slot machines,Cocktail balcony with stunning
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views of the African coast,chargrill & mediterraneanrestaurant, 18 Degree Below ZeroIce Line Bar, Casino Magic &Poker Zones, or just want to relaxwith a drink and watch the action.
The Gala Casino, Located inGibraltar’s new Ocean VillageMarina, Tel: (+350) 20076666www.galacasinogibraltar.com
Coach/Car ParksAirport Car ParkTel: (+350) 20073913
Devil’s Tower Roade Car ParkTel: (+350) 20049202
Europlaza Car ParkTel: (+350) 20049202
I.C.C. Car Park (Line WallRoad)Tel: (+350) 20074643
Marina Bay Car ParkTel: (+350) 20073300
Ocean Village Car Parkentrance near Casemates -Waterport fountainQueensway (Reclamation Road)Tel: (+350) 20048632 / 20051694
Rotunda Car ParkTel: (+350) 20073621
Waterport Coach ParkTel: (+350) 20074326
Consular OfficesBELGIUMP L Imossi Esq47 Irish TownTel: (+350) 20078353E-mail: [email protected]
DENMARKJohn A Gaggero EsqCloister Building, Market LaneTel: (+350) 20076821E-mail: [email protected]
GREECEJ J Imossi EsqSuite 33, Portland HouseGlacis RoadTel: (+350) 20076651
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Gala Casino Entrance
E-mail:[email protected]
FINLANDA J S Capurro Esq20 Line Wall RoadTel: (+350) 20075149E-mail: [email protected]
FRANCEPierre Fayaud EsqSuite 10.3, 10th Floor, ICCBuildingTel: (+350) 20048070E-mail: [email protected]
ICELANDAnne LundinTel: (+350) 54342000E-mail: [email protected]
ISRAELD Benaim Esq39 Glacis Road, Marina ViewPO Box 238Tel: (+350) 20077735E-mail: [email protected]
ITALYMaj P H Canessa ED Esq3/1 Irish Place, PO Box 437Tel: (+350) 20047096E-mail: [email protected]
MALTAFranco Cassar EsqBarclays BankTel: (+350) 20052342E-mail:[email protected] to Gibraltar needing a
Moroccan Consul have to contactMAIMA in Algeciras.Tel: (+34) 956 66180 - MorningsOnly
NETHERLANDSRaacida AmenzouPricewaterhouseCoopers LtdICC BuildingCasemates SquareTel: (+350) 20052036E-mail:[email protected]
NORWAYP L Savignon Esq MBELower Ground Floor, Regal House,Queensway P.O. Box 928Tel: (+350) 20048352E-mail: [email protected] /[email protected]
POLANDA J P Lombard Esq LLB35 Governor’s ParadeTel: (+350) 20074593E-mail:[email protected]
SWEDENJ P Gaggero EsqPO Box 212, Cloister BuildingTel: (+350) 20072663E-mail: [email protected]
SWITZERLANDYves J. Guisan MD, Msc11/1 Gardiner’s RoadTel/Fax: (+350) 20041138Mobile: (+34) 676 338169
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E-mail: [email protected]
THAILANDMark J P Porral ESQ4th Floor, Leon HouseTel: (+350) 20072685E-mail:[email protected]
CurrencyGibraltar Government notes
are legal tender in Gibraltar, and itis accepted at par with PoundsSterling. U.K. notes and coins areaccepted and circulate freely.
Credit cards and traveller’scheques are widely accepted.
There is a full range ofinternational banks which aregenerally open from 9.00am -3.30pm weekdays. There are anumber of Bureaux de Changeopen regular business hours forexchanging money.
DrivingDriving is on the right. Hire
cars are available for trips intoSpain, for which you need a validfull licence. Generally, car hirecompanies expect you to returnthe car to the point of collection.
Electricity240 V, 3 pin plug (as in U.K.)
EmergencyEmergencyTel: 112
Ambulance Tel: 199
Fire Tel: 190
Police Tel: 199
Fire Brigade Tel: (+350) 20079507
Police HeadquartersTel: (+350) 20072500
St. Bernard’s HospitalTel: (+350) 20079700
EU StatusGibraltar entered the EU with
the United Kingdom in 1973 andit derives its membership from theU.K. and is not a separate memberstate. Gibraltar is consideredoutside the customs territory ofthe EU, but has free movement ofcapital, services and persons.
The citizens of Gibraltar areBritish Dependent TerritoryCitizens, but are considered U.K.nationals for Community purposeswith all the rights and entitlementsof any EU state.
