St Michael's Cave

From GibMap

St. Michael's Cave has interested visitors to Gibraltar since the days of the Romans. The Cathedral Cave was long believed to be bottomless, giving birth to the story that Gibraltar was linked to the continent of Africa by a subterranean passage 15 miles (24 kilometres) long.

The cave consists of an Upper Hall with five connecting passages to a smaller hall. Beyond this, a series of narrow holes leads to a further succession of chambers reaching a depth of 250 feet (45.7m) below the entrance. During the Second World War, this cave was prepared as an emergency hospital, but was never used. It is now open to visitors and used as an auditorium.

While blasting an alternative entrance, a further series of chambers ending in a mini lake were discovered and given the name of Lower St. Michael's Cave. This cave can only be visited with qualified guides in groups of 5-8 people.