St. Michael's Cave, Gibraltar (must see)
Rainwater, slowly seeping through limestone, will change into a weak solution of carbolic acid. The acid solution gradually erodes the limestone. It creates tunnels and caverns from cracks. This simple process has been carving away at the Rock of Gibraltar for thousands and thousands of years. The result is St. Michael's Cave.
St. Michael's Cave is really a vast network of tunnels and caves in the Upper Rock Nature Preserve of Gibraltar. Alonso Hernandez del Portillo, the leading historian of Gibraltar in the 17th century, held that the cave is named for the Grotto of Monte Gargano in Apulia, Italy, where archangel St. Michael is said to have appeared.
St. Michael would have felt at home. Humans certainly have, since Neolithic times. Pottery, utensils, weapons, and artwork of the Rock's prehistoric tenants have been found. A charcoal drawing of an Ibex is on a wall. The drawing is about 20,000 years old. There were two Neanderthal skulls found, dating from 40,000 years ago.
In 45 AD, geographer Pomponius Mela described Gibraltar as "A mountain with wonderful concavities." The caves were well-known to the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians. In the Victorian era, the caves were used for picnics, concerts, marriages, and duels. In 1840 Colonel Mitchell and a friend went in and were never seen again.
In 1942, while blasting rocks in the cave to improve ventilation, a deeper system of caves and underground lakes was discovered. It was called New St. Michael's Cave. The largest room is called the Auditorium. It is used for a theatre space showing sound and light shows, beauty pageants, operas, and concerts.
St. Michael's Cave attracts over 1,000,000 visitors a year. The cave can be reached by car, by foot, or by cable car. Tickets include visits to the Moorish Castle and the Great Siege Tunnels of the Rock. Safety helmets are available. Non-skid shoes are recommended.
St. Michael's Cave is really a vast network of tunnels and caves in the Upper Rock Nature Preserve of Gibraltar. Alonso Hernandez del Portillo, the leading historian of Gibraltar in the 17th century, held that the cave is named for the Grotto of Monte Gargano in Apulia, Italy, where archangel St. Michael is said to have appeared.
St. Michael would have felt at home. Humans certainly have, since Neolithic times. Pottery, utensils, weapons, and artwork of the Rock's prehistoric tenants have been found. A charcoal drawing of an Ibex is on a wall. The drawing is about 20,000 years old. There were two Neanderthal skulls found, dating from 40,000 years ago.
In 45 AD, geographer Pomponius Mela described Gibraltar as "A mountain with wonderful concavities." The caves were well-known to the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians. In the Victorian era, the caves were used for picnics, concerts, marriages, and duels. In 1840 Colonel Mitchell and a friend went in and were never seen again.
In 1942, while blasting rocks in the cave to improve ventilation, a deeper system of caves and underground lakes was discovered. It was called New St. Michael's Cave. The largest room is called the Auditorium. It is used for a theatre space showing sound and light shows, beauty pageants, operas, and concerts.
St. Michael's Cave attracts over 1,000,000 visitors a year. The cave can be reached by car, by foot, or by cable car. Tickets include visits to the Moorish Castle and the Great Siege Tunnels of the Rock. Safety helmets are available. Non-skid shoes are recommended.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Gibraltar. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
St. Michael's Cave on Map
Sight Name: St. Michael's Cave
Sight Location: Gibraltar, Gibraltar (See walking tours in Gibraltar)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Gibraltar, Gibraltar (See walking tours in Gibraltar)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Gibraltar, Gibraltar
Create Your Own Walk in Gibraltar
Creating your own self-guided walk in Gibraltar is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Rock of Gibraltar Walking Tour
You really can’t avoid the Rock of Gibraltar when visiting the British Overseas Territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. Just like the streets lined with British-style red phone booths and historical buildings, this prominent limestone rock formation, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar from an elevation of 426 meters (1,398 feet) above sea level, creates a distinctive atmosphere... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.5 Km or 2.8 Miles
Gibraltar Introduction Walking Tour
"Burn your boats," said the Berber commander Tariq bin Ziyad, addressing his troops. The year was 711 AD. Tariq had landed in Gibraltar with his small force, invading the Kingdom of the Visigoths. The men were nervous. Their numbers were few compared to the enemy. After burning their only means of escape, they went on to conquer the Iberian Peninsula.
The Rock of Gibraltar was called... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
The Rock of Gibraltar was called... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles