The Gibraltar Magazine

Natural History and Heritage Park

Admission to the Natural History and Heritage Park is between 9.30am and 7pm by tickets (includes entrance to sites within the Park including St. Michael’s Cave, Monkey’s Den, Great Siege Tunnels, Military Heritage Centre, ‘A City Under Siege’ Exhibition and the Moorish Castle. (Facilities closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.) Adults £7.00 / Children age 5-12 years: £4.00, Children age 4 years and under: free, Vehicles: £1.50. Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times and it is advisable to take a Rock Tour by taxi/mini bus. The Natural History & Heritage Park can also be reached by Cable Car (leaves from Grand Parade 9.30am-6pm Monday to Sunday. Last cable up: 5.15pm, down: 5.45pm).

The flora and fauna on the Upper Rock are considered to be of great conservational value. It’s a perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing between Europe and Africa, but botanists will also be interested to see over 600 species of flowering plants, including some unique to Gibraltar. Watch out for colourful lizards, the non-venemous Horseshoe Whipsnake, butterflies and pipistrelle bats. Info on the Rock’s flora and fauna is found at the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society’s Information Centre at Jews Gate.

St. Michael’s Cave:
The cave consists of an upper hall with five connecting passages and drops of 40-150ft to a smaller hall. A further succession of chambers, some at 250ft below the entrance, is reached through narrow holes. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is used as an auditorium for concerts and theatre. The cave was prepared as a hospital in WWII, but was never used. While blasting an alternative entrance a further series of chambers were discovered ending in a mini lake. These are called Lower St. Michael’s Cave and can be visited with a qualified guide.

The Monkeys’ Den:
There are around 160 monkeys living in the Park and around 30 of these can be seen at the Monkey’s Den. Often called apes, they are tail-less Barbary Macaques and the only free living monkeys in Europe. Feeding the monkeys is illegal and carries a fine of £500.

The Great Siege Tunnels:
Tunnelling in the Rock began during the Great Siege (1779-1783) when France and Spain made an all out attempt to
recapture the Rock while Britain was busy with the American War of Independence. Governor General Elliot offered a reward to any man who could tell him how to mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. It was a Sgt. Major Ince who suggested tunnelling and there are now over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock. Various exhibitions inside the tunnels. The Military Heritage Centre: Housed in one of the Rock’s many historic batteries, the Military Heritage Centre displays information on the development of Gibraltar’s military defences through the ages.

A City Under Siege Exhibition: Exhibits depicting the lives of the civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one of the earliest British building on the Rock. Original graffiti, drawn by duty soldiers to stop themselves falling asleep, is still visible, the earliest dating back to 1726.

The Moorish Castle:
The Moorish Castle is actually just part of a Moorish town and castle which was built up during the Moorish occupation
of the Iberian Peninsula, spearheaded from Gibraltar in 711AD by Tarik-ibn-Zeyad ("Gibraltar" is a corruption of the Arabic words "Jebel Tarik" - Tarik's mountain). The part we see today, The Tower of Homage, dates back to 1333AD, when Abu’l Hassan recaptured the Rock from the Spanish. The tower provides an excellent view point as it did for its Moorish builders centuries ago.

Natural History & Heritage Park Walks:
The recommended walk is St Michael’s Cave through to Charles V Wall but walkers should be relatively fit. It is also pleasant walking along the upper rock roads. Fact Files and brochures are available free from all Tourist Board offices.

Botanical Gardens:
Opened in 1816, the Alameda Botanical Gardens fell into disrepair but are currently being restored to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a stroll beneath pines, dragon trees and palms, and see many of Gibraltar’s native plants as well as exotic species. The shop sells environmentally friendly gifts, plants and seeds. Tel: 72639/74022. Large car park available.

Nelson’s Anchorage:
Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free of charge with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought
at this attraction).Parson's Lodge:
Rosia Road. A narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of underground tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years. Once housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a unique sandwich of armour plate and teak, known as ‘Gibraltar Shields’. Open 10am to 6pm every day except Mondays. Adults £2/ Children & OAPs £1. Cafeteria on site.

Flat Bastion Magazine Flat Bastion Road, Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar.
To visit please contact: F. Gomez Tel. 44460, P. Hodkinson Tel. 43910.

Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road.
10am-7pm Monday to Friday, 11am-7pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays. Closed 1pm - 2pm.

History Alive:
Gibraltar’s streets are filled with military pageantry every Saturday morning when the Rock’s past is brought alive by a troop of soldiers in 18th century period uniform. The soldiers march from Bomb House Lane at 12 noon to Casemates. At Casemates they carry out a “Ceremony of the Keys” routine and then march back up Main Street to the Cathedral of St Mary the Crowned.