Natural History & Heritage Park

Admission9.30amto7pmbytickets

(includes entrance to sites within the Park - St. Michael's Cave. Monkey's Den, Great Siege Tun nels. Military Heritage Centre,'A City Under Siege' Exhibition and Moorish Castle). (Facilities closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day.) Adults £7/Children 5-12 years: £4, Children age 4 and under free, vehicles £1.50. Private vehicles may be restricted at certain times and it's advisable to take a Rock Tour by taxi/mini bus.The Natural His tory & Heritage Park is also reached by cable car (leaves Grand Parade 9.30am-5.15pm Mon-Sun. Last cable down: 5.45pm).

ThefloraandfaunaontheUpperRock

are considered to be of great conservational value. It's a perfect place for birdwatchers, as migratory species use Gibraltar as the shortest crossing be tween Europe and Africa, but botanists will also be interested to see over 600 species of flowering plants,including some unique to Gibraltar. Watch out for colourful lizards, non-venemous Horseshoe Whipsnakes. butterflies and pipistrelle bats. Info on flora and fauna is found at the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society's information centre at Jews Gate, St. Michael's Cave: The cave comprises an upper hall with five connecting passages and drops of 40-150ft to a smaller hall.

A further succession of chambers, some at 250ft below the entrance, is reached through narrow holes. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is used as an audito rium for concerts and theatre. The cave was prepared as a hospital in WWII, but never used. A further series of chambers ending in a mini lake is called Lower St. Michael's Cave and can be visited with a guide.

The Monkeys' Den: There are around 160 monkeys in the Park and around 30 can be seen at the Monkey's Den. Often called apes, they are tail-less Barbary Macaques and Europe's only free living monkeys.£500 fine for feeding the monkeys - don't do iti

The Great Siege Tunnels: Tunnelling in the Rock began during the Great Siege (1779-1783) when France and Spain made an attempt to recapture the Rock while Britain was busy with the American War of Independence. Governor General Elliot offered a reward to any man who could tell him how to mount a gun on the north face of the Rock. It was a Sgt. Major ince who sug gested tunnelling and there are now over 30 miles of tunnels inside the Rock with various exhibitions inside the tunnels.

The Military Heritage Centre: Housed in one of the Rock's many historic batteries, the Military Heritage Centre displays infor mation on the development of Gibraltar's military defences through the ages.

A City Under Siege Exhibition: Exhibits depicting the lives of the civilian population during the many sieges, are housed in one of the earliest British building on the Rock. Original graffiti, drawn by duty soldiers to stop themselves failing asleep, is still vis ible. the earliest dating back to 1726.

The Moorish Castie: actually just part of a Moorish town and castle which was built up during the Moorish occupation of the Iberian Peninsula,spearheaded from Gibral tar in 711 AD by Tarik-ibn-Zeyad ("Gibraltar" is a corruption of the Arabic words 'Jebel Tarik" - Tarik's mountain). The part we see today. The Tower of Homage, dates back to 1333AD, when Abu'I Hassan recaptured the Rock from Spain.

Natural History 6 Heritage Park Walks: Med Steps is a stunning walk with the steep climb at the end rewarded with spectacular views of the Rock and Spain. Another recommended walk is St Michael's Cave through to Charles V Wall but walkers should be relatively fit for both. It is also pleasant walking along the upper rock roads. Brochures available free from all Tourist Board offices.

Botanical Gardens; Opened In 1816. the Alameda Botanical Gardens fell into dis repair but are currently being restored to their former glory. Visitors can enjoy a stroll beneath pines, dragon trees and palms,and see many of Gibraltar's native plants as well as exotic species. The shop sells environ mentally friendly gifts, plants and seeds. Tel: 200 72639/200 74022. Parking.

Nelson's Anchorage: Rosia Road 9.30am - 5.15pm Monday to Saturday (last entry at 5pm). Closed on Sunday. Admission: £1.00 (free of charge with Nature Reserve ticket. Tickets for the nature reserve can also be bought at this attraction).

Parson's Lodge: Rosia Road. A narrow limestone outcrop with a labyrinth of underground tunnels surmounted by an impressive battery, which has witnessed the development of coast artillery over 300 years. Once housed three 18 ton 10-inch rifled muzzle loaders positioned behind a unique sandwich of armour plate and teak, known as'Gibraltar Shields'. Open 10am to 6pm every day except Mondays. Adults £2/ Children & OAPs £1. Cafeteria on site.

Rat Bastion Magazine Fiat Bastion Road, Geological Research Station and Lithology of Gibraltar. To visit contact: F Gomez Tel. 200 44460, P HodkinsonTel. 200 43910.

Shrine of Our Lady of Europe (Museum within premises) Europa Road. 10am-7pm Monday to Friday. 11am-7pm Saturday, Sun day and Public Holidays. Closed 1 pm - 2pm.

Trafalgar Cemetery: Trafalgar Road, open 9am - 7pm daily (admission free).

Business information

Gibraltar Financial Services Commission Tel: 200 40283/4 website: www.fsc.gi

Chamber of Commerce Tel: 200 78376

Federation Small Business.Tel: 200 47722

Company Registry. Tel: 200 78193

Useful Numbers

Airport (general info.) Tel: 200 73026

Hospital, St Bernards Tel: 200 79700

Weather information

Tel: 5-3416

Frontier Queue Update Tel: 200 42777

General Information

Gibraltar Museum Tel: 200 74289

18/20 Bomb House Lane Open 10am -6pm (Sat. 10am • 2pm). Closed on Sunday. Ad mission: Adults £2/Children under 12years £1. Special exhibitions also held at museum premises in Casemates gallery.

Registry Office Tel: 200 72289

It is possible to get married on the Rock within 48 hours of arrival. A fact taken advantage of by stars such as Sean Connery and John Lennon.

Rock Tours by Taxi Tel: 200 70052

Hmergency Services'^

jmergency calls only:

Rre/Ambulance Tel: 190 Police .Tel: 199/112 toy Number 112^:

As well as offering normal fares, Gibraltar taxis provide Rock Tours taking in the Up per Rock, Europa Point and other sites of Interest. It is the best way to see the Rock's major features in a short time.

Tourist Board Tel: 200 74950 Gibraltar Tourist Board. Duke of Kent House, Cathedral Square. Gibraltar. UK Tel: 0207 836 0777 giblondon@aol.com

John Mackintosh Hall Tal: 200 75669 Centre of Gib's cultural life, includes a caf eteria,theatre, exhibition rooms and library. 308 Main Street 9.30am -11pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends.

Bicycle Racks

Bicycle parking is provided at the follow ing locations: Europort Road, Casemates Tunnel, Land Port Ditch, Fish Market Road, Commonwealth Car Park, Reclamation Road (by English Steps) -i- Line Wall Road.

Public Holidays 2008

New Year's Day 1 January

Commonwealth Day 10 March

Good Friday 21 March

Easter Monday 24 March

May Day 5 May

Spring Bank Holiday 26 May

Queen's Birthday 16 June

Late Summer Bank Holiday 25 August

Gibraltar National Day 10 September

Christmas Day 25 December

Boxing Day 26 December

Spain Fixed: New Year's Day 1 January, Epiphany 6 January, St Joseph's Day 19

March, Labour Day 1 May, St John 24 June, St James 25 July, Assumption Day 15 August, National Day 12 October, All

Saints 1 November, Immaculate Concep tion 8 December, Christmas 25 December

Moveable: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Corpus Christi

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