Rock of Gibraltar Rock of Gibraltar The Rock of Gibraltar, also known as The Rock, is a monolithic limestone promontory located in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, near the southwestern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It is high. Most of the Rock's upper area is covered by a nature reserve, which is home to around 300 Barbary macaques. These macaques, as well as a labyrinthine network of tunnels, attract a large number of tourists each year. The Rock of Gibraltar was one of the two Pillars of Hercules and was known to the Romans as "Mons Calpe", the other pillar
Footpaths of Gibraltar and across the Bay towards Algeciras. The area of the Rock through which the path passes is one of the richest in Gibraltar for flora and fauna. The start of the path is relatively sparsely vegetated and includes species such as White Asparagus, Common Asphodel, Germander and Esparto Grass. Its later sections proceed through dense vegetation that is typical of Mediterranean maquis shrubland – a widespread biome in southern Europe that consists of densely growing evergreen shrubs adapted to resist droughts. The trees along the path are predominantly olives. These have all grown since the Great Siege of Gibraltar (1779–83)