World War II Tunnels

In 1940, Britain was at war with Germany and Italy and the future looked bleak for Gibraltar as the enemy surrounded it. Winston Churchill and the British military leaders believed that an attack on Gibraltar was imminent. The answer was to construct a massive network of tunnels, to build a fortress inside a fortress, a city within a city. In May 2005 the World War II Tunnels were opened to the general public and now you too can follow in the footsteps of Churchill, Sikorski and De Gaulle and walk through this amazing testament to the soldiers and civilians who toiled in the very bowels of the Rock during the darkest days of the War.

These tunnels were excavated during 1939-1944 by the Royal Engineers and a contingent of Canadian Engineers, and are an extension to The Great Siege Tunnels excavated during The Great Siege of 1779-83. The Rock is in fact honeycombed with a 32 mile-long network of tunnels. There are fascinating tours of these tunnels.

Find out about the World War II Tunnels Tour