St Michael’s Cave is thought to have attracted visitors since
Roman times although prehistoric Neolithic inhabitants are known to
have lived there much earlier. The Cathedral Cave was long believed
to be bottomless, probably giving birth to the story that Gibraltar
was linked to Africa by a subterranean passage over 15 miles (24 km)
long under the Strait of Gibraltar. The cave consists of an Upper Hall,
with five connecting passages and drops between 40 feet (12.2 m) and
150 feet (45.7 m) to a smaller hall. Beyond this, a series of narrow
holes leads to a further succession of chambers, reaching depths of
some 250 feet (62.5 m) below the entrance.
During World War II the cave was prepared
as an emergency hospital but it was never used. Whilst blasting an
alternative entrance to the cave a further series of deeply descending
chambers ending in a small lake were discovered and named Lower St
Michael’s Cave. The Cathedral Cave is open to visitors and is
a unique auditorium for concerts, ballet, drama and presentations.
The unique beauty of crystallised nature can be appreciated through
a centuries-old stalagmite that became too heavy and fell on its side
at the far end of the chamber.
Picnics, parties, concerts, marriages,
and even duels all took place here in the in the Victorian era. Before
electric lighting, the caves were illuminated for distinguished visitors
by soldiers who perched on stalagmites with torches. The first serious
archeological excavation of the cave was begun in 1867 by the governor
of the military prison, Captain Brome. Although he discovered many
fascinating objects such as stone axes and arrow heads, shell jewellery,
bone needles and large collection of pottery, his unauthorized use
of prisoners labour eventually cost him his job.
