Gibraltar is part of the United Kingdom but is south of Spain. In
2016, the Gorham's Cave complex in the Rock of Gibraltar was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Today, Gibraltar is a British
Overseas Territory and has a turbulent history. Gibraltar was conquered
by the Moors in 711. The rock was named after the Arab general Tarik
(Jebel al-Tarik "mountain of Tarik"). Moorish rule would last until the
end of the Reconquista in 1492. In 1704 the area around the rock was
conquered by the British and in 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht defined it as
British territory. In the centuries that followed, the rock was
repeatedly fought over and expanded as a fortress, including through
tunnels. More than 50 km of tunnels run inside the rock.
As a
special feature in Europe, Gibraltar is the only place where monkeys can
be found in the wild. These monkeys have become emblematic of British
rule in this area. How the monkeys came to Gibraltar is unclear. One
thesis says that the monkeys came from Africa to Europe through St.
Michael's Cave, a stalactite cave, other assumptions assume that they
were settled by Moors or even Romans. British superstition says that
when the last monkey leaves Gibraltar, Britain will lose the Rock.
According to legend, in the 1940s Winston Churchill ordered that at
least 24 monkeys should live on the rock at all times, since the
population of the monkeys was endangered at the time, although a British
Army corporal has been responsible for feeding the animals since 1913.
There are currently over 150 Barbary macaques living in Gibraltar.
Political conflict between Great Britain and Spain
Tensions have
flared up between Spain and Britain for the last few decades, with Spain
reclaiming Gibraltar territory. In two referendums in 1967 and 2002, 99%
of the population voted in favor of remaining in the UK and anyone who
observes the people of Gibraltar on their national day will come to the
conclusion that later referendums will have similar results. However,
there are also said to be polls in which the majority of Gibraltarians
are said to have spoken out in favor of Gibraltar becoming a mini-state,
like Andorra or San Marino.
In August 2013, Gibraltar responded
to Spanish fishermen fishing in Gibraltar's territorial waters and tried
to prevent this by dumping concrete pieces in the sea to form an
artificial reef. As a result, after protests from Spain, there were
increased border controls by the Spanish national police and customs.
Tourists waited for hours, but also commuters who wanted to go to
Gibraltar and back again. Numerous vehicles were thoroughly searched
when leaving the country, and the otherwise "simple" controls were
increased to the maximum. Before visiting Gibraltar, you should
therefore check the current information as to whether special controls
will take place again or not. Pedestrians can usually still pass
relatively easily.
Important: Drivers of cars, motorbikes and
cyclists (!) have to line up on the street, pedestrians have their own
lane. Tip: If you have a folding bike, walk like the pedestrians and
carry your folded bike there until you are through.
Gibraltar measures approximately five by two kilometers. From the north, it adjoins Spain (the city of La Linea de la Concepción), there is a round-the-clock border crossing with customs, which allows both cars and pedestrians to pass. South of the border crossing, the entire territory of Gibraltar, from sea to sea, is crossed by the airport runway, which must be crossed or moved. When a plane lands or takes off, traffic is blocked. Most of the territory south of the airport is a cliff about 400 m high. From the east it descends steeply to the sea, there is a road, but there is almost nothing interesting there. To the west, directly south of the airport, is the old city, partly still on a flat spot, partly already rising on a cliff. Above the development, almost the entire rock is a nature reserve, although there are enough paved roads there. A cable car leads to it, the lower station of which is located somewhat south of the old town. On the rock are almost all the fortifications of Gibraltar, of which there are countless. The passenger terminal of the port is located northwest of the old city, and the port itself occupies almost the entire western slope of Gibraltar. It's all within walking distance of the pedestrian crossing. Finally, another cluster of attractions is located at the southernmost point of Gibraltar - Cape Europe. There, theoretically, you can also walk there, but it is better to get there by car or bus.
entry
Attention: Gibraltar is managed by Great Britain and does
not legally belong to Spain or to the Schengen area. When entering
Gibraltar, you first have to face the Spanish border police at the exit
control, followed by the British entry control.
In contrast to
the United Kingdom, as of the end of 2022, the EU identity card will
continue to be accepted alongside the passport for entry. Entry into
Gibraltar is not possible without presentation of one of the two
documents.
Since the relationship between Great Britain and the
EU is still being negotiated after Brexit, you should find out about the
current conditions on the website of the Federal Foreign Office before
you travel - a loss of acceptance of the ID card is just as possible in
the future as accession to the Schengen area . For travelers from other
countries, information on the required visas can be found on the
government's official website.
Customs
Gibraltar is also not
part of the customs territory of the EU. Therefore, the regulations for
entry from non-EU countries apply here (including 200 cigarettes, 1l
spirits >22%, 4l wine, 16l beer), for German travelers these are listed
here. In addition, the Spanish customs are on site and can check the
purchased goods if necessary. However, the controls are very lax and do
not meet the standards of the Schengen Agreements, as you know them when
leaving for London. As a rule, they limit the control to checking the
existence of a corresponding document.
The border station is open
all year round, from early morning to late evening. There is no fee and
you can enter and exit the country as often as you like.
By plane
Gibraltar Airport (IATA: GIB) is very small, located at the beginning of
the peninsula and cutting right through the narrowest and fairly flat
part, its runway jutting out into the sea on the western side. Winston
Churchill Avenue runs across the runway and is closed when an airplane
takes off or lands. The way from the airport to the city on foot or by
bus leads directly across the runway. There is currently no other way to
cross the airfield, but a tunnel is being planned.
Currently,
only British airlines fly to Gibraltar, namely British Airways to/from
London Heathrow, and the British low-cost carrier easyJet to/from
London-Gatwick (North Terminal) and Manchester. Spanish airlines have
stopped flying to the airport for a number of years, and plans to open
up the airport from the Spanish border town of La Linea have also been
put on hold. There are four take-offs and four landings per day, around
1 million passengers use the airport per year. There are flights to
Morocco twice a week (2018). Password-free WiFi in the terminal. Luggage
storage on request at the counter 8.30-22.00 (£3-5).
The nearest
airport for those arriving from the rest of Europe is Malaga Airport
(IATA: AGP). It is 126 km away and can be reached in 1.5 hours via the
AP-7 toll road.
