The South Bastion was part of the fortifications of

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

, protecting the western base of the

Charles V Wall The Charles V Wall is a 16th-century defensive curtain wall that forms part of the fortifications of the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. Originally called ''Muralla de San Benito'' (English: St. Benedict's Wall), it was built in 1540 ...

. It was originally built by Spanish military engineers, later improved by the British. The South Bastion stands at the south end of the

Line Wall Curtain The Line Wall Curtain is a defensive curtain wall that forms part of the fortifications of the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. Description The Line Wall runs from the North Bastion south along the western coast of the town to Engineer ...

which defends the town from attack from the

Bay of Gibraltar The Bay of Gibraltar ( es, Bahía de Algeciras), is a bay at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It is around long by wide, covering an area of some , with a depth of up to in the centre of the bay. It opens to the south into the Strait ...

. Another curtain wall runs east from the bastion to the base of a precipice. This wall is pierced by the

Southport Gates The Southport Gates are three city gates in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. They are located in the Charles V Wall, one of the 16th century fortifications of Gibraltar. The gates are clustered together, with the South Bastion to ...

, guarded by the South Bastion and the

Flat Bastion Flat Bastion is a bastion which projects southward from the Charles V Wall in the British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. Once known as the St. Jago's Bastion or the Baluarte de Santiago in Spanish language, Spani ...

on either side.

Early structures

The Milanese military engineer

Giovanni Battista Calvi Giovanni Battista Calvi (also known as Giovan Battista Calvi, Gianbattista Calvi and/or Juan Bautista Calvi) was an Italian military engineer at the service of the Spanish Monarchy during the 16th century. Early career Despite popular belief tha ...

visited Gibraltar in 1557 and drew plans for two defensive positions to the south of the town, where the South Bastion and Flat Bastion now stand, connected by a new curtain wall. Calvi was ill, and did not stay to carry out the planned works. It may have been another Italian, Amodeo Agostino, who died in 1571 who built the original bastions. Another source says the bastion that was incorporated into the South Bastion was probably designed for

Philip II of Spain Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...

by the Italian engineer Giacomo Fratino in the 1560s.

Fortification

The South Bastion, called the ''Baluarte de Nuestra Señora del Rosario'' ("Bastion of Our Lady of the Rosary") by the Spanish, had been built by 1627. Casemented gun positions on the bastion enfiladed the ditch across the Gate of Africa, now the Southport Gate. The South bastion, and the

further inland, protected the Southport Gate, which lay between them. A writer in 1786 described the southern defenses of Gibraltar: Above the precipice the

Moorish Wall The Moorish Wall, also known as the Philip II Wall and formerly the Muralla de San Reymondo ( en, St. Raymond's Wall) is a defensive curtain wall built in the 16th century that formed part of the southern fortifications of the British Overseas ...

and the upper Charles V Wall both continue up to the crest of the rock. A traveler described the bastion in 1771 as follows: The same writer said of the insect life: "The centipedes and quadrantipedes are plenty, with a large hairy spider, which some say is the tarantula, and together with the grilia talpa, are inhabitants of the south bastion."

Today

One of the bastion's current uses is to house the

Gibraltar College The Gibraltar College is a school in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, providing programmes at academic, vocational and professional levels. It focuses on the post-16 age group, promoting a culture of lifelong learning. Located on S ...

which sits on top of the bastion. A statue of

Horatio Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought abo ...

stands below the South Bastion's wall, erected to commemorate the 200th anniversary of his victory and death in the

Battle of Trafalgar The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...

(21 October 1805). The statue was designed by John Doubleday and shows Nelson as he was when he last arrived at Gibraltar. The sculpture was commissioned by the Government of Gibraltar and is cast in part from copper taken from

HMS Victory HMS ''Victory'' is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, ordered in 1758, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is best known for her role as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. She ...

which visited the harbour on a number of occasions.

References

Notes Citations Sources * * * * * * * {{Fortifications of Gibraltar Bastions in Gibraltar