Moorish Castle

The Moorish Castle sits on the western slopes of the Rock, visible from most of Gibraltar town below, its Tower of Homage rising above the rooftops in a way that makes the strategic logic of this position immediately clear. The fortification dates to the 8th century when Moorish forces first captured Gibraltar, though most of what stands today is from a significant rebuilding in the 14th century under the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan. The Tower of Homage is the centrepiece and the part that has survived best. It stands around 20 metres tall, built from the distinctive red and grey limestone that characterises Moorish construction in this part of the world. The battlements are largely intact and the upper sections give a clear sense of how commanding the position was for anyone defending or attacking the Rock from the north. Gibraltar changed hands between Moorish and Christian rulers eight times between the 8th and 15th centuries, and each siege played out around this fortification and the terrain below it. The castle complex extends beyond the tower, though much of it is in various states of preservation. HM Prison Gibraltar occupies part of the old castle walls, which makes for a slightly odd visit given the combination of medieval fortification and functioning modern institution in close proximity. The prison is not open to visitors but the tower and surrounding grounds are included in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve combined ticket. Inside the tower, displays trace the history of the fortress and the various sieges of Gibraltar. The stonework up close is worth examining carefully. You can see where different phases of construction and repair meet, layers of history legible in the fabric of the walls. From a practical standpoint, the Tower of Homage also gives good views north over the border crossing and the Spanish town of La Linea de la Concepcion. If you have stood on the La Linea side looking up at the Rock, seeing the reverse from up here is genuinely interesting. Entry included in the Upper Rock combined ticket (£19).