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Gibraltar's Changing Face - Casemates and Waterport Area

This photograph, which seems to have been taken around the mid 1960s, shows the western side of Casemates Square and the waterport area. In fact, this photograph was probably taken not long after the 1967 referendum, as on close-up, political graffiti can be seen written on some of the walls. In those days Casemates Square was still, basically, a large car park, and was occasionally cleared of cars, as a venue for holding the old military pageant, the Ceremony of the Keys, as it still is today. Until the relatively recent pedestranisation of the area, there was an access road connecting Line Wall Road with Waterport. In the western end of Casemates Square can be seen the old military building that stood on the site of where the Health Center was constructed in the 1970’s and which now houses, amongst others, the Gibraltar Chamber Of Commerce and the Gibraltar Chronicle, as well as catering establishments and an information office of the Gibraltar Government Tourist Office. Just in front of this building can be seen a hackney carriage stand, with several of the horse drawn carriages can be seen waiting for customers. To the left can be seen the old military building which, for centuries was associated with the supplying of Royal Navy ships and at one time included a coopering yard (hence the nearby street named Cooperage Lane) where barrels for naval supplies were made. In the 1980s the large white edifice, known as the ICC shopping center, replaced this building. On the upper part of the photograph, parts of Montague Basin and Montague Sea Bathing Pavilion can also be seen. Nearby, a large oil storage tank can also be seen on an otherwise deserted peninsular-like reclamation which, in 1975 became Varyl Begg Estate. And finally, on the Waterport Wharf, two large cranes can be seen, which for many decades were a feature of this area, were used to load and unload cargo.

 

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