Gibraltar is a British overseas territory. In ancient times, this peninsula was known as Mons Calpe (translated from Latin - Mount Calpe). Subsequently, it was renamed Gibraltar (from the Arabic Jebel Tariq or Mount Tariq).
A bit of history
Sometimes the country is called in one word - Rock. For 13 centuries, 5 countries have continuously fought for the right to possess this narrow strip of land, and today the beauty of the peninsula attracts thousands of tourists every year. The area where Gibraltar is located is known for its attractions to every experienced tourist.
However, it is also interesting from a scientific point of view. After all, it was here that the first remains of the Neanderthals were found. All kinds of ancient African animals were found in this territory in those distant times. However, in addition to hunting and fishing, people were already engaged in agriculture. The area where Gibraltar is located was then much more extensive than it is now. It was a huge flat valley that was very well suited for ancient people.
Strategic site
Why did various countries constantly fight for the possession of Gibraltar? The fact is that the Rock is a very important strategic site. The one to whom it belongs can control the exit from the Mediterranean and approaches to it from the Atlantic. For a long period of time, it was the property of Spain.
But in 1704 it was captured by the Anglo-Dutch flotilla. Since then and until now, the Rock belongs to Great Britain. The capital of Gibraltar is the city of Gibraltar (since the state itself consists of one settlement, their names are the same).
Political structure and currency
The executive power in the country belongs to the head of government, and the legislative power belongs to the unicameral House of Assembly. The state is not divided into regions. The capital of Gibraltar is the only administrative unit in the entire country. However, for the convenience of government, its territory is divided into seven regions. They are also subdivided into strategic territories - quarters. The country on which Gibraltar depends is Great Britain. However, it is also a self-governing territory. Defense and diplomatic relations are decided by the representatives of Great Britain.
But taxation and corporate law are the realm of Parliament. Under the Treaty of Rome, Gibraltar is part of the EU. In order to get to Gibraltar, you need to obtain a visa at the British Consulate. You can pay in overseas territory both in Spanish currency - pesetas, and in British pounds sterling. Also on the territory of Gibraltar there is also its own currency - the Gibraltar pound. However, it exists only in paper form; English coins are circulating in the country.
Geographical position
On the map, Gibraltar borders on Spain. Residential quarters of the country come close to the northern border of Gibraltar. The border is only 1.2 km long. On the southern side, along the Strait of Gibraltar, there is a border with the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, located in Africa. In good weather, you can see both the Spanish enclave and Morocco.
From the west, the territory of Gibraltar is washed by the waters of the Algeciras Bay, and from the east - by the warm Mediterranean Sea. Anyone who first sees Gibraltar on a map immediately notes the small size of this state. Its area is only 6.5 km 2. If all the tourists who come to the country arrived in Gibraltar at once, then life there would be completely paralyzed. After all, more than 6 million tourists visit the country every year.
Population of the Rock
The population of Gibraltar is about 29.1 thousand people. A variety of nationalities live on the same territory. About 15 thousand people are citizens of other countries and have dual citizenship. Moreover, most of those who consider themselves indigenous are in fact the descendants of the Spaniards, Italians, Maltese, British, citizens of the Maghreb.
The population of Gibraltar is constantly increasing. The building density is constantly increasing. About 4 thousand people live on one square kilometer. There is a constant lack of land here, and buildings are being built even on water. For example, the strip for the Gibraltar airport was laid out on an artificial embankment.
Climate
The temperature in summer here is often above 30 ° C, and in winter it does not drop below 18 ° C. 300 days a year are considered sunny in Gibraltar. We can say that the tourist season on the Rock lasts literally all year round. In general, the climate in the country can be described as Mediterranean. The maximum precipitation occurs during the cold season.
Economy
However, what is of constant interest to travelers is a real disaster for the state itself. After all, Gibraltar, although surrounded on all sides by waters, is in fact literally languishing in the heat. There are no natural resources here - there are no rivers or lakes. Residents extract fresh water practically drop by drop from the sea using distillation apparatus. With the help of collectors, rainwater is also collected, which is then stored in special reservoirs made of stone.
