Hidden Gibraltar - 5: Places of Interest: Off the beaten track

A Gibraltarian's Guide to Gibraltar.
- Places of Interest - Off the beaten track.
This page lists all the places of interests throughout the lower rock of Gibraltar which are either not widely accessible or off the beaten tourist track.







Lower St Michael's Cave (By arrangement)
This is one by Appointment only and I must warn you that it is for those who are fit and strong. This part of St Michael's Cave was accidentally found when they were digging out tunnels during WWII. It is fully lit and guided tours must be arranged via appointment through the Gibraltar Tourist Board offices located at Casemates. Children under 10 are not allowed. The tour takes about 2 to 3 hours and you must be prepared for physical exertion. Trainers are not ideal and that proper climbing boots are preferable. Eventually you will descend into Gibraltar's only lake, deep inside the cave complex. I am told the water is not drinkable.

Note: Photos are not my own.
1st photo www.seabunny.net
2nd photo: www.aboutourrock.com

Garrison Library (free admittance)
Founded in 1793 by Colnel John Drinkwater Bethune, the Library would see the launch of the world's second oldest newspaper eight years later. The Gibraltar Chronicle was first printed here in 1801 and would carry news of the the victory of the Battle of Trafalgar on October 23 1805, one month before the London Times.
Included in that issue, was a letter from Admiral Collingwood to the Governor of Gibraltar, Henry Edward Fox, giving an account of the battle.
The Chronicle moved out of the Garrison Library in 2006, with the print works, one year later.
Today, the Garrison Library is still home to the archive of the Gibraltar Chronicle, plus 35,000 books focused mainly on travel and culture, some of which are very rare.
picture britishgibraltar.com

Europa Point
This is as far as you can go in the European Continent. It is the southern most tip before crossing over to Africa. For many years, Europa point has been a destination for tourists to visit the Shrine to Our Lady of Europe, The Last Shop in Europe (really) and of course the famous Gibraltar Trinity Lighthouse. However, it has to be said, that Europa point is nothing more than a waste land. Apart from the attractions mentioned above, it is a derelict place, neglected and unloved for decades.
back in the 1970's there used to be a down ramp which hang over the edge of the rock and abandoned/scrapped cars were dropped into the sea, very environmentally friendly - not.
Of course, that doesn't happen anymore but it just underlines what successive Gibraltar Governments have thought about the place.
Plans are now afoot to redevelop the place and give it the mother of all face lifts as you can see by the photo on the left. Works were scheduled to start in January 2008. But to date, all the works have incorporated is the demolition of some old buildings and a lot of fence railing going up, some of which is now lying on its side. That's it, nothing else has been touched and the whole area now looks a lot worse than before. As a result, the last shop in Europe is now closed and there is nowhere left to purchase any refreshments or souvenirs.
The redevelopment plans promise a mecca for tourists and Gibraltarians, but when it will actually be completed is any one's guess, it could be another decade or century.

Shrine to Our Lady of Europe (free admittance)
Situated in Europa Point at the far end of Gibraltar, This place is not only a chapel, where you can light a candle and say a prayer, but it also has a museum alongside it with information about the Shrine itself and its various uses through the ages.
Originally built as a mosque, but captured in 1462 by Don Rodrigo Ponce de Leon when the moors were finally driven out of the last point in Europe. It was converted to a Christian shrine and a chapel was added at the end of the then mosque's eastern wall.
The story about this place is fascinating, not only was it also a guard post at various times during Gibraltar's History, but it also served as Gibraltar's original lighthouse for many years. Here Sailors would call on their way in and out of the Mediterranean and leave gifts, as a thank you, oil lamps were lit on the top of the tower to warn sailors of the nearby rocks below.
The Chapel hosts a two foot statue of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus on her lap, with a sceptre and dates back centuries. At one point a Pirate called Red Beard looted the place, but left the Statue intact.
In 1979 the title of Our Lady of Europe as Patroness of Gibraltar, was approved by Pope John Paul II and subsequently, the shrine was restored to the state it is today.
Photo's Shrine: & Statue gibraltar.costasur.com

The Last Shop in Europe (now closed)
Here you could at one time, stop for something to eat, a cup of tea or coffee, souvenirs and snacks. Alas, thanks to the building works it is now closed and the place looks derelict with broken windows etc. Admittedly, it was badly dilapidated and an eyesore before the works, so if it gets pulled down and re-built, it will be an improvement. Outside the shop, were some interesting and informative decorations/ornaments which I photographed and recorded for posterity, just in case they too get demolished.
above photo:Archive when shop was open. source: wikipedia commons
Click to enlarge












Trinity Lighthouse Gibraltar. (no admittance to public)
The southern most Lighthouse maintained by Trinity outside the UK. It was built in 1841 and has a lighthouse keeper's lodge alongside it. Alas it is now fully automated, although the lodge remains and is apparently in use by a resident, so please respect their property.
The lighthouse's light can be seen up to 30 miles away, and despite radar and other modern navigational aids, still works every night warning passing ships as they enter and exit the treacherous seas of the Gibraltar straight.
Just how treacherous it is, can be seen by the photograph on the left, this ship, The New Flame, run aground in Gibraltar's waters, less than a mile from the the lighthouse itself.
The ship is being salvaged bit by bit, as leaving it there would constitute a major navigational and environmental hazard.