By train
Gibraltar does not have a railway
station. The next Spanish train station Estación de Tren de San Roque -
La Linea is not in La Linea, but 13 km away behind San Roque.
By
bus
Gibraltar is not directly connected to the Spanish bus network.
However, La Linea bus station is only a 5 minute walk from the border.
From Algeciras there is a bus every 30 minutes. There are irregular
connections from other cities in Andalusia.
In the street
If
you travel by car, you should park it in Spain, since there are either
no parking spaces in Gibraltar or they are quite expensive. The
approximately 29,000 inhabitants have 23,000 registered vehicles, the
streets are narrow and heavily trafficked. In addition, traffic is often
backed up at the border crossing point, especially when Winston
Churchill Avenue is closed due to a plane taking off or landing. Parking
spaces are very easy to find in the approach loop to the border. We
recommend a daily parking lot in Puerto Deportivo Alcaidesa for €6,
right in the last roundabout (paved paths/spaces at a marina, large
parking bays, very decent impression, but about a 10-minute walk to the
border). Directly in front of the border you have the choice between
entering by car in Gibraltar or a newly created parking lot in St.
Barbara, which costs around €2 an hour. From the car park it is less
than a 3 minute walk to the border control. Immediately after the ID
check you will find a bus stop for the red bus line. Line 10, which goes
to the cable car (€2.40 per person one way) or line 5, which goes to the
Market Place, stop here. Basically, you shouldn't leave anything in a
parked car, no matter how worthless it is.
If you still want to
drive your car into Gibraltar, you should make sure that it is insured.
With rental cars, the point is usually mentioned in the rental
documents, these should be carried with you. The green insurance card is
mandatory for your own vehicles from your home country. Large car parks
can be found at Grand Parade (by the cable car station), the
International Commercial Center (access via Line Wall Road) and Europa
Point. If you're lucky, you'll get a spot on the street - but be sure to
follow the regulations, otherwise you'll be towed away or the claw will
be installed.
It doesn't look good for mobile homes, there are no
official parking spaces or even overnight places and no parking
facilities at the tourist attractions.
You can refuel a little
cheaper in Gibraltar than in Spain. There are 2 gas stations right after
the airport. The fuel gauges have a dual display in pounds and euros. If
you want to drive to Gibraltar to fill up, you should take into account
that you have to go through border control twice and plan for the
waiting times that are usual at border controls.
The line in
front of the border is very disciplined, there are no tricksters who try
to move up a few places. This is because everyone checks each other and,
if necessary, calls the police and gives them the car number. Anyone who
catches the eye will be waved out at the border and may queue up at the
back.
By boat
There is a weekly ferry service from Gibraltar
to Tangier (Tangier Med port, about 40 minutes from the city). The
crossing takes 90 minutes with the high-speed ferry. The port can be
found by turning right after crossing the airport runway. But it can
already be seen and signposted. However, there are far more ferry
connections to Africa from Algeciras in Spain.
Gibraltar has a
very busy port, but also has cruise ship berths: Gibraltar Cruise Liner
Terminal, (Schedules) and three marinas:
Marina Bay. Tel: +350 200
73300, Fax: +350 200 42656, Email: pieroffice@marinabay.gi. 209 berths,
max. 90 m length, 4.5 m depth. VHF Channel 71. Near the airport. Price:
<12m length £9 in winter, £15 in summer; 18-21m length at £22/£35;
Electricity £0.15/KWh, water extra.
Ocean Village. Tel: +350 200
73300, Fax: +350 200 42656, Email: pieroffice@oceanvillage.gi. 95
berths, max. 90 m length, 4.5 m depth. VHF Channel 71. Near the airport.
Price: <12m length £10 in winter, £16 in summer; 18-21m length at
£24/£36; >50m length all year round £4/metre; Electricity £0.15/KWh,
water extra.
Queensway Quay Marina. Tel: +350 200 44700, Fax: +350
200 44699, Email: qqmarina@gibraltar.gi. 185 berths, max. 75 m length,
4.5 m depth. VHF Channel 71. Just off town. Price: <12m length £9.25
winter, £14.60 summer; 18-21m length at £21.65/£33.00; >30m length all
year round £3.50/metre; Electricity £0.15/KWh, water extra
The best way to get to the city center and cable car from the border
is to purchase the GibraltarPass, which includes free transport on
Citibus routes 5 and 10 and free access to all top attractions. Please
see the Must Sees section below for more details.
On foot
The
urban area of Gibraltar is very small and clear, it covers an area of
only about 1 by 2 kilometers. Therefore, in most cases, it is not
necessary to take a bus. It takes about 10 minutes to walk down Main
Street from Market Place to the valley station of the cable car. The
journey by bus (6 stops) takes just as long.
buses
There are
good bus services from early morning to late evening, Monday to Sunday.
There are two different bus systems, one with the red buses (typical
large capacity buses and double-decker buses) and one with the blue
buses (mostly shorter buses with entry/exit only in front). Both types
of bus are operated by different companies, so the tickets you buy are
only valid on buses of the right color!
Just across the border is
the bus stop for the red buses. Line 5 runs the route between the border
(Frontier) and the city center (Market Place), on the way back you can
also get off at the airport. The return ticket costs £1.90 (or €2.70)
for an adult, the buses leave when they are reasonably full, the next
one is often already waiting. To visit the city center and z. B. to walk
up to the Upper Rock, this is completely sufficient. With the right
change, you can also pay in euros on the bus, but at a ridiculous
exchange rate (October 2020): £1.40 = €2.10 [instead of a fair €1.60].
The red buses meet the blue ones at Market Place Terminus,
Gibraltar's bus station. The blue buses depart from the remaining lines
1 to 9. The highly recommended Hoppa ticket costs €3 per adult and
entitles you to use all blue buses all day. The shortest frequency is 15
minutes on the main route (Line 2, blue buses) between the city center
(Market Place), major hotels, the cable car station (Eliott's Way) and
the southernmost point of the peninsula (Europa Point). Otherwise, the
cycle is between 20 minutes and 1 hour. Since many important stops are
served by several lines, the real waiting time is often shorter.
Cable car
A cable car (bottom station) connects the city to the Upper
Rock (cable car top station). There is an intermediate station halfway
up to the Forest and Apes Den, but the train only stops there from
October to March. The famous monkeys can also be found at the terminus.
