The story of Paloma Alta – how the Spanish defended their coastline
At the southern tip of Spain, above the Strait of Gibraltar, stand 3 monumental 381mm Vickers cannons. They are relics of the age of…
The aim of the initiative is to transform one of the most valuable mementos of Spanish coastal defence – the last active artillery battery in the world – into a modern cultural centre and museum. Thus, the cannons, which have never fired a shot in battle, will become even more valuable artefacts of history.
What will you read about in this note?
On the lookout for the Strait of Gibraltar – Paloma Alta’s strategic location
The Paloma Alta complex is located on the coast of the Strait of Gibraltar, some 13 km west of Tarifa. It is a site of exceptional strategic and historical importance, documenting the development of 20th century military technology and Spain’s role in controlling one of the most important sea lanes of the globe.
The battery lies on the southern slopes of the Sierra San Bartolomé, at an altitude of 190 m. From Paloma Alta, there is a panoramic view of the Strait of Gibraltar – the Roman Fretum Gaditanum – connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic. The location is no coincidence: from here the movement of vessels in one of the most sensitive bodies of water in the world was controlled.
The region has been a key transport hub for thousands of years. In the immediate vicinity are the ruins of the Roman city of Baelo Claudia, a centre that became famous for exporting garum (fermented fish sauce) throughout the Empire. Together with Tingis (Tangier), Carteia (Algeciras), Septem Frates (Ceuta) and Tamuda (Tetuán), this formed the so-called 'Circle of the Straits’ – a network of cities controlling trade and shipping.
New life for old cannons – Coastal Artillery Museum and cultural centre
The initiative to revitalise the former Paloma Alta battery is being led by the 'Conde de Gazola’ Association. The aim is not only to preserve a unique military heritage, but also to create a modern centre for culture, education and research. The project includes, among other things:
- revitalisation and maintenance of sites,
- establishment of the Coastal Artillery Museum,
- the creation of a centre for conferences, exhibitions and residency programmes,
- the establishment of a History and Nature Research Centre, working with ornithologists and ecologists.
An integral part of the plan is the development of educational and tourism facilities.
See also:
Gibraltar even closer to Europe. A special place for Poles too
11 June 2025 will go down in the history of European integration as the day that initiated the removal of the last physical border…
The last bastion of tradition, a tribute to artillerymen and the history of technology
The Paloma Alta is a unique legacy of technology – combining precision mechanics, electrical engineering and early electronics. It is intended to commemorate the service of thousands of young artillerymen who guarded the 'gateway’ between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and continents for decades. Spain – a country with some 8,000 km of coastline and two strategic archipelagos – maintained a permanent coastal artillery for an exceptionally long time.
Paloma Alta is intended to be a living laboratory of the history of technology, where it will be possible to trace the continuity of the development of military technology – from the powerful mechanical cannons of the 1920s, through electromechanical fire calculators, to the fully electronic guidance systems of the late previous century.