With such problems, it is not surprising that there is no agriculture in the country. All food products (excluding fish) are brought in from abroad. There is no industry either - just a few enterprises and a tiny shipyard. However, there are a large number of banks, various insurance agencies and financial companies. Gibraltar offers the world's most pleasant taxation option: no taxes. According to some studies, more than 60 thousand different companies are registered on the island, the wealthy owners of which prefer to get to the coast of the country on personal yachts.
Gibraltar airport
However, most of the tourists arriving in the country use the plane. Where does the air transport sit? Straight to the isthmus that connects Spain to the Rock. Its length is about 3 km, and its width is 2 km. Not far from the airstrip there is an asphalt road that provides easy access to Gibraltar from Spain. In this respect, Gibraltar airport is one of the most unusual in the world.
When the plane descends, the traffic of cars has to be stopped with the help of traffic lights. However, fortunately for the Gibraltarians themselves, no more than three dozen flights are served here every week. Observing the planes and the flights themselves are absolutely safe. The airport has been operating since 2003, and since then not a single accident has occurred here: neither on the runway, nor on the city avenue.
Gibraltar: how to get to the country?
As noted, the most popular form of transport among tourists is airplane. There are direct connections only with the airports of the UK and Morocco. The closest airport in Spain, located 137 km northeast, is Malaga.
You can also get to the Rock by renting a car in one of the Spanish cities: Barcelona, \u200b\u200bAlicante, Madrid, Lisbon. You can also travel by taxi. However, one point must be taken into account: drivers from Spain will not take the traveler to Gibraltar itself, but drop him off right at the border. Another way to get to Gibraltar is by taking a regular bus from La Linea town.
Rock of Gibraltar
One of the main tourist attractions. Its height is 426 meters, it is one of the most popular natural attractions in the area where Gibraltar is located. The rock is located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, in the Strait of Gibraltar.
It also has another name - Mount Tariq, which was given to it in honor of the Arab commander Tariq ibn Ziyad. The very name of Gibraltar originally comes from his name. At the top of the mountain there is a conservation area, where 250 Barbary macaques (the only species of wild monkeys in all of Europe) have found refuge.
Also on the territory of the reserve grow wild plants that moved here from Africa millions of years ago. They were never able to spread across Europe and remained only on a mountain peak. According to Plato, on the Rock of Gibraltar, as well as on the opposite Abila Rock, two huge statues were once erected on tall columns. They were a kind of gateway to the Atlantic, but were destroyed by the commander Tariq ibn Ziyad for the glory of Allah.
Famous caves
One of the unusual features of the rock is that there is a system of underground tunnels underneath. Their length is over 50 km. The labyrinth of underground tunnels and the Barbary monkeys are the main attractions that attract a large number of tourists to Gibraltar.
The rock itself is composed of calcite rocks. Over the course of inexorable time, they are washed away by the waves of the strait, and caves are formed in the rock (there are already more than a hundred of them at the moment). The largest of them is St. Michael's Cave, also popular with tourists. The Gorhama cave is also notable. It contained traces of the presence of human ancestors - Neanderthals. They lived here about 30 thousand years ago.
St. Michael's cave
The main attraction of Gibraltar, which attracts travelers to this territory, is its unusual nature. There are a large number of caves, palms, pines. There are over 600 types of different colors on the territory of Gibraltar. One of the most visited caves is St. Michael's Cave. It is one of the largest caves of the Rock of Gibraltar. There are about 100 more such objects located here.
The cave is famous for its giant stalactites, which grew here several tens of millennia before the city of Gibraltar. Interest is also attracted by the remains of primitive people found here in 1974. Another find of archaeologists is rock paintings that depict mountain goats. Archaeologists believe that they were made about 20 thousand years ago.
Ibrahim Al Ibrahim Mosque
The region where Gibraltar is located is also attractive in terms of religion. The Ibrahim al Ibrahim Mosque, erected here in 1997, is located just a few kilometers from Africa. The building was a gift from the ruler of Saudi Arabia, Fahd, and is one of the largest mosques in a non-Muslim state.
