Europa Point and Lighthouse by Gibraltar Rock Tours

Europa Point is Gibraltar´s spectacular southern tip, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and Europe and Africa face each other across the Straits. I think this maybe one of my favourite spots.

As you drive towards Europa point on your Gibraltar tour you will be surprised by a fine Mosque, built in 1997, it caters for the 2,000 plus Muslim population of Gibraltar, most of them originating from Morocco. The Mosque may be visited at certain times of the day. It was a gift  from King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and took two years – and around £5 million – to complete and also contains a school, library and lecture hall.

Europa Point also Houses the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, the shrine was originally a mosque and converted into a chapel by the Christians in 1462.There is a museum at the Shrine that depicts its long history.

Not many people know that at Europa Point there is a monument to a former Polish Prime Minister who lost his life in a plane crash on the Rock.

Wladyslaw Eugeniusz Sikorski lost his life in 1943, when his plane crashed into the sea just 16 seconds after taking off from Gibraltar Airport.At the time, it was said that the crash was due to cargo moving to the back of the plane during takeoff. But several conspiracy theories are still going round today. A deliberate crash-landing from the pilot (the only surviving passenger) is a popular one.

General Sikorski was very popular and is still much loved to this day. This stop is a must for our Polish visitors to the Rock. Gibraltar tours will take you there.

Standing proudly at the tip of Europa Point is the red and white Trinity lighthouse, guiding vessels through the busy Strait.

It was first lit in 1841 and is now entirely machine-operated. The Gibraltar Lighthouse is the only one outside the U.K. regulated by Trinity House. It stands 49 metres above sea level with a range of some 37 Kilometres.

I personally think it must be one of the most Photographed Lighthouses in the world!

This is a very popular photograph to share with your family and friends….. so remember to take a pic when you stop on your Gibraltar Tour. Better still get the Guide to take a family shot of all of you together with the lighthouse behind or the Mosque and the Rock ….. or both!

For Locals this is a pretty important area, it has a Park, a cafeteria and even the Ice cream van comes by so you can enjoy a 99.

Almost throughout the year this is a popular venue to spend Sunday afternoon with the Kids. Except in the Summer when everyone is at the beach…..

At the moment there is a cricket pitch where the seagulls love to hang out when its not being used for a cricket match that is. Actually it´sIt pretty amazing to see them sunbathing on the pitch but the Future of this beautiful space, this open, airy and most beautifulplace maybe in Danger.

It has been earmarked for two projects although the bigger one is not confirmed yet.The University I mentioned in my last blog is one of the projects and is due to start soon but the larger project which I would say is causing a bit of an uproar isaSTADIUM, they want to build a home ground for Team 54, The Gibraltar National Football Team, It would be part of a complex which can be used for other sports and events.Currently the squad has been playing its European qualifiers in Portugal.

The Government says “The Europa Point Stadium presents the perfect opportunity to create a magnificent, beautifully designed public space for everyone to enjoy – together with the chance to create a globally recognised symbol for Gibraltar,”

However, many Gibraltarians have objected on environmental grounds to the loss of their last remaining open space. More than 1,500 people signed a petition calling on the government to reconsider the chosen site, fearing that a natural beauty spot will be lost forever. There’s also concern over match-days the logistics to move thousands of fans. They have to come through the frontier and travel to the other end of Gibraltar.

So we will have to watch this space to finally see if this landmark will change in the coming years… for now I hope as many Gibraltarians and visitors alike come and enjoy Europa Point….…You will not be disappointed come and Gibraltar´s most southern point.

I really hope this blog has been useful….look forward to seeing many of you when you Book your tour with Gibraltar Rock tours….. oh and thanks for reading J