Brief description of Windsor Castle. Windsor Castle is one of the most beautiful castles in the world.

If you come to London in winter, spring or early summer, you are unlikely to be able to get into Buckingham Palace: Queen Elizabeth goes on vacation to Scotland in August and September, and the rest of the time she uses the palace as an office. However, do not be upset: 40 minutes from London is my favorite British palace - Windsor castle. I will tell you about it today.

An ancient fortress, the real home of the queen and the estate that gave the surname to the last generations of reigning monarchs. You can get here all year round, except for the days of solemn receptions. And you won't even guess that the queen is nearby...

When you drive up to Windsor, the castle appears in all its beauty from afar: located on a hill, it does not look like any of London's palaces.

The light brick medieval fortress with the flag of Great Britain (or the standard of the queen, if she is at home) will capture your attention and imagination even on the outskirts of it. And no wonder: Windsor is considered the oldest and largest residential castle in the world.

From the history

Windsor Castle was built in 1070. More precisely, William the Conqueror ordered to pour an artificial hill and build a wooden fort on it, a simple observation post. A hundred years later, Henry of Anjou decides to enclose the building with stone walls and build the Round Tower, and almost two centuries later, King Edward III orders to rebuild the fortress, strengthen the hill and dig a defensive moat. However, the last idea failed, because the hill was artificial, and all the water went into the Thames.

The history of the creation of the Order of the Garter is also connected with the name of Edward III. In general, it must be said that this king tried to live according to the knightly code. Edward held meetings of knights in the Round Tower of the castle at the same round table, supporting the traditions of the semi-mythical King Arthur. Meetings of members of this Order are still held in Windsor. True, they moved from the Tower to the main building of the palace.

The castle has been repeatedly rebuilt, renovated and restored. The first period of prosperity fell on the XIV-XV centuries. Then Elizabeth I gave diplomatic receptions here.

In 1648, Cromwell and his army captured the castle and executed Charles I here, burying him right at the place of execution. However, the son of the murdered, Charles II, returned to power after 12 years and took up the castle closely: new buildings were built, the model for which was the Palace of Versailles in France, extensive parks and gardens were laid out around the estate. However, further, for unknown reasons, for almost another 2 centuries the castle was forgotten, until in 1820 George IV ascended the throne, during his short 10-year reign, he reconstructed and supplemented the castle once again, returning it to its former glory.

From that moment on, Windsor Castle became the favorite family residence of the monarchs. Queen Victoria and her heirs lived here: King Edward VII, his son George V. During the Second World War and the bombing of London, George VI and his wife spent the day in London, at Buckingham Palace, supporting the townspeople with their presence, and in the evening they left for Windsor to his daughters, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

When the issue of the German name of the ruling dynasty arose after the First World War, George V changed the name of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor, after the name of the family estate.

The castle was not accessible to the general public until 1992, when a fire accidentally broke out in the Semi-Public Rooms during the celebration of the 45th wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The fire was put out for almost a day. After that, it was decided to open access to the castle on a regular basis, at least to obtain funds for repairs.

How to get there

Bus: from Victoria Coach Station (st. Buckingham Palace Road) daily on number 702 (Greenline company). Travel time is about 1 hour.

In Windsor, the bus stops right next to the castle, impossible to miss. The cost for a round trip is 15.4 EUR (15 GBP). If you take a one-way ticket, it will be 11.6 EUR (10 GBP), so take it right there and back.

Car: the M4 Exit 6 and the M3 Exit 3. The distance from London to Windsor is 38 km and the travel time is 55 minutes. Please note that there is no separate parking near the castle, so you will have to park somewhere in the town. You can find parking in advance at.

Railway:

from London Waterloo station to Windsor & Eton Riverside station (approximately 1 hour 10 minutes direct journey);
from London Paddington station to Windsor & Eton Central with a change at Slough (30–45 min).

My favorite way to get to Windsor is Railway. I always leave Paddington Station at 9:00 am. For a ticket, you can go to the machine, but I prefer the ticket office. It’s nice to hear “Yes, ma’am!” once again, and to avoid misunderstandings with credit cards and other things when time is running out.

At the box office, we immediately ask for a ticket to Windsor (the ticket will be single, that is, immediately with a transfer). It is advantageous to take round-trip (out & return), it's cheaper. The cost - from about 12.2 EUR (10.5 GBP), depends on the workload of the train.

Drive from the station to the station. Slough, where you need to change, about 20-30 minutes. The transfer is not as scary as it sounds: you just need to go to the platform and go to its other side, where there will be a "cuckoo" - a short train with several cars. It runs every 20 minutes, and if you leave London on the 9 o'clock train, there will be a gap of about 5 minutes between trains, and you will arrive exactly at the opening of the castle.

