Gibraltar has a vibrant and turbulent history behind it, fraught with disputes, conquests, naval battles taking place in its vicinity, multiple alternating destructions, and rebuildings of the city... From a peaceful object of religious reverence, it has evolved into one of the most critical places on the world's geopolitical map.
The very subject of Giblartar acts on the politically interested Spaniard like a red rag to a bull. Until now, they cannot come to terms with the British presence on the southern border of the Kingdom...
The history of human habitation in the nearness of the rock dates back as far as 50 thousand years, which is proven by a cast of a Neanderthal skull currently in the Gibraltar Museum. According to archeological research, representatives of this species survived here 2 thousand years longer than Neanderthals living in other parts of Europe.
In ancient times Giblartar had a symbolic and religious significance, as evidenced by the traces visible in the Gorham Caves, which served as a place of sacrifice to the Phoenician and Carthaginian gods. They remain the target of detailed scientific research and have been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
According to Plato, Gibraltar is one of the pillars of Heracles, the gate of the end of the known world. The second one is probably Jebel Moussa in Morocco, although some historians consider the Monte Hacho mountain in Ceuta. The marking of the gate in the form of a monument can be found near Europa Point (see map at the end of the post).
"Poles" have become so ingrained in the culture that you can often find references to them in all sorts of patterns, drawings, architecture, etc. We can also find them on the Kingdom of Spain's flag or on the coat of arms of Cadiz.
In later history, Giblartar passed from Carthage to the Romans, then from the Vandals to the Goths, then to the Visigoths, the Byzantine Empire and again to the Visigoths, and finally, in 711, it came under the rule of Tariq Ibn Ziyad, who, together with his Arab troops, began the conquest of these lands, uniting them into the historical formation known as Al-Andalus. The modern name is derived, later distorted, from Jabal Tarik - Tariq's Mountain - given in honor of the great commander.
In 1462 the area was retaken during the Reconquista, but Spanish rule did not bring peace, and internal conflicts, power divisions, successive sieges, and pirate conquests severely affected the inhabitants of the rock. The latter, in 1552, prompted King Charles V of Habsburg to begin the construction of fortified walls that we can see today.
During the War of the Spanish Succession (1707 - 1714), the allied English and Dutch troops occupied Gibraltar on August 4, 1704. Their numerical superiority was so significant that fighting was out of the question - resigned Governor of Gibraltar at that time - Diego de Salinas surrendered the city, and despite retaliatory sieges carried out later, the city walls were never breached again. The ongoing armed conflict and subsequent takeover attempts were interrupted by the signing of the Peace Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 when Gibraltar was officially ceded to Great Britain "in perpetuity"...
The community of Gibraltar is a real cultural and linguistic melting pot, where 78% of the inhabitants are Catholic, a large part are Muslims, Hindus, and the Jewish community. Gibraltarians themselves often speak llanito, a specific dialect that contains many words borrowed from other languages, including Andalusian Spanish, a dialect of Genoese, Hebrew, Arabic, Portuguese and Maltese.
In the southern part of the peninsula, there is also a Polish thread. On July 4, 1943, at 23:06 local time, the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, General Władysław Sikorski, was killed along with 15 other passengers in a plane that crashed after take-off from the airport. On the 70th anniversary of the crash, a memorial was unveiled to honor the General. Whether the event was an unfortunate accident or a planned operation... We will probably never know...
Gibraltar is not just rock and historical memorials. It is a well-organized, modern country with cultural distinctiveness, offering its citizens a number of privileges. Many Spaniards tempted by the working conditions and wages in Giblartar pounds work here primarily in services. Most of them live in the frontier La Línea de la Concepción, which in itself is not a particularly attractive place, but has the most important advantage - lower rent and product charges in the stores than they would have to pay to live overlooking the monkey fools...
The Gibraltar Rock is inhabited by THE ONLY WILD LIVING APEAS IN EUROPE, the population of the Berber macaque, or more specifically, the Giblartar magot, contains nearly 300 animals. The monkeys probably came with the Moors, and legend has it that the British will rule as long as the maggots live there.
During World War II the population shrank drastically, to 7 animals, and to save British rule over the rock Winston Churchill himself ordered the monkeys to be brought from Algeria to reproduce the herd. Seeing the monkeys up close is an unusual tourist attraction and although the animals have learned to coexist with humans (sometimes climbing on shoulders or backs), remember that they are under strict protection and feeding an animal can result in a fine of 500 pounds! Whatever you say about them, they are adorable :)
There are several possibilities:
The distances between attractions are not long, so those who like to walk are able to reach all of them within one day.
At Gibraltar, you will find not only the famous British fish & chips, but you can also taste the specialties of the Mediterranean or Moroccan cuisine.
If you are going by car, you can safely park under the Cable Car - there is usually plenty of space. There will also be no problem with parking at Europa Point. There are also other parking areas. Usually, the information appears near the road.
If we go by bus: routes, departure times and ticket prices we can check HERE
Oficial website: Click Here
Giblartar attractions on the map:
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