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
History of the Genoese in Gibraltar 1970s. Today, the descendants of the Genoese community of Gibraltar consider themselves "Gibraltarians" and most of them promote the autonomy of Gibraltar. Their most renowned representatives are: Joe Bossano (chief minister of Gibraltar for eight years), Adolfo Canepa (chief minister in 1987) and Kaiane Aldorino (Miss World 2009). Historically, Catalan Bay (called originally "La Caleta") had been populated by Genoese fishermen who were part of a much larger settlement pattern along the eastern coast of The Rock during the 17th and 18th centuries. In the 18th century the Genoese dialect was so widely spoken in Gibraltar that Government notices were