40th Anniversary of the Full Opening of the Frontier

The Gibraltar National Archives will present an exhibition entitled 40th Anniversary of the Full Opening of the Frontier.

The exhibition is expected to be inaugurated by the Deputy Chief Minister on the 11th of September (to be confirmed) and will be open to the public from the 15th to the 26th of September / Monday to Friday 9:00 to 16:15 from the 15^th of September to the 26^th of September at the John Mackintosh Hall.

The exhibition focuses on the events leading up to and surrounding the full opening of the frontier on the 5th of February 1985. It explores a range of historical aspects, from the signing of the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 and the cross-frontier worker tradition, to the construction of the frontier fence in 1908, the closure of the frontier in 1969, the Lisbon (1980) and Brussels (1984) agreements, and much more.

The sections are as follows:

• Section One – The Gibraltar Frontier

• Section Two – The Frontier Closure

• Section Three – The Frontier Opening

• Section Four – The Present Frontier

The project has taken several months to prepare, with extensive research undertaken by the Gibraltar National Archives.

Research has also extended to the La Línea Municipal Archives, providing unique insights into the impact of the frontier closure on the cross-frontier workforce.

Among the rare exhibits to be displayed is a Spanish Frontier Guard’s helmet, alongside other significant artefacts.

More info here: