)
From this spot one has uninterrupted views southwards across the Strait of Gibraltar to
Africa; westwards, of the City of Gibraltar and across the Bay to Algeciras; a birds eye
view of Gibraltar airport and Spain to the north; and the blue expanse of the
Mediterranean and the beaches and cities of the Costa del Sol to the east.
Every corner of the Rock oozes with history and it is worthwhile to take the time to
find out a little about what you are looking at by either listening to a commentary on
multilingual tapes available at the Top Station or by combining your trip on the Cable Car
with a tour of the Rock.
You might learn for example about the spot where Admiral Nelson's body was brought
ashore after his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, or of the many tunnels inside the
Rock from where General Eisenhower masterminded the invasion of North Africa in World War
II, or of the fact that parts of the first Cable Car to be built in Gibraltar can still be
seen (although it took the form of a basket into which a man or some ammunition might be
transported to the gun emplacements which used to be located close to the site of the
existing Top Station).
The present Cable Car was originally constructed in April 1966 by Von Roll of
Switzerland, and was extensively refurbished by the manufacturers in 1986.
Within the Top Station complex there is a self service restaurant, English pub and
souvenir shop where you can have a meal or a drink whilst enjoying the views on one of the
many panoramic terraces.
For the more technically minded, here are some technical data:
Click on image to
view the top of the Rock on QuickTime VR)