Cable Car, Grand Parade, Gibraltar (Eliott's Way bus stop). Tel:
+350 200 72735, Fax: +350 200 71608, Email: cablecar@mhbland.com. In 6
minutes to the summit station at 412 m, the cable car saves about 2-3
hours on foot over stairs and partly unpaved paths. Departs every 10
minutes, reservations not required. A multimedia tour can be borrowed
with the adult ticket and an identity card at the summit station. There
is also a cable car & attraction combo on the mountain. This is heavily
advertised at the border and by pushers in the pedestrian zone. Open:
9:30-19:15 in summer, last trip down at 19:45; from Nov to March
9:30-17:15, last trip down at 17:45. Price: One way/return for adults
€22/€40, children red.
wheel
At the end of 2020, all of the
RedBike bike rental stations set up were damaged, out of order and
without bikes.
E bike
A sightseeing tour by e-bike is also an
environmentally friendly option. With the eBike you can easily reach the
top of the rock and all other great corners of Gibraltar, no matter how
hidden.
Alternatively, you can also take minibuses to the top of
the rock. With these you stop in several places, but they are more
expensive.
Miscellaneous
Taxis are plentiful, but it's cheaper
to take the bus and much of Gibraltar is within easy walking distance.
Handicapped people have a hard time outside the city because of
field and forest paths and many stairs.
Incidentally, traffic in
Gibraltar is right-hand traffic, not the left-hand traffic that is
otherwise widespread in the United Kingdom.
The official language in Gibraltar is English. Because of the high border traffic and because many Spaniards work in Gibraltar, Spanish is almost equally common. The locals usually speak both languages and switch back and forth between them when speaking, sometimes even in the middle of a sentence. In addition, many Spanish words have found their way into the English language. For these reasons, it is not easy even for a practiced Spanish or English speaker to follow a local.
Downtown
Casemates Square. Located on the remains of a former
fortification, Gibraltar's main square has numerous restaurants and bars
offering British fish & chips and Spanish tapas, among other things.
Gibraltar Museum, 18/20 Bomb House Lane, P.O. Box 939. Tel: +350 200
74289. Open: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-2pm, Sun, Holidays closed.
Price: adults £5.
Alameda Botanic Gardens (Gibraltar Botanic
Gardens), Red Sands Rd. Tel: +350 200 41235 . A really beautiful and
quite large park with all kinds of subtropical plants. The main entrance
is right next to the valley station of the cable car.
Sights that
must be seen
The best way to explore Gibraltar and see its sights is
through the Gibraltar Pass. It is the latest innovation in The Rock's
tourism sector, bringing together all of Gibraltar's top attractions and
more under one digital visitor pass. The concept is very simple:
visitors buy the GibraltarPass online at www.GibraltarPass.com and
receive a digital pass (similar to an online boarding pass) on their
mobile phone, giving them access to the Rock's most popular attractions,
including cable car rides, Guided Van Rock Tour, Meet the Famous
Monkeys, St Michael Cave, SkyWalk, Great Siege Tunnels, WW2 Tunnels and
more. Visitors simply show the pass on their mobile device and scan it
at each attraction for entry at no additional cost. The pass also
includes free transport on Citibus routes from the border to the city
center and cable car, as well as a host of freebies and exclusive
discounts at over 100 activity providers, shops and restaurants across
Gibraltar.
Moorish Castle
St Michael's Cave
Skywalk. Opened
in 2019, this glass viewing platform on the site of a former military
lookout offers spectacular views on both sides (east and west) of the
rock. Open: daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Grand Siege Tunnels
Windsor Suspension Bridge. This 71 meter long, wooden suspension bridge
with steel cables leads over a 50 meter deep gorge. If you don't have a
head for heights, you can bypass it on a path to the right along the
mountain.
Ape's Rock (at the top station of the cable car) or
Ape's Den (at the middle station of the cable car) with the legendary
Barbary monkeys. The monkeys (singular ape, plural apes) may not be fed
(a fine of £4,000 may be imposed). Attention: the monkeys also bite and
are very tricky and sneaky when looking for food, positioning themselves
in favorable places already on the railing of the cable car station,
from where they can unnoticed open bags and backpacks of passing
tourists. Keeping bags and backpacks closed doesn't always help, as the
animals open zippers at "ape-like" speed, steal objects from them, and
run away with them. They also try to snatch cameras out of their hands.
It is generally not recommended to eat food outdoors. Ice cream is also
very popular with the monkeys and they get it too. Some try to climb up
a tourist's legs, sit on their shoulders and hold their head. Anyone who
thinks this is funny will be taught otherwise when they realize that
this action only served the monkey to be able to search the pockets for
food or other interesting objects from this position. If you fight back,
you run the risk of being bitten. One should not forget that the monkeys
are wild animals, which, however, have shed any fear of humans. It only
helps to keep a certain distance from the animals. See also the Security
section below.
Catalan Bay
On the east side is the former small
fishing village of Catalan Bay with colorful houses and the Caleta Hotel
and a small beach.
After the waste incineration plant broke down
in the late 1980s and all local waste near Catalan Bay was simply dumped
into the sea for a good twenty years, the beach was not very attractive.
When Gibraltar sought World Heritage status for its Neanderthal Caves,
also on this side of the rock, the area was restored. The water is now
clean again. Instead, there's a decent dumping ground closer to the
airport.
Europe point
At the southern tip of Gibraltar you can
see Africa from here on a clear day. Here you will find a small
restaurant, a lighthouse, a playground and a very beautiful mosque. You
can also watch the enormous shipping traffic through the Strait of
Gibraltar. Here it is only 25 kilometers wide.
Trinity House
Lighthouse (Europa Point Lighthouse)
Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque
Sikorski Memorial
Shrine of Our Lady of Europe. Tel: +350 200 71230
Catholic Church.
A hike through the forest and mountain area is recommended in good
weather. For example, you can take the cable car up the rock and then
walk down or vice versa.
In bad weather you can visit the museum
or spend the day in the city center. There is a pedestrian zone with
many shops, which are very busy because the goods are offered there
cheaper than in Spain due to the tax privileges. There is therefore a
large selection of goods, as we know them from the duty-free shops, but
not only. Most shops are closed on Sundays.
