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Great Siege Tunnels

These are galleries cut into the north face of the Rock during the Great Siege of 1779-1783. The idea of opening a tunnel to haul guns up to a projection of the rock called the Notch is attributed to Sergeant-Major Ince of the Company of Soldier Artificers, and the work was done by hand and with explosives. The embrasures of the first gallery, the Windsor Gallery, housed four guns before the siege ended. Digging then continued: under the Notch, St George's Hall was opened up, designed for a battery of seven guns, along with Cornwallis's Cave. Lower down there are two more galleries, the Kings and Queens Lines. At the entrance to the upper galleries a Victorian 64-pounder gun stands guard, and other pieces from 1850 and an original 18th-century cannon are preserved. The route has a steep slope to the far end and a climb back.

Things to do at Great Siege Tunnels: 3 missions

• Look out of an embrasure in the Windsor GalleryWalk through the Windsor Gallery, the first gallery, and look for one of the embrasures cut into the rock for the guns; see what you can make out through it.
• Reach St George's HallFollow the route to St George's Hall, the large chamber opened up under the Notch where a battery of seven guns was installed.
• Find the Victorian 64-pounder gunAt the entrance to the upper galleries, find the Victorian 64-pounder gun that commands the approach and see where it points.

Near Great Siege Tunnels

Source: Web oficial - Túneles del Gran Asedio