Group of cliff-top artillery batteries at Europa Point, Gibraltar.
Europa Batteries are a group of artillery batteries in Gibraltar, part of the Fortifications of Gibraltar. Positioned along the fortified clifftops of Europa Point, they face the North African coast and cover ships approaching from the Mediterranean Sea, stretching from Camp Bay to the Europa Advance Batteries.
Europa Batteries are a group of artillery batteries in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar and form part of the Fortifications of Gibraltar. They occupy fortified clifftops at Europa Point, facing the North African coast, and were built to cover ships approaching from the Mediterranean Sea. The line of batteries runs from Camp Bay on the west side of the Rock of Gibraltar to the Europa Advance Batteries on the east side. The batteries were constructed in the 18th century on top of an old coastal wall built by King Charles V of Spain. Initially, in 1762, there were two main positions: the Five Gun Battery, mounting five 18‑pounder guns, and Europa Point Battery, with a single 18‑pounder. A third position, Deadman’s Hole Battery, was later added, and by 1859 the three batteries mounted a total of 25 guns. They were subsequently reorganised into seven batteries. 1st Europa Battery was a three‑gun battery on the coastal defence wall south of Woodford’s Battery. 2nd Europa, also known as Point or Deadman’s Hole Battery, lay just to the east behind a demi‑bastion. 3rd Europa, or Lighthouse Battery, stood next to Europa Point Lighthouse and mounted three guns. Harding’s Battery was later built over what had been the 7th Europa Battery.
