WW2 Tunnels
Upper rock nature reserve
20 min
During World War II, Gibraltar became a crucial stronghold once again. An extensive network of tunnels was carved into the limestone, storing essential resources, maintaining military equipment, and housing a garrison of soldiers prepared for a prolonged siege.
The WW2 tunnels were dug by both the Royal Engineers and the Canadian Royal Engineers, expanding on the existing tunnelled infrastructure (such as the Great Siege Tunnels), and remain a feat of engineering to this day.
The tunnels were vital in ensuring a continued control of Gibraltar, and consequently the Mediterranean Sea. There are many standout rooms within the tunnels, but the most notable is the Operation Torch Headquarters, where Allied forces planned their invasion of North Africa.
Today, the WW2 tunnels house exhibitions to Gibraltar's wartime story, not just for its civilians but also for the soldiers, sailors and pilots who used it as their base. The most notable of these is the Spitfire Hall and home to a Spitfire, now named "Gibraltar".