Its complex includes a school, a lecture hall, and a library. The building is located on a high platform, and three flights of stairs lead to the main entrance. Each of them has 22 steps. The main entrance is decorated with many turrets. In the southeast corner of the mosque, there is a high minaret with a spiral staircase inside.
Moorish castle
The building was built by representatives of the Marinid dynasty in the 7th century BC. e., and is a medieval fortification, consisting of gates, fortress walls and the Tower of Memory - the main building of the entire structure. This is one of the unique attractions of Gibraltar that invariably attracts tourists from the most remote corners of the globe.
The castle can be seen from afar thanks to its unusual architecture. Its height is more than 100 meters, it is a symbol of the domination of the Arabs in the Pyrenees, which lasted more than 800 years. After many historical events, the building became a museum open to visitors to Gibraltar.
Discover how to get to attractions and hotels near Gibraltar.
Things to do in Gibraltar
Grand casemates square
Grand Casemates Square (colloquially Casemates Square or Casemates) is the larger of the two main squares within the city center of Gibraltar (the other being John Mackintosh Square). The square takes its name from the British-built Grand Casemates, a casemate and bombproof barracks at the northern end of the square completed in 1817.
Gibraltar Botanic Gardens
The Gibraltar Botanic Gardens or La Alameda Gardens are a botanical garden in Gibraltar, spanning around 6 ha. The Rock Hotel lies above the park.
Great siege tunnels
The Great Siege Tunnels in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, also known as the Upper Galleries, are a series of tunnels inside the northern end of the Rock of Gibraltar. They were dug out from the solid limestone by the British during the Great Siege of Gibraltar at the end of the 18th century.
Rock of Gibraltar
The Rock of Gibraltar, (Latin: Mons Calpe, Arabic: Jabal Ṭāriq, "Tariq" s Mountain ")) is a monolithic limestone promontory located in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It is 426 m high. The Rock is Crown property of the United Kingdom, and borders Spain. Most of the Rock "s upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 300 Barbary macaques. These macaques, as well as a labyrinthine network of tunnels, attract a large number of tourists each year.
Places to stay in Gibraltar
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How long did it take to get to this proud British Overseas Territory !? Back in 2012, I bought a ticket through London, but just before the flight from Moscow, it turned out that my six-month British visa to visit Gibraltar was not enough. It is necessary to issue a special overseas ( from three weeks or more) ... So I stayed halfway then, in London.) But everything changes, and dreams come true! Surely many like me dream of visiting this tiny but incredibly interesting European country?
01. In 2014, for citizens of the CIS (here I was corrected, only the Russian Federation) visa requirements for visiting the state of Gibraltar were simplified. Now you can easily enter here if you have:
- British Multiple Entry Visa ( valid for at least 6 months)
- Schengen multiple entry visa category C ( usual for tourists)
According to these visas, you can stay in Gibraltar for up to 21 calendar days ( usually, one or two is enough).
There is also an option, to get here without a visa at all, as part of a one-day tour organized by Spanish operators ( in this case, at the entrance, your passport is taken from you, and returned at the exit), but this is not our method !?) To go as part of an organized tour and pay for this service ... No, we do everything ourselves, and we go where we want, and see what we want!
02.The visas seem to be sorted out ( i'll also tell you about the border control). It remains to figure out how to get here?
The most common way (and perhaps the most expensive) is the airport GIB. Four airlines fly here: British Airways, easyJet, Monarch Airlines from London, Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol; and Royal Air Maroc from neighboring Tangier. The cost of tickets from Moscow with a transfer in London, as a rule, start from 30 thousand rubles ( the minimum that I found was 149 euros one way, easyJet if purchased three or four months before departure). The flight schedule can be viewed on the airport's official website.
Another variant, go here via Spain by renting a car for example in Malaga. Distance about 140 km one way, toll road ( there is also free). Car rental cost + gasoline + road + expensive parking in Gibraltar itself \u003d not the most budget option. Interesting though.
