Northern Defences

The second phase of the Northern Defences restoration initiative, an area popularly known as ‘The Jungle’, has now been completed. This is an important project which reinstates a valuable part of the Rock’s history and military heritage in an area which had fallen into neglect for decades. Toward the end of 2015, a massive clean-up operation was carried out for the removal of debris and vegetation from derelict sections of tunnels, steps, barracks, magazines and galleries.

The end result has been the restoration of a formidable section of 18th century military defences, medieval fortifications and WWII installations. A thousand years of military history can now be explored. These works have exposed the skills of the Royal Artificer Corps who carved into the northern face of the rock a formidable network of military defences in the late 18th century.

The colossal clean-up operation has been complemented with a comprehensive refurbishment of the entire area and renovation of dilapidated heritage and historical sites, such as Genoese Battery which had fallen into disuse. Governor’s Lookout, O’Hara’s Battery and Jew’s Gate have all benefitted from the makeover.