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Facilities fordisabled personsTOURIST SITES:• Clear access / • Some difficulty /• Difficult access Upper RockNature Reserve attractions• St. Michael’s Cave Entranceaccessible, bridge and steps• Apes’ Den Accessible• Great Siege Tunnels Accessiblehalf way, steep hill and set of steps • Moorish Castle Access difficult,steps and narrow corridors.Whilst steps are being taken tomeet the special requirements ofsome of our visitors, some ofGibraltar’s major attractions faceparticular difficulties in providingaccess for those who are inwheelchairs. However, tocompensate in some small measurefor this, the Gibraltar Tourist Boardhas arranged for free access todisabled persons into the UpperRock.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS:• World War II Rock and FortressTunnel Tour :Accessible• Nelson’s Anchorage:Access toexhibition only, steps and narrowcorridors leading to gun• Gibraltar Museum:Access tolower floor only• Cable Car: Difficult access, anumber of flights of steps
• Alameda Botanical Gardens :Accessible• Alameda Wildlife ConservationPark : Partly accessible, someflights of steps• Trafalgar Cemetery: Partlyaccessible• Gibraltar Crystal Glass Factory:Step into factory, assistanceprovided by staff• Gibraltar Arts and CraftsExhibition : Good access, lifts toupper floor• John Mackintosh Hall ( library& cultural centre ) : Good access,lifts to first floor• Shrine of Our Lady of Europe:Good access, ramp at entrance • Flat Bastion Magazine : Partlyaccessible, narrow corridors.We hope that the friendliness,helpfulness and attention of localpeople can go some way towardscompensating for any deficienciesin the physical provisions inbuildings and amenities some ofwhich are difficult to satisfactorilyadapt.
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Golf Courses(Spain)AlcaidesaTel: (+34) 956 79 10 40
San RoqueTel: (+34) 956 61 30 30
ValderramaTel: (+34) 956 79 12 00
AlmenaraTel: (+34) 956 79 50 60
SotograndeTel: (+34) 956 79 50 14**wait for tone, then dial 3
La CañadaTel: (+34) 956 79 41 00
La DuquesaTel: (+34) 95 289 04 25
EsteponaTel: (+34) 95 211 30 81
Health/MedicalChiropractic ClinicTel: (+350) 20044226
Crown PharmacyTel: (+350) 20078598
Foot Health ClinicTel: (+350) 20041576
College ClinicTel: (+350) 20077777
Louis PharmacyTel: (+350) 20044797
Passano OpticiansTel: (+350) 20076544
Internetwww.discover.giwww.finedesignstudio.comwww.gibraltar.giwww.gibraltar.gov.ukwww.gibmuseum.giwww.gibraltar-stamps.comwww.visitgibraltar.gi
LlanitoGibraltar has its own unique
vernacular, Llanito, a corruption ofEnglish and Andaluz with asmattering of Genoese.
Llanito has its own specificwords and even its own dictionary,compiled by Manuel Cavilla OBE.
Many of the Llanito wordswere brought by immigrants whocame from many diverse areas ofthe world.The words worked theirway into the language untileventually their origin becameobscured.
During the 19th century manyItalian words entered the language.
MarinasOcean Village Marina / Marina Bay Tel: (+350) 20073300
Queensway QuayTel: (+350) 20044700
Yacht Terminal (Gib Oil)Tel: (+350) 20048218
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Measuring UpGibraltar is 6.4sq km (3.5 sq
miles) approx. in total. Much ofthis is precipitous rock and cliffwhich measures Approx. 426metres (1400 feet) in height.Thehighest point is at O’Hara’sBattery. The Rock can be seenfrom up to 100 km away,Morocco is Approx. 13 km (8miles) across the Strait of Gibraltar.
Latitude 36 7’ North,longitude 5 21’ West. Length:Approx. 5 km (3.10 miles).
Circumference Length:Approx. 16 km (10 miles).
Average width: Approx. 1.25km (1 mile).
The Rock is mainly Jurassiclimestone some 200 million yearsold.
Getting ThereRegular flights from the UK to
Gibraltar are operated by Easyjet,British Airways and MonarchScheduled. Flight time isapproximately 2.5 hours. The landfrontier between Gibraltar andSpain is open 24 hours a day, sevendays a week both for vehicles andpedestrians. There is no limit onthe number of frontier crossingsyou can make.
There are also a number ofcruise companies which makeGibraltar a regular destination ontheir itineraries and two marinasprovide for private yachts andsailing ships.
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The Rock measures Approx. 426 metres (1400 ft) in height
Passports,Visas andVaccinations
A full passport is required tovisit Spain and North Africa.Visasare not necessary for EC nationals,but citizens of other countriesshould check with the appropriateauthorities.
No vaccinations are required forGibraltar, Spain or North Africa.
Customs AllowanceImportation from Gibraltar
into SpainFor travellers buying in
Gibraltar and intending to importinto Spain.
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or250 gms of tobacco.
The purchase of tobacco islimited to a single purchase permonth for the above mentionedquantities.
1 litre of spirits or strongliqueurs over 22% volume or 2litres wine or 48 bottles of beer.
A300 worth of a variety ofgoods including perfume andtoilet water (Singular expensiveitems may be valued by SpanishCustoms at a rate they considerthe item should cost).
Children 17 years and undermay import half this allowance.
People under 17 cannot have
the tobacco or alcohol allowance.Goods bought in Gibraltar
may only be imported into Spainbetween 0900 hours and 2100hours.