Third option, which I used - this is a regular bus from Malaga. The most budget and quite a comfortable option. You need to go to the Spanish border town of Linea de la Concepcion. The cost of a round-trip ticket is about 30 euros. The ride takes about 2.5-3 hours, depending on the specific flight. The schedule is structured in such a way that you can leave in the morning, see the main attractions of Gibraltar in a day, and return back to Malaga on the same day. Agree, convenient and quite budget! In addition, interestingly, the bus goes along the Costa del Sol, stopping in almost all the towns on the way.
Departure from Malaga bus station at: 7:00, 11:30, 14:00, 16:30, 19:15. Return flights to Malaga from La Ligny depart at 8:50, 10:30, 16:30, 19:00 and 20:45, respectively. Thus, I left at 7:00 on a completely empty bus ( maybe because it's Sunday), and returned to Malaga at 21:30 ( leaving La Ligny at 19:00). The ticket can be bought at the bus station right before departure ( in both directions cheaper), or on the website of the car carrier (eng). 
03. The bus station in LaLigne is within walking distance ( literally 3 minutes) from border control. In the photo, in the very center, the runway of the GIB airport, and the car-pedestrian road crossing it leading from Spain to Gibraltar. We go boldly along the signs, we pass bored Spanish border guards with a passport in their hands, if asked to look, we show a Schengen visa and go quietly on to Gibraltar territory. Here you need to fill out a simple questionnaire, samples of which are right at the table of the border guards. In addition, especially for Russian-speaking citizens, there is a translation of the questionnaire into Russian ( hangs on the wall). What's in it? Full name, year of birth, place of birth, passport number, when to return and where you plan to stay. If one day, do not write anything. You give the questionnaire with the passport to the border guards, and in a couple of minutes you get a stamped passport. Voila!) Hello Gibraltar! We walk calmly through the runway, peep around, take pictures, etc. The main thing is not to leave the walking trail. Naturally, at the time of takeoff or landing, everything is blocked, and you can watch the maneuvers of aircraft like in the stalls of a theater.
Red mailboxes, ubiquitous fish end - chips, very British police and authentic English buses, coastal hotels, wartime stigmas, numerous guns and a strict warrior cemetery ... Of course, tourists are attracted by the strange view of the towering rock (Gibraltar is called the Rock "). This is one of the last British colonies. Interest in Gibraltar has arisen due to its discovery for mass tourism from the Costa del Sol.
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One of my girlfriends visited this place last year and admired the rock, macaques and shopping for a long time. Before the trip, I had to monitor the Internet space and look for opportunities for "independent visits." After all, a trip with a group is a bus from Malaga to the border, a visit by the whole gang of Skala at most 1 hour and 2 hours of free time. Moreover, until January of this year, it was possible to visit Gibraltar only with a British multivisa for 12 months. But groups of Russian tourists handed in their passports at the border and went on excursions with guides. Issue price 100 - 120 euros. How did we do it?
On the Internet, I found an Order dated January 2014, where it was written in intelligible English that now Russians can visit this land, having only a Schengen multivisa. Together with the Russians, this right is vested in the Chinese, Mongols and Indians. Until recently, I could not believe it. In Russian I thought - what if the law did not come into force? Or maybe the border guards will pretend they haven't read? I printed it out just in case and put it in my pocket. Who cares - everything is on the website www. gibraltarlaws. gov.gi. I really wanted to see how Gibraltar emphasizes its "Englishness"?
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The strategic location of the colony at the meeting point of Europe and Africa, palladium architecture, impudent magots (barbarian monkeys) turn Gibraltar into a wonderful place where you can take a break from tapas bars and white Andalusian villages))) The Magic Mountain, by the way, belongs to Britain much longer than The USA became America.