The Slow - Windsor train takes 6 minutes. On weekends it also stops at Eton Station.

On the way back to London, at the Slow change, you will have to change platforms, but the English crossings are not as high as our railway bridges.

9-hour trains can be both half empty and overcrowded. Going to Windsor with my mother, I suddenly found myself on a crowded train, plus men in their 30s with reserved tickets (i.e. you can buy a ticket the day before and reserve a seat for yourself absolutely free, but only on a certain flight. If you are late, the ticket will be valid, but without the exact location). I still didn’t understand why the people gave up their seats, because there was no electronic inscription Reserved near the seats.

I turned on all the charm and asked one of them to wait until Slow, because it's hard for mom to stand. Without much joy, he complied with my request. His companions looked puzzled. Unfortunately, equality in England has led to the fact that neither in the subway nor in the train is it customary to give way to ladies or elders.

On the way from Slow to the place, the castle will appear to you from afar in all its glory more than once. Upon arrival at Windsor Central, you can admire the Queen Victoria steam locomotive, which was installed in 1982 during the exhibition of Madame Tussauds Monarchs and the Railway. It turned out to be very expensive to dismantle it, and since then a smart locomotive has been meeting all those who arrived in Windsor.

The station itself has been turned into a small but very beautiful shopping center with cafes and restaurants. Passing through the shopping gallery, you suddenly find yourself on the street right under the walls of the castle.

We go around the statue of Queen Victoria and climb up to the palace. Shops on the right, especially the one in the blue house, leave for later, do not repeat my mistakes. I was allowed to carry a large shopping bag with me, but it was not very convenient to walk with it :).

Opening hours

On average, you will need 2-3 hours to explore the castle. Keep in mind that the building is old, has paved courtyards and is located on a hill with elevation changes.

Open for visiting:

AT summer period(March - October) - daily from 09:30 to 17:30.
AT winter period(November - February) - daily from 9:45 to 16:15.
Last entrance: in summer - at 16:00, in winter - at 15:00.

Since the castle is the most real home royal family, then it may be closed for diplomatic receptions, Easter and Christmas. I recommend checking the opening hours on its official website before visiting.

There is also the possibility that the lock will be closed unexpectedly and in a short moment. I have never seen such urgency, but I believe that in return for this you will be offered a return visit for free.

Tickets

Tickets can be bought on the spot, via the Internet, ordered by phone (additional order fee - 2 GBP) or through the London Pass.

Price:

Adult - 23.2 EUR (20 GBP).
Preferential (students and people over 60 with supporting documents) - 21.12 EUR (18.20 GBP).
Children under 17 and disabled people - 13.6 EUR (11.70 GBP).
Children under 5 years old - free of charge.
Family (2 adults and 3 children under 17) - 60 EUR (51.70 GBP).

If the State Apartments are closed:

Adult - 12.5 EUR (10.80 GBP).
Preferential (students and people over 60 with supporting documents) - 11.4 EUR (9.80 GBP).
Children under 17 and disabled people - 8 EUR (6.80 GBP).
Children under 5 years old - free of charge.
Family (2 adults and 3 children under 17) - 33 EUR (28.40 GBP).

You can order tickets online.

It is noteworthy that residents of the town of Windsor, whose official name is Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, can visit the castle for free.

You do not need to pay extra for it, and you, if you have London Pass(read more about the tourist map on our website). In addition to prepaid admission, LP also provides skip-the-line access. Focus on the London Pass sign. This helped us save a lot of time and not get wet in the rain while waiting at the entrance.

If you bought a ticket directly in the palace, then you have the opportunity to come back here again absolutely free during a year. On the reverse side of the ticket, you need to write your name and stamp it with the castle employee at the exit, and you are welcome to the palace again!

Audio guide, tours and facilities

The audio guide is free and available in Russian. My constant advice: if you learn English, train your ears - take a guide in English. Audio and video series will perfectly affect your knowledge. Even if you do not immediately understand what George V said there in this corner.

You can book private tours 2 months in advance. The castle has many themed tours English language, for example, Great Kitchen based on the working kitchen of the castle, which is more than 750 years old, or the "Journey to the Restorers". Tours are designed for a group of 15 people and last an average of 1.5 hours.

The restrooms are located at the entrance to the castle next to the audio guide point and next to the entrance to the State Rooms. (be careful: there are no WCs in the palace).

There are elevators for people with disabilities in the palace. However, for a special visit, it is better to contact the palace staff in advance.

Security and other nuances

Since the castle is the current home of the queen, the level of security here is increased. At the entrance you have to go through the frame, like at the airport. It is better not to take sharp objects such as scissors (you will have to hand it over for a while, as well as very large bags).

Once I was lucky and they let me in with a large bag of kilts, scarves and other gifts bought near the castle. It's your business, take it! They let me into the palace, however, I immediately found a wardrobe with a glance and asked to take my luggage for storage. "Did anyone have a good time shopping today?" - Wardman smiled at me and took the package.

The guards ask you not to make noise and be understanding that the tour of the castle follows the arrows in one direction (in fact, you may well return to the previous point, not everything is so strict if there are few people).

Food and water are not allowed. You can buy water in the shops of the castle or go out to eat in the city through the lower courtyard and return back through the point of issuing audio guides. Unfortunately, there is no cafe inside the castle yet, although they promise to make it on the site of an old pantry.

Photography is allowed only in the courtyard of the castle. The guards can even tell you best view.

Photography inside the castle and the chapel of St. George is prohibited. Also, no part of Windsor Castle can be used for wedding photo shoots, except for royal ones.

Castle grounds

The territory of the castle is surrounded by high walls, in some places up to 4 meters thick, with towers around the entire perimeter.

The castle also adjoins the huge Windsor Park, which I never have enough time to explore. There is a small estate in the park. Frogmore house, where there is a small house and the tomb of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The castle is conditionally divided into three parts:

Changing of the Guard

If you arrived at the castle early in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. the sounds of a military band coming from the Lower Courtyard will attract your attention. Guardsmen in bright red uniforms or gray-blue overcoats will come with an orchestra from the town through the lower gate, play a few tunes, and then the action will freeze. For some time, the soldiers will rebuild, shout something, and then again stand still. At this point, you can see how thick the soles of the guard's boots are.

To be honest, standing in the wind in the Lower Court is uncomfortable. And everyone wants to see the guards, so I had to climb on the posts or go to the lawn more than once (I'm ashamed, but I also want to see it). After about 40 minutes, the action comes to life: finally there is a change, and to the sounds of the orchestra, the guard leaves back to the city.

During the summer, the changing of the guard takes place every day except Sunday. In winter - every odd day of the week.

Chapel of St. George (St.George Chapel)

The chapel is a wonderful monument gothic architecture. Inside, it is quite light and much more spacious than Westminster Abbey, which it actually resembles. In it, as in the Abbey, the colorful standards of the Knights of the Order of the Garter are also hung over the choirs.

Solemn services, royal weddings are held in the temple, there are burials of monarchs latest generations. Here rested the parents of Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother and George VI, as well as grandmother Queen Mary. There are burials of more ancient ancestors: Edward IV, Henry VIII and Jane Seymour.

Almost at the exit from the chapel there will be the tomb of Prince Albert. As you know, Queen Victoria loved her husband very much, and before the mausoleum was built in Frogmore Park (part of Windsor Park), Albert was buried in the chapel for a year.

The room is completely inaccessible for inspection, i.e. you cannot go inside, but you can see the beautiful marble floor and gilded sculptures from the entrance. Placed in the tomb large mirrors so that the visitor, standing on the threshold, through them could fully examine the painted walls of the room and the tombstones of the son and grandson of Albert and Victoria.

In the chapel of St. George, three services are held daily, which you can freely visit:

10:45 - Mattins and Sermon (Mains and Sermon),
12:00 - Sung Eucharist (Eucharist),
17:15 - Evensong (Vespers).

They prepare more carefully for the evening service, so there is usually no access to the church from 16:00 to 17:00. On Sunday, the temple is closed to visitors due to the fact that the Queen usually spends her weekends at the castle.

Queen Mary's house

On the spot, you can separately go in and see the Queen Mary dollhouse: a miniature copy of Buckingham Palace with exact interiors, furniture and paintings. The house has everything, even a real wine cellar and miniature thrones. In the room where the house is displayed, it is a bit dark, and everyone is crowding around the glass display case with the masterpiece. I'm not as big a fan of miniatures as the Queen Mary, so I skipped this part on my next visits.

However, there is also a showcase with dolls of Queen Elizabeth and her sister, Princess Margaret.

During a visit to France in 1938, King George VI received as a gift for his little daughters two dolls, France and Marianne, with outfits, suitcases and even cars. The entire doll wardrobe is created fashion houses Cartier, Lanvin, Hermes, etc.

state rooms

This is the public part of the palace, where all receptions and meetings take place. Of course, you can see the windows of the private half from the official halls, but it is unlikely that the queen will flash through them.

