Great Siege Tunnel, Gibraltar

The Siege Tunnels were carved out by the Merchant Marine to defend Gibraltar from the mainland during the Great Siege of 1779 to 1783. The original goal of the tunnels was to get a cannon on the northern face of the rock known as the Notch. Originally the tunnel was only 82 feet in length, but by the end of World War II, the tunnels had reach a winding distance of over 30 miles.

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These tunnels seem to go on forever. Entering on one end of the rock, you almost literally go to the other side.

Holes for cannons are carved into the rock all along its mainland-facing side. As you cross into Gibraltar, look closely and you should be able to spot these holes in the rock face. (A wet cloth was hung from the rod above the cannon to prevent sparks flying back and igniting the powder.)

Some levels of the tunnels are only accessible to the extremely foolish.

For the full story on the Siege Tunnels go to the official Gibraltar Tourism page.

Here is a site with a virtual tour of the tunnels using Quicktime video. This niffty tour allows 360° viewing of an area as you move through the tunnel.