There are many restaurants. Everything is represented, from pubs to luxury restaurants. In various pubs there is typically British cuisine and British beer. As well as the typical British pubs and restaurants, there are all sorts of restaurants you would find in a holiday resort. This goes from the simple snack bar to the franchise chains, especially to Spanish restaurants that mainly have tapas and paella on the menu. You will also find Asian cuisine or Italian, where you can eat pizza and pasta. The quality of the restaurants varies, so it is worth looking for something.
Means of payment:
The Gibraltar Pound (GIP) is the official
currency. But there are only own coins. Notes are paid for in pounds
sterling or euros. When paying with the euro, you should pay as
appropriate as possible, as it is possible that you will receive GIP as
change. The Gibraltar pound is not valid anywhere outside of Gibraltar,
although the coins are in British format. It cannot be changed anywhere
else. Therefore, one should exchange leftover money in a Gibraltar bank!
Banks are usually open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Gibraltar is a tax haven. Not least because of this, almost three
companies have their headquarters here for every inhabitant. So many
people come to Gibraltar just to shop. This can be Spaniards from the
area who stock up cheaply (especially gas) as well as travelers who like
to go shopping. You can get cigarettes and spirits very cheaply,
although it is always worth shopping, but you can also buy watches and
jewellery, fashion and many other things for very little money. There
are numerous shops on Main Street, a pedestrian zone, and its side
streets and alleys, where you can buy all sorts of things. Bus trips are
taken from many resorts on the Costa del Sol, with visitors coming here
just to shop. The city is accordingly crowded from morning to early
evening.
In addition to the shops, banks and exchange offices
have also settled here. You can withdraw money or exchange money into
the desired currency. The money dealers are quite expensive. Buying and
selling euros makes a noticeable difference of more than ten cents per
euro. If you want to withdraw money from ATMs, you should pay attention
to what currency the machine dispenses. Some only offer sterling, with a
few offering a choice of sterling or euros. So take a look before you
withdraw money.
Sensible purchases, few are cheaper than in
Spain, are: liquor and cigarettes. The former is almost only available
in liter bottles, about 20% cheaper than in Germany. It should be noted
that when exporting to Spain, we crossed an external EU border, so you
are not allowed to bring more than 200 cigarettes and a bottle of
liquor. However, at least during the Brexit transition period until the
end of 2020, there will be almost no checks by Spanish customs.
There are also some curious sales restrictions: Energy drinks can only
be bought from the age of 16. Anyone found in possession of more than
800 cigarettes in the area close to the border is liable to prosecution.
Gibraltar has a surprisingly active nightlife.
The Affenfelsen has a handful of hotels in all price ranges. Tip:
book well in advance as Gibraltar is more popular than expected and the
number of hotels is limited. The prices are significantly higher
compared to the Spanish surrounding area, so it might be worth staying
the night in neighboring La Linea.
Cheap
Emile Hostel,
Gibraltar, Montagu Bastion, 25 Line Wall Road (near Casemates square).
Tel: +350 200 51106, Fax: +350 200 51106, Email:
emilehostel@yahoo.co.uk. 42 beds in spartan but clean multi-bed, double
and single rooms. Bedding is provided, but not towels, only a few!
Shared showers (also for double/single rooms), no shared kitchen, no
lockers. Very central location. Open: all year round 8:00 a.m. - 11:00
p.m. Price: around €20/bed without breakfast.
Con Dios (on a moored
yacht), Gibraltar, PO Box 80, Marina Bay. Tel: +350 20050755, email:
jjcondios@gabetelecom.net. B&B with 4 naturally small cabins, showers on
land, toilets/sinks on board, breakfast included, free WiFi, exceptional
location. Feature: pension. Price: Single from £25, Double from £55.
Middle
Eliott Hotel (O'Callaghan), Gibraltar, 2 Governor's
Parade. Tel: +350 200 70 500, Fax: +350 200 70 243, Email:
eliott@gib.ocallaghanhotels.com. First house on site, older and only
partially renovated, UK sockets. Features: paid WiFi, gym, swimming
pool. Price: SR from £89.
Rock Hotel Gibraltar, Gibraltar , 3 Europa
Road. Tel.: +350 20073000, Fax: +350 20073513, Email:
reservations@rockhotel.gi. Colonial style hotel. Features: ★★★★, Free
WiFi, Swimming Pool. Price: Double from £180.
The Caleta Hotel,
Gibraltar, Catalan Bay (East side!). Tel.: +350 200 76501, Email:
reservations@caletahotel.gi.
September 10th is the National Day in Gibraltar. On this day most shops are closed and all residents, from toddlers to the elderly, are dressed in white and red, the national colors of Gibraltar. Music is blaring from every pub in the city center and it's impossible to get through. Cars also drive motorcades, as if Gibraltar had just become soccer world champion.
Tourist Information:
Gibraltar Tourist Board, Gibraltar, Cathedral
Square, Duke of Kent House (At the beginning of Main Street). Tel: +350
200 74950, Fax: +350 200 74943, Email: information@tourism.gov.gi. There
is also a branch just across the border, open Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm and Sat
10am-1pm. Open: Open Mon-Fri 9:00-17:30, Sat 10:00-15:00, Sun
10:00-13:00
Telephone and Internet: Despite Brexit, EU roaming
continues. However, this is a gesture of goodwill by the providers,
which e.g. the German O₂ has “temporarily” limited until the end of
2022. Please note the fees of the local provider. Buying a SIM card does
not make sense for short-term stays. You simply make calls again as soon
as you are registered in the Spanish network.
There are no
internet cafes anymore. In the area of the cultural center John
Mackintosh House is a free hotspot.
The cobblestone streets and
the narrow, sometimes steep streets of the city center make the place
torture for wheelchair users.
There is a strong police presence in the border area and in the city,
not least because of tensions between Spain and Great Britain over
Gibraltar. In the rest of the area there is always a police presence or
controls.
dealing with the monkeys
The monkeys that live in
the rocky terrain are wild animals despite their tourist marketing and
habituation to humans. They can become aggressive and also bite - then
there is a risk of hepatitis infection! You should never try to pet them
and, especially when young animals are nearby, keep a sufficient
distance. "Monkey food" is repeatedly sold by dubious dealers, this is
not only forbidden but also harmful to the animals' health - do not
offer the monkeys any food as a matter of principle. It is also
advisable not to have any loose and easily stolen valuables or food near
you, the monkeys can steal these quickly and not necessarily peacefully.
