Streets in theBritish Overseas Territory ofGibraltar are represented by road signs as in the United Kingdom. As of 2007, Gibraltar has a network of 29 kilometres (18 mi) of roads.[1][2]
Most of the traditional Spanish names for the streets in Gibraltar were established before 1870 when the local police added signs. The new signs did not refer to the older names and this has led to a long running confusion. The deputy librarian of theGarrison Library issued a list of the streets in English and Spanish in the Gibraltar Directory of 1890 to assist.[3]
Castle Street (Calle de la Cuesta or more popularlyCalle Comedia) runs to the east of the town, to the north ofFlat Bastion Road. It is divided into several parts which are named Upper Castle and Lower Castle Road.[4]
The street is also known asCalle Comedia as in the nineteenth century the street had a theatre in what had been areal tennis court which was used for entertainment. This theatre was in use until theTheatre Royal was built in Governor's Parade.[5]
TheCathedral Square, asquare in the city centre[6] is the location of theChurch of EnglandCathedral of the Holy Trinity which stands to the eastern end of the square. Other features at the square includeDuke of Kent House, which is home to theGibraltar Tourist Board,[7] theBristol Hotel[8] a children's play park and a boulevard lined with ninecannon overlooking theharbour.[9] Fortress House is also located at 9 Cathedral Square one of the oldest and largest colonial houses on the Rock.
TheDevils Gap Road (Escalera de Monte inSpanish) lies between its junction withFlat Bastion in the northern direction and theUpper Kiln Road in the southern direction.[10] Also known as the Union Jack Steps and Referendum Steps, the road was originally painted in 1967 to celebrate theGibraltar sovereignty referendum of that year. In August 2011, the steps were repainted in red, white, and blue by volunteers intent on restoring theUnion Jack.[11][12]
Devil's Tower Road is a major road of northeastern Gibraltar. It runs south ofGibraltar International Airport, extending fromWinston Churchill Avenue east to Eastern Beach Road.[13][14] The road was named afterDevil's Tower, a 17th-centurywatchtower which formed part of the northern defences of Gibraltar as mentioned in theTreaty of Utrecht.[15][16] In 2007, theGovernment of Gibraltar announced plans for a newairport terminal and diversion of traffic along Devil's Tower Road, with a new access road that would link Devil's Tower Road and theGibraltar-Spain border. The new access road would pass through atunnel at the eastern end of therunway.[17] By 2011, Devil's Tower Road had been converted to adual carriageway, with elimination of on-street parking, and the government had announced a plan to rename the road as North Front Avenue. This decision was met with protests from the community.[16][18] In August of that year, the Government cancelled the contract with firmOHL for the tunnel and access road for "failure to comply with the terms of the contract." The project had been on hold since December 2010.[19][20] In 2012, OHL brought legal action against the Government.[21] In August of that year, thetender process for the tunnel and access road was started for the second time.[22] Devil's Tower Road is home toNorth Front Cemetery, theGibraltar Memorial, theGibraltar Cross of Sacrifice,St. Theresa's Church andDevil's Tower Camp with itsPrincess Royal Medical Centre.[15][23][24]
Dudley Ward Way is a 500-metre (1,600 ft) longroadtunnel through the south-eastern part of the Gibraltar. It is named afterSir Alfred Dudley Ward,Governor ofGibraltar from 8 June 1962 to 5 August 1965. The road running through the tunnel links the eastern side of The Rock (includingCatalan Bay andSandy Bay) viaSir Herbert Miles Road, withEuropa Point, at the southern tip of Gibraltar via Europa Advance Road. Dudley Ward Way was built during the 1956-1968 period by theBritish Army.[25] After the end of military tunnelling and the departure of theRoyal Engineer tunnellers the maintenance of the tunnel was transferred to the civilian authorities.
