Europa Point Lighthouse to open to the public later this year

The Europa Point lighthouse is set to open to the public later this year for the first time in decades under a new charitable partnership, led by the Gibraltar Heritage Trust and Trinity House with support from Wright Tech Media Ltd.

But first, the Interpretation Centre at Europa Point will open marking the first stage in the new visitor experience.

The Centre will initially be open Monday to Wednesday from 9.00am to 1.00pm.

Opening hours will be extended as the full lighthouse tour programme is introduced over the summer.

The lighthouse has been closed to casual visitors since the late 1980s and, historically only accessible by special arrangement, the working lighthouse has undergone internal works to make it suitable for guided tours while preserving its fabric and operational role.

Structural works carried out by Trinity House have focused on safety, presentation and some accessibility improvements inside the tower. Visitors on guided tours will be able to climb all the way up to the lantern room at the top, stopping at key levels, including the battery room.

“The people that are carrying out the works are Trinity House because it still belongs to them,” said Christian Wright from Wright Tech Media Ltd, who are also behind the WWII Tunnels project known for its hanging Spitfire.

“So, they're the ones that have been undertaking all the structural work inside, it's about making it as accessible as possible, and again making it presentable to the public.”

“It was always well kept because it's a working lighthouse, but I think now the ethos is not just keeping it functional but keeping it beautiful as well.”

Visitors will be able to go to the very top of the lighthouse.

“The views are stunning, as you would expect. But I think the views, coupled with the history and the general heritage that you feel as you enter the space, it's going to make for a real magical experience,” Mr Wright added.

As a fully operational aid to navigation, the lighthouse continues to be monitored remotely from Trinity House headquarters in Harwich but also has a lighthouse keeper living adjacent to the property.

Backup generators and multiple layers of redundancy remain in place, said Claire Montado, CEO of the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

A stone staircase goes up to the first level where there is the sector room, which isn't accessible to the public. It is here that information about dangerous rocks in the area is transmitted via the use of red lights to alert mariners as to where they can or cannot go.

Next is the battery room which houses all the batteries that run all the systems and the backup batteries as well.

“That's the big first stop,” said Ms Montado.

“Then there's a more metal-style ladder that takes you up into what was the mercury area for the actual light at the top. So, there's several stops along the way, and then the final set of ladders takes you up into the actual lamp itself in the lantern room.”

“Up there, people be able to stop for ten minutes or so, have a look around, and back down again.”

Visitors will ascend via stone staircases and metal ladders.

Access will be strictly managed, both for safety and comfort and, as a result, numbers inside the lighthouse at any one time will be controlled.

The attraction is not suitable for everyone, such as people with mobility issues, children under seven, pregnant women or those carrying children will not be allowed to climb.

Closed-toe footwear will be mandatory and open-toe shoes or flip-flops will be prohibited.

An official opening is targeted for the end of September, with a soft-launch beforehand where a limited number of test tours will be released to trial systems, train guides and gather feedback.

Initially, tours will operate on selected days and by advance booking only via a dedicated website with capacity scaled up as the team gains experience.

All visits will begin at a new interpretive centre near the lighthouse, adjacent to the Europa Point cafe. This will serve as the starting point for tours and will house visitor information and ticketing. In addition, there will be screens that show video “flythroughs” of the lighthouse interior, making it a viewing option for those unable or unwilling to climb.

The aim is to ensure that accompanying family members, such as older relatives or young children, can still share in the experience from the ground.

The project is being run as a charitable partnership between Trinity House and the Gibraltar Heritage Trust. Income generated from tours will be reinvested into heritage conservation in Gibraltar and into the upkeep of the lighthouse itself.

“What we've done is, we've done a charitable partnership. So, we're supporting with our experience managing tourism sites and how we can build on visitor experience and narrative and all that kind of stuff,” said Mr Wright.

“But, in my humble opinion, I think that this is the kind of project that needs to be led by someone of the calibre of the Heritage Trust.”

“It means that the money raised here goes back into heritage conservation, propagation, and to Trinity House as well.”

“This is a charitable venture, and I think that when you get a monument like the Gibraltar Lighthouse, it's almost like an idol standing there looking out over the Strait, as well as over Gibraltar. So, it needs to be, guarded by the guardians of heritage, which is Gibraltar Heritage Trust.”

The Heritage Trust see this as a significant step in developing a not-for-profit model for running heritage sites locally, with funds recycled directly into the protection and management of Gibraltar’s historic assets.

“It's really important that that model is something that we see in other parts of the world, and for the trust, a big step forward for us,” said Mrs Montado.

“Operating sites on a not-for-profit basis and using that to go back into heritage management is really important we think for the management of Gibraltar's heritage.”

Minister for Heritage and Environment, Dr John Cortes, added: "One of the key commitments in Gibraltar's Heritage Vision is to make our heritage more accessible, engaging and relevant. The opening of this Interpretation Centre is an excellent example of that ambition becoming a reality.”

“I congratulate the Gibraltar Heritage Trust and its partners for delivering this first phase of what will become an important new heritage attraction at Europa Point, and I look forward to welcoming visitors as the project continues to grow."