The above information is onlyto be used as a guideline. Westrongly recommend that anyenquiries regarding importation ofgoods from Gibraltar into Spain bedirected to Spanish Customs at theFrontier. The Gibraltar TouristBoard does not acceptresponsibility for any changes tothe above.
Places of WorshipAnglican:Cathedral of Holy TrinityCathedral Square,Tel: (+350) 20075745
King’s Chapel302 Main StreetTel: (+350) 20055414
Bethel Christian Fellowship95 Main Street,Tel: (+350) 20052002
Church of Scotland:St. Andrew’sGovernor’s Parade,Tel: (+350) 20043351
Church of Jesus Christ of theLatter-Day Saints2nd Floor, Don House,30-38 Main Street,Tel: (+350) 20050433
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Evangelical Church ofGibraltar:Ragged Staff Gates,Tel: (+350) 20078656
Hindu TempleEngineer Lane,Tel: (+350) 20042515
Methodist:Wesley House, 296 Main Street,Tel: (+350) 20040870
New Apostolic Church:14 Victoria House, 26 Main Street,Tel: (+350) 20079305
Roman Catholic:Cathedral of St Mary215 Main Street,Tel: (+350) 20076688
Our Lady of Sorrows32 Catalan Bay,Tel: (+350) 20073474
Shrine of Our Lady of EuropeEuropa Point,Tel: (+350) 20071230
St Bernard’s Parish ChurchEuropa Road,Tel: (+350) 20043949
St Joseph’s Parish Church28 Witham’s Road,Tel: (+350) 20075682
St Paul’s Parish ChurchVaryl Begg Estate,Tel: (+350) 20077135
St Theresa’s Parish Church30b Devil’s Tower Road,Tel: (+350) 20077138
Synagogues:Shaar HashamayimSynagogue47 Engineer Lane,Tel: (+350) 20078069,Enquiries Tel: (+350) 20074030
Nefusot Yehuda SynagogueLine Wall Road,Tel: (+350) 20076477
Etz Hayim SynagogueIrish Town
Abudarham Synagogue20 Parliament Lane,Tel: (+350) 20040223
Police ForceThe Royal Gibraltar Police
Force is the second oldest BritishPolice force in the world. SirRobert Peel formed theMetropolitan Police in 1829, justnine months before the GibraltarPolice became operational andofficers from the Met were senthere to assist in the formation.
The Force operated inconjunction with militaryauthorities until 1871 when itassumed a more dominant role, butthere has always been great co-operation between the two.
In 1876 whistles were issued aspart of the uniform and eight yearslater long night sticks werereplaced by truncheons. In 1992
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the Queen conferred a greathonour on the Force by bestowingthe “Royal” prefix.
Post OfficeGeneral Post Office:104 Main Street,Tel: (+350) 20075624
Philatelic Bureau:Tel: (+350) 20075662
Rates: Postcard or letter: 8pGibraltar (under 50g); 42p Europe(under 20g); 49p all othercountries (under 10g). Surfacemail (under 20g): all countries 30p.
Hours: Mid-September to mid-June 9.00am - 4.30pm Mon-Fri,10.00am - 1.00pm Sat; Mid-Juneto mid-September 8.45am -2.15pm Mon-Fri, 10.00am -1.00pm Sat.
PrintersFine Design Ltd provide a
complete service in graphicdesign, advertising and qualitybespoke printing.
Fine Design LtdTel: (+350) 20076204Email: [email protected]
Public LibraryJohn Mackintosh PublicLibrary:308 Main Street.Open: Monday - Friday 9:30am - 7:30pm.Tel: (+350) 20078000
SportsFootball, cricket, athletics, grass
hockey, basketball, volleyball,netball, badminton, 5-a-sidefootball, martial arts, gymnasticsand squash facilities are available atVictoria Stadium Sports Centre.
Ice Skating an 10 Pin Bowlingfacilities are available at King’sBastion Leisure Centre.
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The old police station in Irish Town
Tattoo ArtistsRitual Tattoo Tel: (+350) 20072227
TaxiThere are eight taxi stands in
Gibraltar: at the Frontier, theCoach Park, Casemates, Piazza(town centre,) Cathedral of StMary (Main Street,) Cathedral ofHoly Trinity (Cathedral Square,)Trafalgar Cemetery and the CruiseTerminal. Tel: (+350) 20070027(24 hours).
TelephonesOperator AssistanceTel: (+350) 100
International Operator Tel: (+350) 100
Local Directory Enquiries Tel: (+350) 11811
International DirectoryEnquiries Tel: (+350) 11888
Maritime calls Tel: (+350) 100
Calling Spain: dial direct.Mobile numbers: dial00+34+mobile number.
Calling Abroad: dial 00 +country code + area code (U.K. -drop first 0 in area code) + local
number. Country codes: Australia61, Belgium 32, Canada 1,Denmark 45, Finland 358, France33, Germany 49, Italy 39,Morocco 212, Netherlands 31,Norway 47, Portugal 351, Sweden46, U.K. 44, U.S.A. 1. Other codesavailable in front of phone book.