Europa Road is one of Gibraltar's major roads. With a length of 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) it begins nearTrafalgar Cemetery and Trafalgar Road and connects the city centre with the southern tip of the territory atEuropa Point. Along its way the road passesThe Rock Hotel,Gibraltar Botanic Gardens,Royal Naval Hospital and theIbrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque.[26]
Europort Avenue is built on reclaimed land and buildings includeMcDonald's fast food,Morrisons supermarket andSt Bernard's Hospital. At one end is a roundabout that features a sculpture byJill Cowie Sanders of a larger than lifesize family being reunited. It was unveiled in 2000 to commemorate the sacrifice made by the people of Gibraltar when they wereevacuated during the Second World War.[27]
The 400 metres (1,300 ft) longFlat Bastion Road runs north–south from Devil's Gap Road and becomes Gardiner's Road before entering Europa Road, to The Llanito name for the road isCuesta de Mr. Bourne, and used to be known in Spanish asSenda del moro (English:Path of the Moor). Located in a mainly wealthy residential area, the road contains some oldgovernment buildings.[28] Of note is theFlat Bastion Magazine—now ageological research facility and exhibition centre that forms part of the Flat Bastion.[29] TheGibraltar Public School opened on Flat Bastion Road in 1832 and served as a free institution for impoverished children of all denominations.[28] In 2009 a government initiative proposed putting an additional 104 public parking spots on the road.[30][31] In 2010 there was public criticism about the lack of parking on the road as the government had removed existing parking before constructing the new parking spaces.[32][33]
Glacis Road is a road in northern Gibraltar, the southwestern end of which is the junction with the Waterport Roundabout, where Waterport Road and Queensway Street also intersect. From the roundabout, Glacis Road extends to the northeast. At its mid portion, the road intersects with Bayside Road, at which point it changes course to a southeast direction. Its eastern end intersects with Winston Churchill Avenue.[34][35] The North District office of theRoyal Gibraltar Post Office is on Glacis Road.[36]
Grand Casemates Square (also known colloquially asCasemates Square orCasemates) is the largest of the two mainsquares within the city centre (the other beingJohn Mackintosh Square). The square takes its name from the British-builtGrand Casemates, acasemate and bombproofbarracks at the northern end of the square completed in 1817.[37][38] The square is lined with numerouspubs,bars and restaurants.[38] and acts as the gateway into Gibraltar's city centre for most tourists. In the past, public executions used to be done atCasemates Square of this street.[39] Main Street extends southward from the square. The area at one time constituted part of the Spanish town Villa Vieja. It was later referred to as Casemates, a term which refers to an arched chamber in afortification. The damage to this area during theSiege of Gibraltar (1727) was sufficiently severe that the British opted to demolish the buildings and make anesplanade.[12]
Irish Town is one of Main Street's sub-districts running parallel to it, from Cooperage Lane in the north to John Mackintosh Square in the south. It was named in the early 19th century when Gibraltar was split into differing quarters[40] although its original name wasCalle de Santa Ana after a hermitage on the street. The nameirish Town had been attributed to the merchants who lived there but research shows this to be untrue. A credible reason was that an Irish regiment was barracked here. A more colourful explanation is that it named after the ladies who supported that regiment as the street hada reputation in the 18th century.[5]
John Mackintosh Square is referred to colloquially asThe Piazza. While it has had a variety of names over the centuries, during the 19th century, it was known asCommercial Square. Its name was changed to honour the philanthropistJohn Mackintosh when he died in 1940.[12] The square is the home to theGibraltar Parliament,Gibraltar City Hall,Gibtelecom and theGibraltar Heritage Trust.
