Moorish Castle

The Moorish Castle
Part of Fortifications of Gibraltar
Extends from the Gibraltar Nature Reserve to Grand Casemates Square in Gibraltar
The Moorish Castle's Tower of Homage in Gibraltar flying the Union flag.
A. Inner and outer keep B. Qasbah C. Villa Vieja D. Port (Barcina) 1. Tower of Homage 2. Flanking Wall 3. Gate of Granada 4. Gatehouse 5. Tower 6. Giralda Tower (North Bastion) 7. Landport 8. Sea Gate (Grand Casemates Gates) 9. Barcina Gate 10. Galley House
The Moorish Castle
Coordinates	36°08′38″N 5°20′59″W / 36.143882°N 5.349857°W / 36.143882; -5.349857
Type	Castle
Height	Approx. 100 metres (330 ft)
Site information
Owner	Government of Gibraltar
Controlled by	Moors: 711-1309 Castilians: 1309-1333 Moors: 1333-1462 Castilians: 1462-1704 Habsburgs: 1704-1713 British: 1713-present
Open to the public	Yes
Condition	Partially ruined
Site history
Built	c. 711
In use	c.711-1945

The Moorish Castle is the name given to a medieval fortification in Gibraltar comprising various buildings, gates, and fortified walls, with the dominant features being the Tower of Homage and the Gate House. Part of the castle itself also housed the prison of Gibraltar until it was relocated in 2010. The Tower of Homage is clearly visible to all visitors to Gibraltar; not only because of its striking construction, but also because of its dominant and strategic position. Although sometimes compared to the nearby alcazars in Spain, the Moorish Castle in Gibraltar was constructed by the Marinid dynasty, making it unique in the Iberian Peninsula.

Gibraltar has always been of special significance to the numerous peoples and civilizations that have visited or occupied it over the ages, from the Neanderthal period, through the Classical and on to Moorish, Spanish, and the current British rule.

The Moorish occupation is by far the longest in Gibraltar's recorded history, having lasted from 711 to 1309 and then again from 1350 to 1462, a total of 710 years.

Historical importance of Gibraltar to both Muslims and Christians lies in the fact that the Moorish invasion and occupation of parts of western Europe started from Gibraltar in 711 and, through to its final recapture by Spaniards in 1462, Moorish rule was gradually undermined until, with the fall of Granada in 1492, Moorish occupation of parts of western Europe came to an end after 781 years.

The Moorish conquest of Spain was led by Tarik ibn Ziyad and Musa ibn Nusayr, who may have landed in Europe at or near Gibraltar. Gibraltar thus became the stepping-stone to the Moorish conquests of most of Spain and part of France. This spectacular feat of arms took a mere twenty-one years, no mean task considering the distances and terrain involved, and the fact that mechanical transport on land was not then in use. The strategic importance of Gibraltar rose in the last years of the Moorish rule, when, after the successful Spanish reconquest of the entire Guadalquivir valley, Gibraltar became one of the key elements in communication between the Kingdom of Granada and Moorish domains in northwestern Africa.