Natural caves in the Rock of Gibraltar are believed to be the last
Neanderthal retreats in Europe. Secured traces indicate that Gorham Cave
was inhabited around 28,000 years ago.
In ancient times,
Gibraltar was considered one of the Pillars of Heracles. Carthaginian
and Roman traces in Gibraltar (lat. Mons Calpe) are not known. The
Romans were followed by the Visigoths, who conquered the Iberian
Peninsula.
In 711 Gibraltar was taken by the Muslim Arabs and
Berbers. The name Gibraltar comes from the Arabic (جبل طارق Dschabal
Ṭāriq, "mountain of Tarik"), after Tāriq ibn Ziyād, a Moorish general
who recognized the strategic importance of Gibraltar for the conquest of
Spain. Around 1160 a first fortress was built in Gibraltar, which was
expanded over the coming centuries and is now known as Moorish Castle.
The Muslims ruled Gibraltar until the Reconquista in 1462 (from 1309 to
1333 Castilian for the first time by Ferdinand IV).
On April 25,
1607, the Battle of Gibraltar took place during the Eighty Years' War. A
Dutch fleet surprised and destroyed a Spanish fleet anchored in the Bay
of Gibraltar.
After the Spanish Habsburgs lost dominance in
Europe at the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648, the Dutch and
English fought for control of the oceans. This was the time of the four
Anglo-Dutch naval wars that took place between 1652 and 1784. For
example, the Second Anglo-Dutch Naval War was triggered when a Dutch
convoy was ambushed by the English in December 1664 in the Strait of
Gibraltar. Between these conflicts, there were repeated peace agreements
and joint actions against third parties. One of these joint actions was
the conquest of Gibraltar on August 4, 1704 by Prince George of
Hesse-Darmstadt in the War of Spanish Succession on board the
Anglo-Dutch fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke. In a modification of
military tactics, the Spanish garrison was not surprised at dawn but
during the siesta in the afternoon. The subsequent siege of Gibraltar by
Spain was unsuccessful. In 1713 the area was formally granted to the
British in the Treaty of Utrecht and has been a British crown colony
since 1830. During the Anglo-Spanish War of 1727–1729, Philip V's troops
besieged Gibraltar in vain. Between 1779 and 1783 Spanish and French
troops tried again to conquer the fortress (Great Siege). During this
time, the first tunnels, the so-called Great Siege Tunnels, were dug.
During the Second World War, the civilian population of Gibraltar
was resettled in Madeira. During this time, the rock was converted into
an underground fortress for up to 15,000 soldiers. The tunnels, the
so-called World War II tunnels, can be visited today in parts. The aim
of this fortification was to be able to counter a possible attack by the
German Wehrmacht. This had planned the capture of the base with a first
operational draft of August 20, 1940. However, Operation Felix was never
carried out as Spain remained neutral. In a retaliatory strike for the
British Operation Catapult, air forces of the remaining French Vichy
regime bombed Gibraltar on September 24 and 25, 1940, sinking an
auxiliary cruiser in the harbor. Before the start of the Anglo-American
invasion of French North Africa, Operation Torch, US General Dwight D.
Eisenhower set up his headquarters in Gibraltar on November 5, 1942.
Three days later, the invasion of Morocco began with 300,000 soldiers.
Ultimately, Gibraltar remained the only part of non-neutral mainland
Western Europe that was never occupied by Nazi Germany or its allies.
The prime minister of the Polish government in exile, General
Władysław Sikorski, died in a plane accident off Gibraltar on July 4,
1943.
The Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean
Sea to the Atlantic, is of great importance to the military. The United
Kingdom maintains a naval base in Gibraltar.
There has long been
tension between the UK and Spain over Spain's desire to regain
sovereignty over Gibraltar. The border to Spain was closed from 1969 to
1985. The territory has been on the UN list of Non-Self-Governing
Territories since 1946. In a referendum on 7 November 2002 (turnout:
almost 90%), 99% of voters voted to remain under British rule. Only 187
residents were in favor of shared sovereignty.
On September 18,
2006, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain, the Minister for
European Affairs of the United Kingdom and the Chief Minister of
Gibraltar Peter Caruana concluded a cooperation agreement in Cordoba. It
stipulates that a new terminal will be built for Gibraltar Airport so
that the airport can also be used from the Spanish side. Spain's foreign
minister at the time was Miguel Ángel Moratinos (Zapatero I cabinet),
and the UK's Europe minister was Geoff Hoon (Blair III cabinet). From 16
December 2006 there was (for the first time in decades) a scheduled
flight from Spain to Gibraltar (read more here). Regulations were also
made for the telephone network, compensation for Spanish workers who
lost their jobs after the border was closed in 1969, and easing border
controls on the land side. Furthermore, a branch of the Instituto
Cervantes is to be opened in Gibraltar. On 21 July 2009 Foreign Minister
Moratinos made an official visit to Gibraltar, becoming the first
representative of the Spanish government since the start of British
sovereignty over Gibraltar.
Gibraltar is a peninsula that borders the Bay of Algeciras to the east and lies on the north side of the Strait of Gibraltar, where Europe and Africa meet. The territory covers a land area of 6.5 km², with the border between Gibraltar and Spain being only 1.2 kilometers long. On the Spanish side of the border lies the town of La Línea de la Concepción. The sea area claimed by Gibraltar reaches up to three nautical miles from the coast.
Gibraltar consists of a flat, mostly sandy area and the Rock of Gibraltar. The limestone cliffs (English Upper Rock, Spanish Peñón) that rise spectacularly steeply out of the sea on the east side catch the eye from afar above the bay of Algeciras. It is about 4 kilometers long from north to south and up to 1.2 kilometers wide. The top of the rock reaches a height of 426 m. It consists mainly of limestone formed in the Jurassic, making it older than the neighboring southern Spanish rocks. The flat part of Gibraltar could be enlarged by land reclamation. Most of the material comes from inside the rock, where it accumulated during the construction of the approximately 50 kilometers of tunnel. In addition to the artificial cavities, the rock has a number of naturally formed caves.