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So, looking at tourist offers on the coast, I saw a big difference: for Russians, a bus is 100 - 120 euros without a guide, 2 hours of free time, for foreigners - 50-60 euros and 5 hours of free time. We bought a bus ticket to La Linea for 13 euros and after 3 hours of a beautiful route along the Costa del Sol we were already four hundred meters close to the coveted British land ... It was 10 am and the whole day was ahead of us! Here it is, tourist happiness. But it was necessary to cross the border somehow.
From the La Linea bus station to the border, walk less than five minutes. The Spanish border guards did not even look in our direction. I carefully watched as almost all the people crossing the border showed the British plastic cards. These are, apparently, migrant workers.
Seeing Russian tourists, the sleepy border guard roused himself and began to ask questions about our goals on their territory. Then he politely asked me to fill out a questionnaire, where I indicated everything, up to the profession and home phone number. And people walked past us in an endless stream ... After the questionnaire, our passports were taken away, after 5 minutes they asked how many days we want to stay there. I asked - how much is it possible? It turns out until 21 days. But Rhonda was waiting for us the next day, we were not allowed to stay here, and a fresh Gibraltar stamp appeared in our passport for a period of only 1 day. Like this. The procedure for crossing the border without a British visa took "at most" 15 minutes.
We skipped out onto the English expanses, on the way looking at the information center, where we were invited to visit the rock with 4 stops by minibus, and were given a detailed map of this "shoe spoon", which appears on the map of Gibraltar. But I wanted freedom, and for almost 5 minutes we walked through the line of some kind of "barkers" for group excursions, thanks to the left and right for their care of us.
So, how to get there from the coast, for example, from Malaga.You can use the regular shuttle bus (€ 13) to La Linea or Algeciras. Picturesque. Cheap. Handsomely.With stops in Fuengirola, Marbella, Estepona. Travel time 2.5 - 3 hours. Due to the many stunning landscapes, the road does not seem tiresome.
BUS SCHEDULE TO GIBRALTAR (LA LINEA)
Information for 01/05/2014
Malaga - La Linea de la Conception
Departure - Arrival
07:00 10:00
11:00 13:00
11:30 14:15
14:00 17:00
16:30 19:25
La Linea de la Conception - Malaga
Departure - Arrival
08:50 11:45
10:30 13:30
16:30 19:20
19:00 21:45
One way ticket price: 13.17 Euro
Those who don't like the bus can take the train. But from Ronda. There is the most beautiful railway route on the coast - Ronda - Algeciras (ticket costs 10.2 euros). Those who drove are delighted. The trip lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes. During the day, the train goes three times in each direction. From Algeciras you can go to Gibraltar by bus (every 30 minutes, it also takes half an hour). There is water transport, at the same time you can see the beautiful bay, sometimes dolphin families splash here)))
About money.
The currencies of Gibraltar are the Gibraltarian pound and the British pound sterling, they are equal. Euros are also accepted, but it's expensive. I'm not very good at mathematics, but I remember the ratio to the euro 1: 1.2. On the main Casemate Square there are several banks, I was advised in the information center to Scala - an Arab sits there and gives out Gibraltarian pounds. For 300 euros, I received 235 of their "tugriks". In addition, people very friendly responded to my request to pick me up 2 sets of all their coins in ascending order, but always new ones, since my hasband is a numismatist.
There is no VAT in Gibraltar, which makes local shopping fun and rewarding. The country has very low excise taxes, and because of this, alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are several times cheaper here than in any European country. For example, in Gibraltar you can buy a liter bottle of fifteen year old whiskey for 8-20 pounds, and the price of a pack of cigarettes ranges from 10 to 25 pounds.
The main shops are located on Main Street. There are many jewelry stores, perfume stores, clothing and electronics stores, and wine stores. Expensive boutiques are also located in the Ocean Village.
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Lovers of English products can visit the only English supermarket in Gibraltar, Morrisson, which is located in the southwestern part of the city. All products are imported from England, including vegetables and fruits.
There are also three stores of the Spanish chain Coviran, where Spanish assortment is purchased, and sellers sometimes speak only Spanish. In short, who likes what.
About transport within the city.
