Great Siege Tunnels

Useful Information

Location:	1b Leanse Place, Gibraltar GX11 1AA. (36.1451945, -5.3451451)
Open:	Upper Rock Nature Reserve: NOV to APR daily 9-18, last entry 17:45. MAY to OCT daily 9:30-19, last entry 6:45. Closed 25-DEC, 01-JAN. Cable Car: all year daily 9:30-17:15 (up), 9:30-17:45 (down). [2024]
Fee:	Upper Rock Nature Reserve including all attractions: Adults GBP 19, Children (5-11) GBP 13, Children (0-5) free. Cable Car: One Way: Adults GBP 35.50. Return: Adults GBP 38, Children (5-11) GBP 22. [2024]
Classification:	Casemate World War II Bunker
Light:	Incandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography:
Address:	Great Siege Tunnels, 1b Leanse Place, Gibraltar GX11 1AA, Tel: +350-200-71648. E-mail: E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

JUL-1779	begin of Great Siege.
25-MAY-1782	tunneling started by Ince started work under the direction of Lieutenant J. Eveliegh.
FEB-1783	end of Great Siege.

Description

The Great Siege Tunnels were built during the Great Siege (1779-1783). France and Spain made an all out attempt to recapture the Rock from the British in JUL-1779, but it was not successful. It resulted into a siege instead, the 14th and longest Siege in the entire history of the Rock and the 3rd whilst in British hands. To fortify the steep north face of the rock known as the "Notch", it ws necessary to bring guns to a ledge. But the problem was how to make it happen. The Governor, General Elliot, offered a reward to anyone who could tell him how to do it. Sergeant Major Ince, a member of the Company of Soldier Artificers, suggested that this could be done by tunnelling through the rock. Permission was granted, and Ince started work under the direction of Lieutenant J. Eveliegh, a Royal Engineer, Aide de Camp to the Governor. The tunneling started on 25-MAY-1782, and some say it actually ended the siege. The defeated Commander of the French and Spanish troops, the Duc de Crillon, was later shown the fortifications that had led to the defeat of his troops. His comment was, “These works are worthy of the Romans”.

Sometimes they are mixed up with the Rock Gun Battery. This is a fortification on the eastern edge of the "Notch", while the tunnels are entered on the western edge. However, the tunnels cross the whole mountains and of course there are openings towards the Rock Gun Battery. On the other hand, the fortification of the Rock Gun Battery was long used for communication by the British Army, and while the towers are now removed, the fort is still one of the last places on the rck which belongs to the army. It is not possible to visit this site at all, except for the glimpse you get from the tunnels.

The entrance tickets are day tickets valid for 17 sites on the Rock, one of them is the Siege Tunnels. The ticket is a paper arm band with a 2D barcode, there is a scanner at the door which opens the gate. However, while it is valid for the whole day, each site can be entered only once. We actually do not understand the logic of this rule, but that's obviously how bureaucrats think.