Mobile phones: dial 00+country code + mobile number(U.K. - drop first 0 in area code)
Calling Gibraltar from Spain:Dial 00350 + local number.
Calling Gibraltar fromAbroad: dial international code00350 + local number.
Calling U.K. direct: dial 8400for a free call to a BToperator.This can be used to makecollect, credit card and third partybilling calls.
Calling U.S.A. direct: dial 8800for a free call to an AT&Toperator.This can be used to makecollect, credit card and third partybilling calls or to access 800numbers in the United States. (AnAT&T charge applies to thesecalls.)
Phone cards: Collectable GNCphone cards are available fromGNC Customer Services at JohnMackintosh Square, the GibraltarPhilatelic Bureau at the Post officeand other sales outlets in Gibraltar.
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Note: GSM phones can be used inGibraltar.
Tourist InfoGibraltar MuseumTel: (+350) 20074289
Gibraltar TouristInformation Office:Casemates OfficeWatergate House,Casemates Square, GibraltarTel: (+350) 20074982 / (+350) 20045000E-mail:[email protected] Hours: Monday toFriday 9:00am - 5:30pmSaturday 10:00am - 3:00pmSunday 10:00am - 1:00pm
Frontier OfficeCustoms Building,WinstonChurchill Avenue, GibraltarTel: (+350) 20050762Opening Hours: Monday toFriday 9:00am - 4:30pmSaturday & Sunday Closed
Coach TerminusWaterport Wharf, GibraltarTel: (+350) 20047602Opening Hours: Monday toFriday 9:00am - 4:30pmSaturday 10:00am - 1:00pmSunday Closed
Cruise TerminalNorth Mole, Gibraltar
Tel: (+350) 20047671,Fax: (+350) 20047672Opening Hours:
When vessel is in port, seemonthly schedule.
Airport Arrivals HallGibraltar Airport, GibraltarTel: (+350) 20047227Opening Hours:
As per daytime flight, see dailyschedule for flight arrivals times(weekdays only).
Gibraltar Information BureauTel: (+350) 20074950
Weather InfoTel: (+350) 20053416
Speaking ClockTel: (+350) 150
Useful NumbersSenior Port OfficerTel: (+350) 20077044
Chamber of CommerceTel: (+350) 20078376
Clamp RemovalTel: (+350) 20076999 orTel: (+350) 20076312 or(after hours) Tel: (+350) 58857000
Customs EnquiriesTel: (+350) 20078879Financial ServicesCommissionTel: (+350) 20040283
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Frontier Queue InformationOutbound Tel: (+350) 20042777Inbound Tel: (+350) 8987
H.M. Forces Tel. InfoTel: (+350) 20053666
Immigration OfficeTel: (+350) 20051725
Health CentreTel: (+350) 20072355
Passport OfficeTel: (+350) 20051725
Registry of Births, Deaths andMarriagesTel: (+350) 20051725
Yacht RegistryTel: (+350) 20078343
WeatherTwo major winds influence the
weather in Gibraltar - the Levanterfrom the east and the Ponientefrom the west.
In the summer, the Levanterbrings warm and humidconditions and there is often apersistent cloud which overhangsthe top of the Rock. ThePoniente, however, brings hot,clear and dry weather.
Winter in Gibraltar is its rainyseason. December is normally themonth with the most rain and onaverage there is about 143 mm(5.6 inches of rain), but this can
vary greatly. Some years there hasbeen no rain in December andsome years there has been up to556 mm (21.9 inches).
Weather Forecasts andInformation
The Met Office at RAFGibraltar can be relied upon to giveaccurate weather forecasts forsailors and for travellers.You canreceive daily weather reports fromthe Met Officer on BFBS 1 radio(93.5, 97.8 FM) Monday-Friday10.05am and 4.05pm, Saturday andSunday at 12.02pm and 5.02pm.
As well, BFBS 1 broadcastsdaily weather information atvaried times throughout the day,on local shows.
Radio Gibraltar (GBC) at1458kHz has weather reportsMonday to Friday at 7.30am,8.30am, 12.30am, 13.06pm,14.00pm, 16.01pm, 17.30pm and18.30pm; Saturday and Sunday08.30am.
Tel: (+350) 20053416 forweather updates.
Median Monthly TemperaturesJanuary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14°CFebruary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14°CMarch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15°CApril . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16°CMay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19°CJune. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21°C
INFORMATION
91
July. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29°CAugust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30°CSeptember . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28°COctober . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20°CNovember . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17°CDecember . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14°C
WeddingsGibraltar is a popular
destination for weddings.Marriages held in the registry
office may only take place onweekdays between 10.00 and12.00 hours excluding publicholidays. However, some flexibilitymay be exercised, where possible,to accommodate weddings at 9.30and 12.30 hours, particularly
during the summer months.No marriages will be held
during the period between 21st
December and 3rd January inclusive.Marriage ceremonies held
outside the Registry must complywith any conditions imposed bythe Registrar.
