Inundation, Gibraltar

The Inundation was an artificial water barrier created across the isthmus connecting Gibraltar to Spain, designed as a military fortification. It featured underwater stakes and iron barriers with a single narrow causeway serving as the only passage point.

British military engineers transformed a natural marshland into an artificial defensive barrier in 1735. This creation established a controlled water feature between Gibraltar and Spain that served as a fortification.

Soldiers stationed here nicknamed the water barrier Lake Chad during World War II, showing how military personnel experienced this defensive structure. This informal name reveals how troops made sense of their daily surroundings in this fortified location.

Access to this location was highly restricted due to military control and surveillance. Today, visiting requires understanding that this was a controlled military zone with limited public passage.

Fish populations flourished in the waters by 1840, turning the military barrier into an unexpected natural habitat. Only military personnel could witness this surprising ecological development within the fortified zone.

Location: Gibraltar

Inception: 1735

GPS coordinates: 36.14726,-5.34909

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:23