History of san Roque
Prehistoric remains show the signs of life long ago. The later settlements of Romans, Visigoths, Arabs can be seen at Carteia Roman Archeological Site on the coast. It is a strange theatre of juxtaposition, with Roman structures of varying preservation, medieval additions, and a backdrop of smoke-spewing chimneys.
The area was retaken by Christian forces in the 14th century and the shrine in the present village location dates back to 1508. The first settlers moved over from the rock of Gibraltar to San Roque following an outbreak of typhoid in 1649.
The current town was founded by people fleeing the invasion of Gibraltar by Anglo-Dutch forces in 1704 during the War of Spanish Succession. These founders rejected the occupying British offer to continue living under the foreign jurisdiction, initially took up residence in the Ermita (Hermitage) de San Roque and around which the construction of the town of San Roque quickly began.
It was formally established as a new town two years later. King Felipe V referred to the new town as "The City of Gibraltar", with the epithet "Most Honourable and Most Royal", because it remained loyal to his cause during the War of the Spanish Succession. The town was named after the patron saint of dogs, invalids, falsely accused people and bachelors, among other things. San Roque still has the same Coat of Arms which was originally conceded by los Reyes Católicos (Catholic King and Queen) to Gibraltar.
During the 20th Century the municipality became an important industrial area and from the 1960's onward it began to develop as a tourist destination, especially with founding of Sotogrande. Since that time the municipality of San Roque has been developed, while the village itself has retained much of its original identity and charm.