Gibraltar has many florists andjewellers, a party planning service,and restaurants which will caterfor receptions. As well, some ofGibraltar’s hotels will help planyour wedding, give guests a placeto stay, cater for the reception, andare, of course, the perfect spot tohoneymoon!
Those interested in a Gibraltarwedding should contact the CIVIL STATUS ®ISTRATION OFFICE,Joshua Hassan House,Secretary’s Lane,Tel: (+350) 20072289 Fax: (+350) 20042706 E-mail:[email protected] www.gibraltar.gov.gi/about_gib/wed_registry.htm
INFORMATION
92
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@visit_gibraltar
WifiAl Andalus3 College Lane
Al Madina11/12 Ocean Heights Gallery,Queensway
All’s WellUnit 4, Casemates Square
Angry Friar287 Main Street
Bean & Gone20 Engineer Lane
Bianca’s6-7 Admiral’s Walk, Marina Bay
Bistro Madeleine256 Main Street
Burger KingCasemates Square & 292 MainStreet
Café FrescoOcean Village
Café Roma CheersG1 Cornwall's Centre
Café SoloUnit 3 Casemates Square
Celebrity Wine Bar3 Ocean Village Promenade,Ocean Village
Champions Planet2 The Boardwalk,Tradewinds
Charlie’s Steak House & Grill4/5 Admiral’s Walk, Marina Bay
Corks Wine Bar79 Irish Town
El Patio RestaurantUnit 11, Casemates Square
Fresh5 Waterport Plaza, Market Place
Gallo Nero56, Irish Town
Gaucho’sWaterport, Casemates
Gibraltar Arms184 Main Street
Horseshoe Bar193 Main Street
House of Sacarello57 Irish Town,Tuckeys Lane
IpanemaUnit 11, Ocean Village
Jury’s275 Main street
La Esquinita9 King’s Street
La MamelaSir Herbert Miles Road,Catalan Bay
La Parrilla17/18 Watergardens
Latino’sUnit 9, Casemates Square
Latino’s Diner194/196, Main Street
Latino’s on the BeachEastern Beach
INFORMATION
94
INFORMATION
95
L’azizSail 2.2, Ocean Village Marina
Lek BankokEurotowers unit 13 Block 5
Lord NelsonUnit 10 Casemates Square
Maharaja5 Tuckey’s Lane
Maharaja 2Queensway Quay Marina
Mamma MiaAlameda Grand Parade
McDonaldsEuroport Avenue
MontaguChatham Counterguard
Monty’s1008 Eurotowers, Europort
MorrisonsWestside Road
Mr Noodles1YZ, Casemates Square
Nuno’s Italian RestaurantCaleta Hotel, Catalan Bay
O’Reilly’s20 Leisure Island, Ocean Village
Petit Café7 Ocean Village Promenade,Ocean Village
Pizza ExpressUnit 17, Ocean VillagePromenade, Ocean Village
Queen’s HotelBoyd Street
Rock Bastion RestaurantKing’s Bastion Leisure Centre,Queensway
Rooftop RestaurantThe O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel2 Governors Parade
Roy’s Cod Place2/2 Watergate House
Salsa Fuego12 Casemates Square
Seawave60 Catalan Bay Village
Solo ExpressUnit 7 ICC & 15/17 Eurotowers
Star Bar12 Parliament Lane
Tamid7 Bomb House Lane
Taps5 Ocean Village Promenade
The Corner House Café1 Engineer lane
The LandingsUnit 15, Queensway Quay
The Little Rock CaféUnit 51, Casemates Square
The LoungeQueensway Quay Marina
The Lunch Box301 Eurotowers
www.capurrotaxfree.com
The Pig & WhistleUnit 18 Watergardens
The Red LionWatergardens Block 3
The Rib Room RestaurantThe Rock Hotel, Europa Road
The Royal Calpe176 Main Street
The Saint CaféUnit 2 Grand Ocean Plaza
The ShipThe Tower, Marina Bay
The Square CaféUnit 2/1 Casemates Square
The Studio CafeJohn Mackintosh Hall Main Street
The Theatre Royal60 Governor’s Street
The TunnelUnit 8, Casemates Square
The Waterfront RestaurantQueensway Quay Marina
Verdi VerdiUnit 10, ICC
INFORMATION
96
BankingGibraltar offers many well
known international namesproviding the full service expectedin modern banking. The industryis well established with total assetsat 31 March 2008 in the region ofSterling £11 billion.
As a location Gibraltar hasadvantages for bankers and clientswhich include: bankingconfidentiality, sterling as well asother currencies, no exchangecontrol, English language andEuropean time zone.
The standards of supervisionand regulation match those of theUK and are under the FinancialServices Commission controlledby a Commissioner of Banking.