The weather in Gibraltar is essentially determined by the Levante (east wind) and the Poniente (west wind). These local winds are created by the Atlas Mountains to the south and the Sierra Nevada to the north.
Gibraltar is divided into the Upper Rock nature reserve, the urban
area, the east side and the part of the Mediterranean Sea that belongs
to Gibraltar, in particular the Bay of Gibraltar.
The nature
reserve was established on April 1, 1993 and can be visited for a fee.
The city of Gibraltar stretches along the narrow strip of western
side where the cliff slopes more gently towards the sea. While the west
side is heavily populated, few people live on the east side in the two
villages of Catalan Bay and Sandy Bay. In the north of the peninsula, on
the border with Spain, are the airport, some military facilities and a
cemetery for those who died in the world wars. A modern, high-rise
district has emerged in the north-west, where a marina and terminals for
ferries have also been built. To the south on the shore is the military
port and an industrial area where, for example, some dry docks can be
found. The tourist center in the west is Main Street and the surrounding
streets and squares, some of which are car-free.
Since there is
no natural freshwater supply, rainwater has long been collected and,
where possible, saltwater used. For example, in 1908 a 130,000 m²
rainwater catchment basin was built on the east side of the peninsula,
which has since been dismantled. Today, the required fresh water is
produced by seawater desalination.
In addition to the Upper Rock nature reserve, the entire sea area of
Gibraltar has been under protection since January 1, 1996.
Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where monkeys (animal species:
Barbary macaque or Magot, Macaca silvanus) live freely. That's why
Gibraltar is also called the "Monkey Rock". While the monkeys are
commonly referred to as free-living, they lead a more park-like
existence, being fed regularly by humans.
Gibraltar is one of the most densely populated areas on earth. 32,577
people live in Gibraltar. The population density is 5012 inhabitants per
square kilometer (2012), including the uninhabited areas of Upper Rock.
An attempt is made to master the lack of space by means of land
reclamation.
Aging has been an increasing problem since the
1990s. The life expectancy of residents is 78.5 years for men and 83.3
years for women. The annual birth rate is 10.67 births per 1000
inhabitants. On average, there are 1.65 newborns per woman. Infant
mortality is 0.483%. Population growth is very low at 0.11% per year.
Most residents of Gibraltar are of British, Spanish, Italian or Portuguese origin. All Gibraltarians have a British passport. The Immigration Office issues immigrants with a British passport for Gibraltar in addition to their old citizenship. According to an analysis of surnames in the 1995 electoral register, 27% were British, 26% Spanish (mostly Andalusian but 2% Menorcan), 19% Italian, 11% Portuguese, 8% Maltese, 3% Israeli origin. Another 4% came from other countries, while the origin of 2% could not be determined.
The majority of the population is Catholic, at over 78 percent. The territory of Gibraltar forms the Diocese of Gibraltar; the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned and the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe are considered national shrines. In second place is the Anglican Church with around seven percent of the population. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the Episcopal Church of the Diocese in Europe of the Church of England for all of continental Europe. With the Ibrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque, one of the largest mosques in Europe is available as a meeting room for the four percent Muslims. Members of other Christian denominations (3%), Jews (2%), Hindus (2%) and followers of several other religions also live in Gibraltar.
The only official language in Gibraltar is English, but most residents also speak Spanish. Although only English is official, many traffic, road and information signs are also written in Spanish. In addition, many residents speak Llanito colloquially, a dialect largely based on Andalusian Spanish, but with some elements of English and several southern European languages.
Gibraltar is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. It has its
own government that performs the tasks of self-government. It covers all
areas except defence, foreign affairs and homeland security, which are
taken over by the UK. The head of state is the British king; he is
represented in Gibraltar by a governor. The governor is also the supreme
commander of the army and the police. Acting Governor David Steel was
appointed in June 2020.
In November 2006, more than 60 percent of
the people of Gibraltar voted in favor of a new constitution that would
provide greater autonomy, particularly in the judiciary.
Since 1704, when the English crown gained control of the peninsula
and was guaranteed it in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Spain has been
trying to regain the British colony. In the 18th century this was
attempted by military means, namely in the three sieges of 1704, 1727
and 1779-1783, all without success. In the 19th century, further
military action against Great Britain was hopeless due to its global
political and military dominance and was therefore omitted. Although
Spain had recognized and confirmed British rule in the Accords of
Cartagena (1907), in the 1950s Spanish dictator Francisco Franco made
fresh attempts to annex Gibraltar, also with Spain's exiled President
Claudio Sánchez Albornoz on his side . Since then, several rounds of
negotiations have taken place, but they have not led to a final
solution. In two referendums in which Gibraltar decided on a move to
Spain, the proposals were very clearly rejected: on September 10, 1967
by 12,138 votes to 44 and on November 7, 2002 by 17,900 votes to 187. In
2002, only a joint British-Spanish exercise of sovereignty rights over
Gibraltar had been voted on. Spain had made itself unpopular with the
residents of Gibraltar through various repressions, including the years
of complete closure of the border (from June 9, 1969 to February 4,
1985), even after that there were often long waiting times at the border
crossing, restrictions on access to telecommunications or Attempts to
exclude the people of Gibraltar from participating in international
sporting events. Between 2009 and 2011 there were also minor border
incidents in territorial waters.
Although Spain was initially
supported by the United Nations in its efforts to gain sovereignty over
Gibraltar, as Gibraltar is officially still a colony to be dissolved,
after these votes Jim Murphy, British Minister, made it clear that the
United Kingdom would do nothing without the explicit consent of the
Gibraltarians would do. In addition, the legal status of Gibraltar is
disputed and thus its status as a colony. Meanwhile, the UN sees
Gibraltar as a purely bilateral issue between Britain and Spain, leaving
it up to those states to find a solution.