Moving around Gibraltar by car is extremely inconvenient, there is a good chance of seriously scratching your car in the narrow streets of the city. If you add the problem with parking, driving on steep hills and a daily traffic jam at the entrance and exit (up to 2-3 hours), then the most pleasant option for exploring the country would be a walk or a tour in a local taxi.
You can also use city \u200b\u200bbus... There are 7 bus routes in Gibraltar. There are bus stops near Casematnaya Square.
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From here you can get to Europa point, the mosque and the lighthouse by bus number 2, to the Catalan Bay and the Caleta hotel - route number 4, to the Spanish border - route number 5. Buses run every 10-30 minutes (depending on the time and day of the week), and the cost of a one-way ticket is 1.3 pounds, but we immediately bought a "ticket of the day" for 2.25 pounds (although it is not needed there).
The second type of convenient transportation is funicular. Over £ 10.5 -you can climb the cliff, visit the den of monkeys, the caves of St. Michael, the Great Siege tunnels, the Moorish castle and the museums of Gibraltar. In addition, an additional ticket is issued, where a personal password is indicated for use on the Wi-Fi cliff for 3 hours. Conveniently. You can, for example, turn on an audio tour, etc., depending on who has prepared something for the trip.
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How we “built” our day: visiting the historic center - Casematnaya Square - acquaintance with banks and cafes - bus number 2 to Europa Point - landscapes of Morocco, a mosque and a lighthouse - back to Trafalgar cemetery - temples - funicular and a trip to the Rock - lunch - shopping and, along the way, what is interesting will come across. We left at 7 pm.
After 100 meters from the checkpoint, we got into a pedestrian traffic jam. The usual thing - the plane landed.
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The first thing that you will see on the territory of the city is the runway. airport.This strip not only extends into the sea for several hundred meters, but also intersects with the existing highway.
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In November 2011, a new terminal opened at Gibraltar Airport. What flies? Easyjet - daily flights from London Gatwick and back + 3 flights per week from Liverpool. Monarch Airlines - daily from London Lewton and Manchester and back. British airways - daily from London Heathrow.
About water transport.
From Gibraltar on Fridays at 18 hours a ferry runs to Morocco (Tangier), about 50 pounds one way, a little over an hour on the way. They go back on Sundays at 17-30.
Whoever plans a water trip, it is more convenient to go to Africa from Algeciras. In summer, ferries leave every hour to Tangier (1 hour 10 minutes) and at least 10 to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (1 hour 30 minutes). Ceuta is a little larger than Gibraltar with a brisk duty-free trade and easy access to Morocco. The ticket costs about 25 euros. In Algeciras, the railway also begins again - a line towards Ronda, Cordoba and Madrid and Paris.
SO, the first thing I wanted to see in Gibraltar was Europe Point.
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It is the southernmost point of Gibraltar, offering stunning views of the Strait of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean Sea and the African coast. In clear weather, the mountains of Morocco and the Spanish city of Ceutu, which I wrote about above, are clearly visible. We were lucky with the weather and the visibility of Africa was pleasing to the eye ...
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The Gibraltar Lighthouse is the only lighthouse operated by Trinity House, a lighthouse pilot corporation outside the UK. It was built in 1841 and rises 49 meters above sea level. Its light is visible at a distance of up to 37 km.
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Having admired the sea and the Moroccan Atlas Mountains, we looked around, what is there so interesting ... Well, for example,
1) Nelson's Anchorage - 100 Ton Cannon - This imposing Victorian super-cannon was planted on the Rock in the late 19th century. The second such cannon has survived only in Malta.
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2) The Church of Our Lady of Europe and the Museum - located at the southern end of the Rock and was originally a mosque, which was converted into a Christian church in 1462. There is also a museum reflecting the entire history of the shrine.
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3) Mosque of Ibrahim - al - Ibrahim - Built in 1997, this majestic mosque is a gift to Gibraltar from King Fahad Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia.
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4) a little about birds ...