InvestmentsSubject to compliance with
the Financial Services Act a range
of opportunities exist for UnitTrusts, Experienced InvestorFunds, mutual funds and otherinvestment vehicles to becontrolled from Gibraltar. Some ofthe obvious benefits for suchcontrolled operations include, nocapital gains tax, no profits tax (incertain conditions), nowithholding taxes and minimumstamp duty requirements. Gibraltarhas investor protection in the formof a Deposit Guarantee Scheme(in compliance with EU DepositGuarantee Directive) and anInvestor Compensation Scheme(in compliance with EU Directiveon Investor CompensationSchemes).
Europort
FINANCE
97
The ShippingBusiness
With its strong navalassociations over the centuriesGibraltar offers considerableshipping expertise.Over 8,000ships totalling more than 200million tonnes make use ofGibraltar’s port and harbourfacilities every year.
Gibraltar is ideally located toserve the requirements of allmerchant and cruise ships, withoutcostly deviation or off-hire, as theypass through the Straits ofGibraltar.
Efficient pilot assistance,facilities for the maintenance andrepair of communications andnavigational equipment, theprovision of bunkering andvictualling requirements enablesGibraltar to provide acomprehensive marine service toall types of vessels.
Gibraltar is a highlycompetitive supply point in thisregion and supplies over 1 milliontonnes of fuel to over 1,800 ships ayear.
Gibraltar registered ships aredeemed British and may fly theRed Ensign. The Registry alsooffers ship owners nationalityrequirements for Commonwealthcountries as well as beneficial
ownership in law and theadvantage of asset protectionthrough a Gibraltar “exempt”company.
Gibraltar has been undertakingmajor shipping repairs for nearly100 years. Since 1985 thedockyard has operatedcommercially, servicing all types ofvessels. Facilities include three drydocks able to handle vessels up to90,000 tons dead weight.
There are three custom builtmarinas providing completeberthing facilities for yachts. Over4,500 yachts visit Gibraltar yearly.
There is a wide range ofprofessional specialist firms, someestablished for well over 100 years,offering stevedore, harbour launchand lighter services.
FINANCE
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FINANCE
99
TaxationGibraltar is a low tax area
under certain conditions and inparticular for High Net WorthIndividuals and for corporationsthat do not trade within Gibraltar.
Additionally there are benefitsfor residents and non-residentsfrom the fact that income frombank deposit accounts and frominvestments in quoted stockexchanges are zero rated.There areno taxes related to capital gains,inheritance or death duties andGibraltar does not have any VATlegislation nor any form of salestax. It does however imposeimport duties on most goods withrates ranging from zero (exempt)to 12%.
Category 2 status is available incertain cases where wealthyindividuals choose to take upresidence within Gibraltarprovided that they adhere tocertain conditions. In these casesonly the first £60,000 of assessableincome is taxable subject to aminimum tax payable of £18,000and a maximum of approximately£23,000.
For residents there are basicallytwo methods of taxation and theyare only charged at the lower ofthe two.There is the Gross IncomeBased system where no personal
allowances are granted and theindividual is taxed according toincome bands ranging from 20%on the first £25,000, 30% on thenext £75,000 and 38% on anyexcess. The other system utilisesthe personal reliefs such asmortgage interest, life insurance,pension contributions etc. and taxis charged on the banding system.
Taxable income afterallowances is charged at the ratesfor the first £4,000 at 17%, thenext £12,000 at 30% and theremainder over £16,000 at 40%.For non residents that conductbusiness within Gibraltar they areonly liable to taxation on theirGibraltar source income. Thisrelates to the several thousandindividuals that work in Gibraltarand live in neighbouring Spain.
For Corporations the tax ratefor the year 2008/9 has been set at27% on the taxable base with anexpected reduction by 2010 to arate of 10%.The usual expense ofbusiness and capital allowancesexist to be offset against theincome of the corporation. Thereis a “small companies’ rate” wheretaxable profits do not exceed£35,000 which is set at 20% withmarginal relief up to £67,667.
There are also conditionswhere the rate of tax is zero forcompanies that do not trade
within Gibraltar and are managedand controlled by persons notresident in Gibraltar. It is possibleto obtain tax rulings from theCommissioner of Income Tax toensure that “offshore” companieshave confidence in their future taxliabilities.
Companies that werepreviously known as “tax exempt”ceased to be registered some fouryears ago (2005) and will becompletely phased out by 2010.
Other business opportunitiesexist especially in the Insuranceand Internet Gaming industrieswhere Gibraltar is a leading centre
and interested parties arerecommended to consult withtheir advisers to obtain detailedinformation.
Further information concerningDoing Business in Gibraltar can beobtained from the web site of BakerTilly (Gibraltar) onwww.bakertillygibraltar.gi or bytelephoning the Gibraltar Federation ofSmall Businesses. Tel: (+350)20047722.
company trust foundationFormation Management Administration
Shelf-Companies Statutory Officers Nominees
marine services business servicesVessel Registration
Radio LicensingBanking Accounting
Will Writing Virtual Office
www.europa.gi | [email protected] | Tel.+350 200 79013
Offshore & Onshore worldwide from Gibraltar
BVI Wyoming Panama Cayman Channel Islands
Seychelles Hong Kong Singapore New York UK
FINANCE
100
www.finedesignstudio.com
FINANCE
101
Gibraltar as aconference centre
Gibraltar is rapidly growing inthe conference business and offersunique opportunities for incentiveand in house arrangements. Thefacilities available are such thatGibraltar can cope with up to 400delegates but the more usualnumbers after considering flightsetc are in the region of 40 to 100.