Despite the improved
cooperation between Spain and the British Overseas Territory, there is
still disagreement about the respective sovereign rights off the coast
of Gibraltar. Spain recognizes only a small zone around the port as
British, citing the Treaty of Utrecht, while the UK claims a three-mile
zone, citing the same instrument, which has repeatedly sparked clashes
between the Spanish Civil Guard and led British patrol boats. On 18
November 2009, the Guardia Civil observed a British Navy speedboat
conducting target practice at a Spanish flag buoy seven nautical miles
south of Gibraltar; British Ambassador Giles Paxman later apologized for
the crew's "lack of judgment and sensitivity." On December 7, 2009, a
Guardia Civil boat in pursuit of suspected drug smugglers pulled into
the port of Gibraltar. The Spanish security forces arrested the two
occupants of the fleeing speedboat, but were arrested by the Gibraltar
Squadron. The Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba
apologized a little later to Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana
for the "incorrect behavior" of his officials. They were released the
same day.
At the end of July 2013, the government of Gibraltar
had 70 iron-reinforced concrete blocks, each weighing three tons, sunk
in the sea. Fishermen protested against the blocks. About three weeks
later, in a telephone conversation with European Commission President
José Manuel Barroso, Prime Minister David Cameron asked “urgently” for
EU observers to be sent to the border.
The course of the land
border is also legally disputed. The de facto border is the fence
erected by Britain in 1909, which runs some half a mile north of the
northern slope of the Rock of Gibraltar. This border line is not
officially recognized by Spain, since according to the Treaty of Utrecht
only "the city and the castle of Gibraltar together with the associated
port and the associated defenses and fortifications" were ceded. The
disputed area is now largely occupied by Gibraltar Airport. However,
unlike the issue of coastal waters, the land border has not given rise
to any actual disputes in recent decades. On the Spanish side, however,
the de facto border is not referred to as "border" but as la verja ("the
fence").
In November 2018, the Spanish government threatened to
boycott the EU summit on November 25, 2018. The reason for this was
Spain's concern that signing the Brexit agreement would fix the current
course of the United Kingdom's borders. As the Spanish government
continues to insist on its territorial claim, it has been keen to avoid
cementing a UK claim through the agreement. After diplomatic
negotiations, the contract was specified on November 24, 2018 in such a
way that the Brexit agreement does not create any obligations with
regard to the scope. The future agreements between the EU and the United
Kingdom would not necessarily have to apply to the areas mentioned in
the withdrawal agreement. As a result, Spain gave up its concerns about
the agreement.
The people of Gibraltar elect the seventeen-member Gibraltar
Parliament. Each voter has ten votes. There is no division into
constituencies. Since there is an election of persons, the
representation of the parties is not necessarily proportional. There are
currently three parties represented in Parliament.
The candidate
supported by a majority is appointed Chief Minister by the governor. In
addition to this, the executive consists of the Minister of Finance and
the Minister of Justice.
In the parliamentary elections on
December 8, 2011, the Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party (GSLP) received
seven seats, while the Gibraltar Social Democrats (GSD) of former Chief
Minister Peter Caruana only received seven seats, despite a
significantly higher number of votes. The Liberal Party of Gibraltar
(Libs) has three seats and is in coalition with the GSLP, so the GSD is
currently in opposition.
The GSLP provides the Chief Minister
with Fabian Picardo. All parties are in favor of Gibraltar's
self-government. Both GSD and GSLP refuse to make deals with Spain, with
the GSLP traditionally being more radical.
Until 2006, the body
was called the House of Assembly. The name change in the course of the
new constitution was also intended to reflect the greater degree of
autonomy, since House of Assembly was a name repeatedly used in British
colonies. It also had 17 members, but only 15 were elected by the
people. Each elector had eight votes, which often resulted in parties
nominating eight candidates with a request to elect all of them. As a
result, the strongest faction usually received eight seats, and the
losing party seven seats.
Unlike all other British Overseas Territories, Gibraltar was a member
of the European Union with the United Kingdom until January 31, 2020.
From the perspective of the European Union, the residents are not
nationals of the United Kingdom (CJEU C-145/04, 2006). There are some
special regulations:
Gibraltar is not part of the EU internal market
in terms of the free movement of goods.
Schengen law has been applied
since January 1, 2021.
EU VAT regulations do not apply in Gibraltar.
Gibraltar does not participate in the Common Agricultural Policy and
Fisheries Policy.
In 2003, the European Parliament
(Representation) Act 2003 gave Gibraltar residents the right to vote in
the European Parliament, although the citizens were not citizens of the
Union within the meaning of Article 20 TFEU. The ECJ justified this with
the close connection between Gibraltar and the United Kingdom. In the
European elections, Gibraltar was part of the South West England
European electoral constituency, which had seven representatives
(consisting of the South West England region and Gibraltar). In the 2004
European elections, 57.5% of Gibraltar's eligible voters used their new
right at the time. The turnout was 18.6 percentage points above the UK
average.
In the 2016 referendum on whether the UK should remain in the
European Union, 95.9% voted to remain in the European Union (19,322
votes), 4.1% voted to leave (823 votes) – with a turnout of 83.5% .
Gibraltar was thus the electoral district with the highest proportion of
votes for remaining in the EU.
In mid-2014, José Manuel
García-Margallo, then Spain's foreign minister in the Rajoy I cabinet,
proposed "British-Spanish co-sovereignty" for the peninsula. This status
should apply for a limited period until British territory is returned to
Spain. During this transitional period, Gibraltar residents could remain
British citizens and benefit from a special tax regime. The idea of
shared sovereignty was already explored during negotiations between
London and Madrid in 2001 and 2002. However, it was rejected by the
citizens of Gibraltar in a referendum. Joseph García, Gibraltar's Deputy
Chief Minister, said Gibraltar's position on Spain had not changed after
the EU referendum. You see yourself as British; the future of Gibraltar
lies in the EU.
Due to its special situation, Gibraltar was
excluded from the long-term trade and cooperation agreement, which is
intended to regulate long-term relations with the EU. At the end of
2020, shortly before the United Kingdom left the European single market,
Spain and the United Kingdom surprisingly agreed that Gibraltar would
join the Schengen area on January 1, 2021. As a result, the EU's
external border will shift to the ports and international airport of
Gibraltar. Spain is responsible for controlling Gibraltar's external
border.
The economy of Gibraltar is mainly determined by tourism. In 2017
there were 7.7 million arrivals. In addition to many day tourists, more
and more tourists are staying in the numerous hotels. In addition,
offshore finance and shipbuilding and ship repair each contribute around
25 percent to the gross domestic product. In fourth place is the
telecommunications sector, which accounts for around 10 percent of GDP.