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The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the key routes for migratory birds between Europe and Africa. Predators soaring in the air, black-and-white storks and vultures use ascending air currents during flights. Birds can get to Europe in this way only at two points where the sea is quite narrow. The first is the Bosphorus between the Black and Marmara seas. The second is here in Gibraltar. The number of storks, they say, reaches 5,000 individuals in a flock. Migrations to the north start from mid-February to early June, and to the south from July to early November. With a westerly wind, birds fly here, but with a calm and with an easterly wind, birds prefer Tarifa. Such are the subtleties ...
5) on the very shore, we saw a commemorative stele with the name of General Vladislav Sikorsky. Where and why I did not know, I remembered that this name was mentioned in the media after the plane crash of Polish dignitaries near Smolensk.
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http://www.kontinent.org/article_rus_4d754baeaaed1. html A very interesting article about General Sikorski, about the history of relations between Poland and the USSR during the war. And about Katyn. Sikorsky died in a plane crash near Gibraltar under unclear circumstances, here he is honored and remembered ...
So, after Europa Point, we went back to the city center, to finally climb the Rock. On the way all the time there were posters with different prohibitions against monkeys.
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After all, many tourists go to the rock exclusively to communicate with the "brothers". And how not to treat, we are to visit them ...
About monkeys.
One of the most famous tourist attractions in Gibraltar is the barbarian monkey, or tailless macaque, the magot. Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where these famous monkeys live naturally. According to one of the legends, the monkeys came to Gibraltar through an underground tunnel that connects Europe and Africa. And according to the same legend, Gibraltar will remain English as long as at least one monkey is alive on the mountain. According to another legend, macaques were brought here from North America in the 18th century. During World War II, Winston Churchill instructed the command of the British army to take care of the monkeys (at that time there were only 7 of them). In July 1992, the macaques were removed from the military allowance and handed over to the city authorities for possession.
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There are now about 240 macaques living in Gibraltar, which, by the way, make up about one percent of the country's population! At birth, each tailless creature is given a name, a chip is implanted and a tattoo is made. Photos of the most prominent members of the monkey tribe are displayed on a kind of honor board located at the top station of the funicular.
Monkeys get along well with numerous tourists, allow themselves to be photographed from different angles, including directly on the tourists themselves. But you don't need to relax. Macaques are the masters of the mountain and if they see something edible in your hands, they will not let go of theirs. "It was yours, it is ours."
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So it happened with my friend Anyutka. After all, I knew that you should not rustle with colored bags and open bags. Coming out of the cabin of the funicular, we immediately saw several individuals who looked at the "recruits" in a businesslike manner. I was distracted for a minute, and Anka took off her backpack and for some reason opened it ... On top of her backpack she had a bag, preserved from Swiss times, red, bright, with food. Everything is the way macaques love. In a split second, something fell into the backpack from the sky, took the package in its teeth and took it up again)))
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Okay, 4 thousand pounds fine (for a Soviet pensioner - nonsense), but if the macaque grabbed a smaller bag, and not so bright, with passports, money and bank cards ...
If you have free time, you can be in this monkey house for an infinitely long time, this is where you can laugh to your heart's content. We were so carried away that we did not want to go into caves, into tunnels. They left the war and the whole history to those who do not like flora and fauna.
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When we were about to go down the cliff and cast parting glances at the "progenitors", we accidentally noticed an old monkey in the dense thickets, holding a newly born "macaque" at the breast.
Bread
Bread is an important part of the Gibraltar cuisine. The most popular varieties in the country are Calentita, Bollo de hornasso, Panissa and Pan dulce.
Calentita - a local dish similar to bread. It is baked from pea flour using water, olive oil, salt and pepper. The word "calentita" (calentita) comes from the Spanish "caliente", meaning something oily, hot or warm. For the first time this dish began to be called so presumably at the beginning of the twentieth century, when street vendors loudly shouted "Calentita!", Informing people about their product - "straight from the oven." The older generation of Gibraltars still remember the last street vendor, Paloma Kalentita. Calentita is considered the national dish of Gibraltar.
