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Historic fortified gate and tunnel giving land access to Gibraltar.

Landport is a historic gate and tunnel into Gibraltar near Grand Casemates Square. Originally the territory’s only land entrance to its fortifications, it was heavily fortified. After Gibraltar was captured from Spain in 1704, the British defended Landport with twenty guns, a flooded “Inundation,” and other obstacles including the Landport Ditch.

Landport is a historic gate and associated tunnel giving access into the territory of Gibraltar, located by Grand Casemates Square and forming part of the Fortifications of Gibraltar. It was originally the only entrance to the fortification from the land, and for that reason it was heavily fortified and closely guarded. After Gibraltar was first captured from the Spanish in 1704, the British defended the Landport with twenty guns. The gate was subsequently protected by the Inundation, a flooded and fortified area of ground. This Inundation measured about 200 yards in length by about 60 yards in breadth and was described as being nearly man‑height in depth. Within this flooded area there were obstacles such as chevaux de frise and metal hoops. The northern approach was further covered by a moat known as the Landport Ditch. The defences of this ditch included a palisade and a gunpowder land mine that could be exploded beneath an assault. To cross these multiple layers of defences there was a drawbridge, which was pulled up at night. Tobacco smugglers would leave through the gate at that time and wait outside for a chance to cross the neutral ground into Spain under cover of darkness.