Exploring Gibraltar’s Northern Defences: schools step into history

Pupils from Bishop Fitzgerald and Sacred Heart Middle Schools have taken part in educational visits to Gibraltar’s Northern Defences, joining guided sessions led by the site’s project manager, Carl Viagas, and Ministry for Heritage representative, Keith Sheriff.

The visits form part of an expanding outreach programme designed to connect local schools with Gibraltar’s evolving heritage landscape. Organisers say few places better demonstrate the layers of history beneath the Rock than the Northern Defences.

As students gathered beneath the walls of the Castle of Moorish origin, Mr Sheriff explained how the various lines of fortification were designed to defend Gibraltar across the centuries, from the Spanish bastions of the sixteenth century to the British bombproof galleries of the Great Siege.

“Every wall tells a story,” Mr Sheriff noted, pointing to the exposed masonry. “What you see here is not just stone it’s evidence of centuries of adaptation, conflict and survival.”

Recent works to clear vegetation have unveiled long-hidden elements of the fortifications, including the lower sections of the Muro de San Joseph, or Hanover Line, an eighteenth-century defensive wall connecting the Castle’s lower approaches. The project has improved accessibility and revealed the complex layering of walls and defensive positions, offering new insights into how the site evolved through successive military periods.

The visits have now become an integral part of Gibraltar’s Key Stage local history curriculum, encouraging students to explore their heritage first-hand. Teachers from both schools described the experience as a rare opportunity for pupils to combine classroom lessons with a real-world understanding of the Rock’s strategic geography.

At the King’s Gallery and Star Chamber, children were able to see the engineering that shaped Gibraltar’s defences, while outdoor areas provided space for group discussions overlooking the bay and the approaches to Landport Gate.

The Northern Defences project continues to reveal new aspects of Gibraltar’s built heritage, reinforcing its value as both a tourism site and an educational resource.

The Minister for Education, Dr John Cortes, said: “Engaging our students with Gibraltar’s history in such a direct and meaningful way is invaluable. The Northern Defences offer a unique outdoor classroom where young people can see, touch and explore the layers of our past. I am delighted that our schools are taking full advantage of this heritage resource, and I want to thank the project team and the Ministry for Heritage for making these experiences possible for our children.”