Gauchos: "A taste of Argentina in Europe" Top 5 Page for this destination Gibraltar Restaurant Tip by sugarpuff

The following is printed on all 'Gauchos' menus as a brief history to the area. I thought it was really interesting and that you might enjoy reading all about it.

"Dining at 'Gauchos' offers you the rare experience of enjoying a fine repast inside a two hundred year old casemate. The Waterport Casemates are part of a fortified wall built in the early 19th century to protect the 'waterport' entrance to the town of Gibraltar. The Oxford Dictionary describes a casemate as an "embrasured room in thickness of a fortress wall." The embrasures being the openings from which the guns and cannon could be fired.

Before land reclamation the main water entrance to the town of Gibraltar was through the Waterport Gates, outside the southern entrance to the restaurant. In those days, the waters of the harbour lapped against Waterport Wharf, which is where the restaurant is situated today. The other main gateway in the days when the town was completely surrounded by walls and locked up at night, was Landport Gate, located on the opposite side of Casemates Square next to the Tunnel Bar and Restaurant. It is still used today but for foot traffic only.

Two hundred years ago the Waterport Casemates were a hive of activity with soldiers, customs agents and health inspectors, going about their days work. There would have been dozens of cannon and heavily armed soldiers providing protection. The floor of 'Gauchos' shows the original flagstone and if you look next to the windows and in the floors you will see the filled indents where the cannon securing rings were sited. These were used to haul the cannon into firing position after loading, and to stop them running back on the troops after firing!

The surfaces of the vaulted walls and ceilings have been carefully renovated throughout and the unique decor has been handcrafted to ensure a pleasant atmosphere for our guests. Links to the past include one of the original cannon now a decorative addition to the outdoor dining area."

Address: Waterport Casemates
Comparison: more expensive than average
Directions: When you get off at the bus stop for the Frontier - Casemates bus, you will see the restaurant on your right.
Price: US$41 and up
Rating: 4
Theme: Other