The growing number of international providers of online sports betting
and casinos based in Gibraltar represents an ever-increasing part of the
economy.
Since 2004, surpluses have regularly been generated in
the state budget, each amounting to between 1.1% and 4.1% of GDP. In the
2011/2012 financial year, income of £454.6 million was offset by
expenditure of just £420.3 million, which corresponded to a budget
surplus of 2.93% of GDP.
The Gibraltar pound is formally its own
currency, but is tied to the British pound at a ratio of 1:1. That's why
people often pay in British pounds and less in euros.
In a
ranking of the most important financial centers worldwide, Gibraltar
ranked 66th (as of 2018).
The "Gibraltar Post Office" was responsible for postal services in
Gibraltar from 1886. In 2005 he was awarded the title "Royal" by the
British Queen Elizabeth II, so that the postal system in Gibraltar is
now in the hands of the "Royal Gibraltar Post Office". This makes the
Gibraltar Postal Company the only postal company outside of mainland
Britain to be awarded the title of Royal.
The Royal Gibraltar
Post Office issues its own postage stamps, denominated in Gibraltar
Pounds (GIP). Due to the geographical limitation, the stamps of the
"Royal Gibraltar Post Office" are very popular with tourists and
collectors. The stamps often feature the motif of Britain's Queen
Elizabeth II.
Postal items from Gibraltar abroad (with the
exception of Spain) are first flown to London and from there transported
on to their destination countries. Postal items for Spain, on the other
hand, are handed over to the Spanish post office at the national border.
The same procedure also applies in reverse for international mail to
Gibraltar. The main post office is at 104 Main Street.
Gibraltar has its own airport, Gibraltar Airport. It is the only
airport in the world whose runway crosses a (four-lane) road at the same
level.
Gibraltar is a very important supply center for marine
diesel in the Mediterranean. In 2005, 6662 ocean-going ships called at
the port, 90% of them for refueling.
A total of nine bus routes
operate in Gibraltar (routes 1 to 4 and 7 to 9 operated by the Gibraltar
Bus Company, and routes 5 and 10 operated by Calypso Transport). Travel
on the Gibraltar Bus Company routes is free for holders of certain
permits, others pay 2.50 Gibraltar pounds or 3.30 euros for a day
ticket. On the Calypso Transport lines, a day ticket costs 6 Gibraltar
pounds or 9 euros, single journeys cost 1.40 Gibraltar pounds or 2.10
euros.
Because of its small size and its proximity to Spain,
Gibraltar has had traffic on the right since 1929.
There is a
regular cable car service with one stop between downtown and Upper Rock.
Winston Churchill Avenue is the only connection to Spain.
Gibraltarian culture is heavily influenced by British, Spanish and
Moroccan cultures.
Music bands from Gibraltar include Breed 77,
The SoulMates and No Direction.
The National Day of Gibraltar is September 10th. In doing so, he commemorates the referendum on September 10, 1967, in which an overwhelming majority of citizens decided to remain in Great Britain. Many houses are decorated with the flag of Gibraltar and red and white balloons. From 1992 to 2015, a balloon was "released into the air" for every citizen on this day, this ritual was banned in 2016 due to conservation concerns.
Henry Francis Cary (1772–1844), British writer and translator
Michael George Bowen (1930–2019), Roman Catholic Archbishop of Southwark
Charles Caruana (1932–2010), Roman Catholic Bishop of Gibraltar
Albert Hammond (born 1944), singer-songwriter and record producer
John Galliano (born 1960), British fashion designer
Karel Mark
Chichon (born 1971), conductor
Ava Addams (born 1979), porn actress
Misha Verollet (born 1981), writer
Kaiane Aldorino (b. 1986), Miss
World 2009
Maroua Kharbouch (born 1990), beauty queen
The Gibraltar national football team has existed since 1895 and has,
among other things, finished third in the FIFI Wild Cup. A national
championship is held annually.
Gibraltar has its own football
stadium where all league matches and international matches are played.
On 8 December 2006, the Football Association of Gibraltar was
provisionally admitted as a UEFA member. A final vote took place on
January 26, 2007 in Düsseldorf, where Gibraltar's application for UEFA
membership was rejected. After a ruling by the International Court of
Arbitration for Sport CAS in August 2011, the decision had to be revised
and Gibraltar had to be admitted again as a provisional member from
October 1, 2012. As a result, Gibraltar was included as an independent
national association in the draws for the European Under-17s, the
Under-19s and the UEFA Futsal Cup. The final inclusion was decided at
the 37th UEFA Congress on May 24, 2013 in London. By executive decision,
even as a full member, teams from Spain and Gibraltar are not allowed to
meet in group matches. On 19 November 2013, the national team played
their first official international match against another UEFA member in
Faro, Portugal. The game against Slovakia ended 0-0. The 2016 European
Football Championship qualifier was the first tournament in which
Gibraltar played for participation. The first game against Germany took
place on November 14, 2014 in Nuremberg and ended 4-0 for Germany.
Similar to the development of Gibraltar's UEFA admission, the CAS
had to decide on Gibraltar's admission to FIFA. Spain in particular
resisted Gibraltar's membership, as it did when it was admitted to UEFA.
At the same time, it was argued that Gibraltar would not be a free
country in itself and that the requirements for admission to FIFA would
therefore not be met. The CAS ruled that FIFA would have to create all
the prerequisites for accepting Gibraltar as a full member as soon as
possible. Gibraltar was admitted to FIFA in 2016.
The national
teams of Gibraltar also fight for international recognition in other
sports. Rugby and cricket have established themselves because of
Gibraltar's history. In cricket, it takes part in European competition.
Special Olympics Gibraltar was founded in 1985 and has participated
in the Special Olympics World Games several times. The association has
announced its participation in the Special Olympics World Summer Games
2023 in Berlin. The delegation will be looked after before the games as
part of the Host Town Program by the district of Munich with the
municipalities of Oberhaching and Taufkirchen.
The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) operates its own radio
and television station for Gibraltar. The local variant of the British
soldiers' station British Forces Broadcasting Service can be received
both online and via Eutelsat 10A. There are also various daily
newspapers in English and Spanish. The main Gibraltar daily newspapers
are the Gibraltar Chronicle and Panorama.
The country-specific
top-level domain .gi has existed since 1995.