Apart from the state of the artfacilities available Gibraltar can
provide spouse and delegate socialprogrammes that cannot bematched in other territories. Forexample, visits to two continentsand three countries in one day,historical tours showing 300 yearsof British control and a chance tofeed the dolphins in their ownenvironment, just to mention afew. Contact the GibraltarFederation of Small Businesses.Tel:(+350) 20047722 Fax: (+350)20047733.
St BernardsHospital
When General Sir GeorgeDon arrived in Gibraltar to takeup his role as Governor in 1814 hefound a population of some 10,000souls living in appalling conditionswith the Fever rampant throughthe colony.Following a wide-rangingenquiry in 1815 he set aboutmajor improvements in sanitation,drainage, water supply and the
installation of general civic prideamong the inhabitants of the day.
Don’s work of reconstructionwas exemplified by the conversionof the Blue Barracks site above theCity into a hospital, that was latercalled the Colonial Hospital untilit was renamed St. Bernard’s in thelate 19th century.
In late February 2005 thehospital opened in Blocks 1-4Europort with some 210 bedscovering orthopaedic, trauma,maternity, surgical, medical andpaediatric wards;• two main operating theatres
and an emergency back uptheatre;
• a hydrotherapy pool with afull rehabilitation clinic;
• a day surgery unit and cardiacrehabilitation facility;
• an accident and emergencydepartment, with provision formajor and minor problems;
• out-patient suites andophthalmic clinics.Visiting hours are General
Wards 5:45pm until 7:45pm dailyincluding weekends
I.T.U. 6:30pm. until 7:00pm.Rainbow (Childrens Ward)11:00am until 7:45pm. MaternityWards will continue to havespecial visiting hours. If in doubtcall the Help Centre on Tel:(+350) 20079700.
MEDICAL
102
INDEX
103
Copyright © 2013Discover Pocket Guide(s) Gibraltar Ltd.
Suite 1, 209 Main Street, P.O. Box 759, Gibraltar.Tel/Fax: (+350) 20076204E-mail: [email protected]
www.discover.gi
Printed By:
9th Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage andretrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.
Every effort has been made to make sure the information contained inthis guide is accurate.
We would like to thank the people of Gibraltar for their helpful suggestions and comments, and special thanks to the
Gibraltar Tourist Board for their continued support and photographs,and to John J.Wood for photographs and Haresh Budhrani for his
article on the Hindus in Gibraltar.
Prices were correct at time of publication but are,of course, subject to change.
INDEX
108
100 Ton Gun . . . . . . . . . 16Accommodation . . . . . . . 78Airline / Airport . . . . . . . 78Alameda Gardens . . . . . . 39American War Memorial . . 9Apes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Aqueduct . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Bank Holidays. . . . . . . . . 79Banking . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Bar / Restaurants . . . . . . 60Beaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Black Watch Memorial . . . 9Bomb Proof Battery . . . . . 30Bookmakers . . . . . . . . . . 79British possession . . . . . . 69Business Services . . . . . . . 79Bus Routes . . . . . . . . . . . 79Bus Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Cable Car . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Car Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Casemates Gates . . . . . . . 28Casino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Catalan Bay. . . . . . . . . . . 54Cathedral of Holy Trinity. . 34Cathedral of St Mary. . . . 33Caves and Tunnels . . . . . . 36Ceremony of the Keys. . . 76Changing of the Guard . 23, 77Charles V Wall . . . . . . . . . 28Church of Scotland . . . . . 34Churches . . . . . . . . . 33, 86City Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Coach Parks . . . . . . . . . . 80Coat of Arms . . . . . . . . . 69Coins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Commonwealth War Graves . 10Communities, Multicultural . 71Conference Centre . . . . . 101Consular Offices . . . . . . . 80Convent . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Couverport Battery . . . . . 30Currency . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Customs Allowances . . . . . 86Devil’s Tongue. . . . . . . . . 28Devil’s Tower. . . . . . . . . . 28Disabled Facilities . . . . . 83Diving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Do-it-yourself tour . . . . . 45Dolphin Watching . . . . . . 44
Driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Eastern Beach . . . . . . . . . 55Electricity . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Eliott’s Monument . . . . . 10Emergency Numbers. . . . 82Europa Point Lighthouse . . 7EU status . . . . . . . . . . . . 82Evacuees Memorial . . . . 21Financial Services . . . . . 97Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Flat Bastion Magazine ….22Flora and Fauna . . . . . . . 39Fortifications . . . . . . . . . . 28Garrison Library . . . . . . . 24Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28General Information . . . . 78Gibjets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52Gibraltar, a City Under
Siege . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Gibraltar Botanic Gardens . 39Gibraltar Museum. . . . . . . 12Gibraltar War Memorial. . 31Golf Courses (Spain) . . . . 84Gorham’s Cave . . . . . . . . 36Grand Battery . . . . . . . . . 28Great Siege Tunnels . . . . . 36Great Synagogue . . . . . . . 8Harley Street Tunnel . . . . 38Health/Medical. . . . . . . . 84Hesse’s Demi Bastion ... 30Hindu Community . . . . . 71Historic Buildings and
