The Ministry for Heritage has recently undertaken a programme of works to repaint the fortification names of many of the City walls, bastions and batteries in Gibraltar.

As the signs are normally in prominent positions, they suffer from weather damage but as they tend to be quite high up on the walls, it requires extra logistics with scaffolding or the use of cherry pickers, so it is not an easy task.

The works will continue as a rolling programme to ensure that these important heritage assets are kept in the best possible state. Priority has been given to some of the worst affected and the before and after photographs of the signs speak for themselves. Amongst them are Couvreport Battery, Prince Albert’s Front, Wellington Front Right Bastion and Raglan’s Battery, where the latter had never been painted previously.

The Minister for Heritage, Prof. John Cortes commented that:

“As part of the 2018 Heritage and Antiquities Act, there are over 120 fortifications that have been afforded protection in law and this is a further example of the importance that Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar places on our heritage. My Ministry is constantly engaged in ensuring that our prized City walls and fortifications are looked after, for they are intertwined with our social fabric and remind us of our many struggles in the past. They also act as a window to the world that our many visitors to Gibraltar can enjoy.”