Keightley Way is a southwestern road and tunnel in Gibraltar. It connects Rosia Road atRosia Bay to theIbrahim-al-Ibrahim Mosque andNun's Well atEuropa Point.[41][42]
Line Wall Road is one of the main roads leading into the town centre. It runs immediately east of theLine Wall Curtain in a north–south direction, connecting Smith Dorrien Avenue nearGrand Casemates Square with the southern end of Main Street atSouthport Gates. It runs parallel with Queensway through much of its length at an elevated level.[4]
Main Street (Spanish:Calle Real) is the main arterial street in Gibraltar and its main commercial andshopping district.[40] The street runs north–south through the old town which ispedestrianised and lined with buildings displaying a blend ofGenoese,Portuguese,Andalusian,Moorish andBritishRegency styles,[40] most of which have shops on the ground floor. Upper floors provide residential accommodation or offices. It contains wide variety of shops, many of which are familiar from British high streets such as a branch ofMarks & Spencer. Gibraltar's town centre is largely protected by theGibraltar Heritage Trust and is part of a continualrestoration programme.[40]
Queen's Road is the longest road in Gibraltar. It runs north–south through theUpper Rock Nature Reserve. It forks into Old Queen's Road which runs almost parallel with it for some part.[4]
Queensway is the most important coastal road in Gibraltar. In connects the marina with the industrial park in the south and passes all of the harbours and ports on the west coast.[4]
Rosia Road connects with Main Street and flows in a north–south direction, running parallel with Queensway for more of its length but ends further south atRosia Bay where it joins Keightley Way.[4] Rosia Road is the site of the Naval dockyard, theshipyardGibdock, the headquarters of theRoyal Gibraltar Police, theNapier of Magdala Battery, theParson's Lodge Battery, theVictualling Yard, and the demolishedRosia Water Tanks.
Sir Herbert Miles Road is an eastern coastal road of Gibraltar.[4] It was a new road in 1917 replacing a track that had been the access toCatalan Bay.[5] It was named for SirHerbert Miles who was a Governor of Gibraltar.Sir Herbert Miles Promenade, a former battery, is also named after him.
Town Range is also known in Spanish asCalla Cuarteles as this reflects the older name ofNew Barracks Street. It is noted for two large sets of barracks which have been said to be the "most magnificent" British buildings in Gibraltar. The buildings have been reused with one being used for St Mary's School.[5]
Turnbull's Lane is known asdetras de los cuartos in Spanish. Its English name is taken from a once local merchant and his son who were both named John Turnbull. The younger John Turnbull left the rock during theGreat Siege of Gibraltar but he kept links for fifty years. He had met CaptainFrancisco de Miranda in 1774 in Gibraltar. Miranda who was visiting from Spain returned to fight in theAmerican Revolutionary War become a French general and a Venezuelan revolutionary. Turnbull remained Miranda's banker and agent even when their respective countries were at war.[5]
This is the main road of northeastern Gibraltar. It leads from the northeast coast to Castle Road.[4] The road is named after a Marine Lieutenant Thomas Willis who in 1704 installed the first guns inPrincess Charlotte's Battery. This battery was initially named Willis' Battery.[5]
Winston Churchill Avenue is a northern 1.5 kmarterial road which is the only road in and out of the territory, connecting it withSpain. Once the customs are crossed, the avenue becomes thedual carriageway (Spanish:Autovía)CA-34 (formernational roadN-351). The road intersects therunway of theGibraltar Airport; movable barricades close whenaircraft land or take off. In 2009, theGovernment of Gibraltar announced that a new highway will be built in order to avoid the crossing of the airport runway. The new road, a dual carriageway, will link the customs checkpoint withDevil's Tower Road, crossing the airport runway underground, through a 350-metre tunnel.[43]
King Street, Market Lane and Tuckey's Lane and short lanes running between Main Street and Line Wall Road.[4] Library Street runs between Main Street and Town Range, leading to theGarrison Library.[4] Bell Lane runs between Main Street and Engineer Lane.[4] Other streets include George's Lane, Prince Edward's Road, Lime Kiln Road and Governor's Street.
A new 1.24-kilometre (0.77 mi) road connecting Gibraltar to Spain with access to the airport was proposed and the contract was awarded in 2009 toOBL at a cost of €35.78 million. This road would bypass the current road which crosses the runway of the airport. The planning and design of the road included two lanes in each direction, linking the border with Spain to the Devil's Tower Road. It would also provide links to the Eastern Beach Road and Road Catalan; two bridges for cyclists and pedestrians a were also proposed parallel to the highway.[44]
The town of Gibraltar is centered around pretty Cathedral Square and its Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
Tourist department Gibraltar Tourist Board, Duke of Kent House, Cathedral Square, Gibraltar
Here, in Cathedral Square, the most impressive of Gibraltar's cannon, a row of nine, faces out into the bay.