Fortifications . . . . . . . . 21Historical Walking Tour . . 45History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Hotels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim
Mosque . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Information . . . . . . . . . . 78Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . 4Investing . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Jewish Community . . . . . 73John Mackintosh Hall . . . 25John Mackintosh Library . 88Jumper’s Bastion . . . . . . . 29King’s Lines Battery . . . . 30King’s Bastion . . . . . . . . . 29
King’s Chapel . . . . . . . . . 35Koelher Gun. . . . . . . . . . 8Landport Gate. . . . . . . . . 30Landport Tunnel . . . . . . . 38Law Courts. . . . . . . . . . . 26Line Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Llanito . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Lower St Michael’s
Cave Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . 48Main Guard . . . . . . . . . . 27Maps . . . . . . . . . . See BackMarina Bay. . . . . . . . . . . 56Marinas . . . . . . . . . . . 56, 84Measurements . . . . . . . . . 85Medical Services . . . . . . 102Mediterranean Steps . . . . 8Military Ceremonies . . . . 76Military Heritage Centre . 9Mons Calpe . . . . . . . . . . 68Montagu Counterguard. . 28Monuments . . . . . . . . . . 9Moorish Baths . . . . . . . . 13Moorish Castle . . . . . . . . 14Moorish Dominion. . . . . 69Moroccan Community . . 75Mosque . . . . . . . . . . 22National Holidays . . . . . . 79Neanderthal Man . . . . . . 66Nelson’s Anchorage . . . . . 16Nelson Statue . . . . . . . . . 11Nun’s Well . . . . . . . . . . . 17O’ Hara’s Tower . . . . . . . 31O’ Hara’s Battery . . . . . . 31Ocean Village Marina . . . 57Opening hours & prices . 104Our Lady of Sorrows . . . 54Parson’s Lodge . . . . . . . . 22Parliament House . . . . . . 25Passports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Places of Worship . . . . . . 86Police Force . . . . . . . . . . 87Polish Memorial . . . . . . . 21Postage Stamps . . . . . . . . 66Post Office . . . . . . . . . . . 88Prince Edward’s Gate . . . 31Printers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Public Library . . . . . . . . . 88Queensway Quay Marina . 57Queen Victoria Memorial . 10
www.discover.gi
INDEX
109
Ragged Staff Gate . . . . . . 31Referendum Gate . . . . . . 32Restaurants / Bars . . . . 60Rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Rock Gun Battery . . . . . 32Roman Catholic
Community . . . . . . . . . . 76Rooke Statue . . . . . . . . . 11Sandy Bay. . . . . . . . . . . . 55St Michael’s Cave. . . . 18, 48Sailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Shipping Business . . . . . 98Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Shrine of Our Lady of
Europe. . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Sightseeing . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Sikorski Propeller . . . . . . 11Southport Gates . . . . . . . 32Spanish Dominion . . . . . 69Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Stamps . . . . . . . . . . . 66Synagogues . . . . . . . . 8, 87Tattoo Artists . . . . . . . . . 89Tax Haven . . . . . . . . . . 99Taxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Taxi Tours. . . . . . . . . . . . 51Telephone Assistance . . . . 89Telephoning to/from
abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89Temples . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Tourist Information. . . . . 90Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Trafalgar Cemetery . . . . . 20Tunnel to Dockyard . . . . 38Tunnel Tours . . . . . . . . . 48, 52Tunnels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Upper Rock Nature
Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Useful Telephone
Numbers . . . . . . . . . . 90Vaccinations . . . . . . . . . 86Visas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86Walls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . 91Weddings . . . . . . . . . . . 92Wellington Front. . . . . . . 32Wellington’s Monument . 11Wifi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94World War II. . . . . . . . . .
Angry Friar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Big Name Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cable Car . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Discover Pocket Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Europa Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Fine Design Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gib Sun Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gibtelecom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gibraltar Chart Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gibraltar Tourist Board . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jewel Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .King’s Bastion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Munchies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .O’Callaghan Eliott Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . .Photography & Art Direction . . . . . . . . .Queensway Quay Marina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Taxi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Golf Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6163421091001016Back Cover585, 926511059252585067
I-2
F-4F-3B-5F-3F-2E-3C-3
E-3I-4
C-3G-2
J-4
B-4
See full Gibraltar map for Red coordinates
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Mid-Harbour Estate
2013 Discover Pocket Guide(s) Ltd.
2013 Discover Pocket Guide(s) Ltd.
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