Panissa - a flour dish similar to calentita. The origin of the dish is Italy, where it has exactly the same name. Unlike calentita, the panissa ingredients are first served in a pan until an airy dough forms, which then falls off. After that, the dough is cut into thin strips and fried in olive oil.
Bolly di hornasso - dry and sweet bread made from flour, sugar, eggs, butter or margarine and anise seeds. Just like in Spain, this bread is eaten at Easter, but in Gibraltar it is also popular at Christmas. The Gibraltar Hornasso differs from the Spanish version by the lack of decorations from hard-boiled eggs. Usually the bread is covered with egg glaze.
Pan Dulce Is a sweet bread with fruits and nuts eaten at Christmas. Similar to Easter cake. The very name Pan dulce is translated from Spanish as “sweet bread”, but the dish itself came from Italy, where it is called “panettone”.
Meat dishes:
Rolitos - thin pieces of meat are wrapped around croutons mixed with bacon, eggs, olives, vegetables and spices. Then the resulting rolls can be baked, fried in oil or boiled in wine. Rolithos has Maltese roots. In England, this product is known as "beef olives", although many families prepare it with pork or chicken. The word "rolito" itself comes from the Spanish "rollo", which means roll, as the meat is rolled into a tube around other ingredients.
After lunch we just wanted to wander around the city. Initially, we had a plan in our hands, which is published on the Gibraltar tourism website as VIP - walking tour (2-3 hours, Russian guide, from 100 euros per tourist), I decided to post it, suddenly someone "in the right way" wants to be like:
- Casemate area. The main square of Gibraltar, which has hosted parades and public executions in the past. Now it is one of the central places of the cultural and business life of the city (we drank English tea there for 2 pounds)
- The main street is Main Street. Pedestrianized street with many shops, bars and restaurants.
- Hindu temple. The only temple of the local Hindu community in Gibraltar and on the entire coast to Malaga.
- Parliament and municipality (no entry). Major government buildings located in the city center.
- Cathedral of Mary Crowned. The main Catholic church in Gibraltar, where a mosque once stood.
- Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity.
- Gibraltar Museum. Tells about life on the Rock from the time of primitive man; here you can also see the well-preserved Moorish baths.
- Gibraltar Court (no entry). Here in 1969 John Lennon and Yoko Ono married.
- Royal Chapel. Garrison Church, where the remains of the governors and famous English generals rest.
- Governor's residence (no entry). A former Franciscan monastery, now the official residence of the governor.
- Trafalgar Cemetery. Here are buried English soldiers who died of their wounds during the Battle of Trafalgar.
But by the evening we were so imbued with the atmosphere of Gibraltar that I wanted to read more about both history and personalities))) I still rummage on the Internet, looking for interesting facts, for example about Nelson: During the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Lord Nelson was mortally wounded. He was able to live to the end of the battle and be convinced of the victory of the English fleet. The body of the illustrious admiral was to be delivered to England for a solemn funeral. To preserve the body during the long sea voyage, it was placed in a barrel of rum. The sailors who learned about this secretly drank rum from the barrel at night, as they believed that together with Nelson's blood his courage and courage would pass to them. Now in Gibraltar you can buy Nelson's Blood rum.
I will not bore you with historical facts, there are a lot of them on the Internet, but I will finish the story with plans for the future. Gibraltar plans to expand. As much as the area of \u200b\u200bthe occupied city now. Geological studies are being carried out to suck sand from the seabed.
5 years ago Since Gibraltar is an island that is a kind of British colony, you can only get there by plane. You can take a ticket to the UK and fly from there for a couple of days to this small island. Summers are hot and dry there. The main attraction is a rock with many passages, caves decorated with ancient drawings. Basically, they go there to get acquainted with the unique flora and fauna. The most important animal and symbol in Gibraltar is the tailless macaque. They are cherished, protected. There are also other attractions there. For example, a Moorish castle, lighthouse, library and others. Here you can not only see the nature of the island, but also go sailing, of course diving. They say that the remains of ancient ships still lie there at the bottom. The most amazing fishing there. You can even catch a shark. There are very comfortable hotels on the island.
