Lighting illuminates Moorish Castle walls as Northern Defences works progress

Architectural lighting has been installed along the Moorish Castle walls as part of ongoing works to Gibraltar’s northern fortifications.

The lighting forms part of a wider programme centred on the Moorish Castle and Northern Defences such as the recent inauguration of the restored Tower of Homage and the ‘Dungeon Experience’.

The Tower opened to the public on September 14 as the first attraction delivered under the Gibraltar Government’s wider history vision, which aims to bring together Gibraltar’s Moorish, Spanish and British history through key heritage sites.

The new lighting has been designed to highlight the form, texture and scale of the castle walls after dark without the need for intrusive additions to the historic fabric.

It can also be adapted for commemorative and community occasions.

During the National Day Celebrations period, the Castle was illuminated in Gibraltar’s red and white and has since been lit in different colours in support of other events and charities.

The Ministry for Heritage said the lighting was also intended to strengthen the visual connection between the Moorish Castle, the Northern Defences and Landport.

The Minister for Heritage, Dr John Cortes, said: “The Moorish Castle and Northern Defences are among Gibraltar’s most important heritage assets, and it is tremendously exciting to see this historic landscape progressively being revealed and given new life.”

“The illumination of the Castle walls allows one of our most recognisable monuments to take its rightful place in Gibraltar’s skyline after dark, while the work taking place beyond it in the Northern Defences is opening up an extraordinary part of our history.”

“This is about conservation, but it is equally about education, research, accessibility and enjoyment. By bringing these sites together, we are creating something of which residents can be proud and which will offer visitors a much deeper understanding of Gibraltar and the many centuries of history contained within our fortifications.”