The Seige Tunnels in the Rock

The Rock of Gibraltar was named after the sultan Jabalpur Tarig in 1398. Britain took over the Rock from Spain at the Treaty of Utrecht after the War of Spanish Succession. The top of the Rock is a preserve and the home of the
Barbary Macaques, the apes that were
thought to come from Africa having been brought by the Arabs or maybe came when the continents were together... No one really knows.
The Phoenesians found another Rock on the African coast. So they called both, the Pillars of Hercules. Since Gibralter is at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, it is a very strategic point. It is no wonder that since Britain ruled the seas, it would want to have command of the Rock.
Once they had taken the Rock, they had to defend it and for this reason we wanted to see the Siege Tunnels.
Our driver did not remember that we wanted to see the tunnels, so he happily sped down the hill. When he heard us yelling Siege Tunnels!!!! He slammed on his breaks...screech!
Ed insisted that that was part of the tour. (We are really getting to like Ed for this!) So after much grumbling, the driver started to back up...up the hill.
Horns started blaring from the cars behind us as they had to move out of the way to let our huge bus back up. When finally we got to the level ground, we faced the hill that we had to climb to get to the tunnels. The driver sat back and motioned us to go.
The Rock is mainly limestone so the British carved the rock like a honey comb. As we entered, we saw a portrait of the hero of the siege. He looked like George Washington, big nose and everything! The siege lasted three years as they held off the the advancing Spanish army. The fighting was so spectacular that grandstands were set up so the local people could come and watch.The British outlasted the Spanish because they made the Rock into a living fortress for the troupes, with tunnels going to dormitories and a galley. When the Germans were invading in World War II, the British were again able to defend the Rock.
As we walked in, we saw several alcoves with cannons facing out of the "windows" which were holes in the rock. To camouflage the holes from the outside, they constructed curtain rods from which they hung ropes the same color of the limestone. Also they constructed a wooden crate to hold the canon that raised the backend up
so that when the canon would fire the opposite reaction would send the back end of the canon up the ramp and not into a wall which would cause a cave-in. Very clever indeed.
We left the tunnel singing Old Britannia
Happy to have had the chance to experience the tunnels and knowing the meaning: The Strength of Gibraltar.