On the ground floor there are rooms where items of royal service are displayed in showcases: gilded candlesticks and coasters for huge dishes, porcelain plates and crystal glasses. Nearby is a wardrobe where you can drop off large bags (don't worry, it's double-sided, and by the end of the tour you'll be exactly on the other side of it and pick up your things).

Next, you climb the luxurious staircase to the second floor. It is in this way that diplomats and all those invited to the parties get to Windsor Castle. You will immediately feel that you are in a castle, because there will be figures of mounted knights, armor and weapons around. The room of the royal guard contains fine examples of weapons art.

The front chambers of the king and the separate chambers of the queen of the turn of the 18th-19th centuries are available for viewing for tourists, including a bedroom, a living room and a dining room for each of them.

All rooms have a lot of paintings, elegant antique furniture and sculpture.

Waterloo Chamber is a portrait gallery of Great Britain's allies in the fight against Napoleon. Among the portraits of the Duke of Wellington and Pope Pius VII, you will also find a portrait of the Russian Tsar Alexander I. Now the queen holds receptions and award ceremonies here. On the days of the castle visits by tourists, the magnificent carpets of the castle are simply rolled up.
Reception Hall- the former ballroom, with an amazing malachite vase, a gift from Tsar Nicholas I. In this room, it is noticeable that the parquet is quite new.
The fact is that after the fire in 1992, water spoiled the precious coating. Then a cunning technique was applied: the bars of trees were taken out and laid with the bottom up in their own place.
Garter Throne Room- a small meeting room of the Order, which is headed by the queen herself. The blue velvet walls are decorated with a huge portrait of her and images of other members of the order. In the next room, in a showcase, the main symbols of the order are laid out: a garter and a badge of distinction.
The number of members of the order is limited, and new ones can be accepted only after the death of one of them. The colorful procession of the Order through Windsor Castle to the Chapel of St. George is usually held in June and gathers a lot of spectators.
Signs and symbols of this order can be found not only in Windsor Castle, but also in. Personally, the signs of the Order of the Garter remind me of substrates for Russian award signs.
Hall of St. George (St. George Hall)- the largest and most beautiful reception hall in the castle. Its wooden walls are inscribed with the names of knights, whose coats of arms are placed on the walls and on the ceiling of the hall. Do not be surprised if you see empty places with traces of the presence of a coat of arms: demoted knights are removed from the lists and commemorative row.
In the hall of St. George, solemn diplomatic dinners are held. The longest table is installed, the straight lines of which are checked with a ruler. The arrangement of glasses and plates is also checked to the nearest centimeter. Before receptions, the queen personally inspects the table setting.
At the end of the hall, behind the right door, there is a small darkish room, in the showcases of which items of church utensils are displayed: there was a home chapel on this place before the fire, and from here the entrance to the Semi-state rooms begins, as the carpet running behind the closed door will tell you, if you are visiting during the summer.

semi-public rooms

These are several private rooms from the time of George IV, open to the public only in winter. The fire in 1992 started here. Many of the fittings managed to be saved, but much was damaged.

To date, the decoration of the rooms has become even brighter, as pieces of furniture have been restored or recreated according to drawings from the Royal Library. The Crimson Living Room is especially striking. In combination with gold, the new bright silk upholstery appears in all its splendor.

Semi-public rooms are now also in use royal family for receptions.

Souvenir shops and Edinburgh Wollen Mill

There are several souvenir shops on the territory of the castle: at the point of issue of audio guides, in the Lower Courtyard, in the Middle Courtyard and a shop in the Chapel of St. George (marked with orange squares on the map).

You can buy a lot of them:

Directly opposite the entrance to the castle there is another shop that I advise you not to miss. "Edinburgh Mile"- the same blue house that I spoke about at the beginning, a shop for kilts, scarves and other things made of cashmere. Kilts actually exist for women, and 3 lengths: to the floor, to the middle of the calf and to the knee. The price of a mini kilt is 46.4 EUR (40 GBP). It's cheaper than the same things in London. I have 4 of these!

You can buy cashmere sweaters - from 40.6 EUR (35 GBP). The prices are not cheap, but there are discounts on many things, and the quality is excellent. And only here you will find things of the memorial tartan (Scottish cage) of Princess Diana. I didn't see them in London.

Tartan colors are blue and pink. When choosing scarves, be careful: they are soft to the touch and are available for 29 EUR (25 GBP) and 128 EUR (110 GBP)! You will also find charming plaid gloves for 5.8 EUR (5 GBP). On Windsor winds, they are simply irreplaceable!

Finally

If you decide to come to Windsor, give it a whole day! Three hours in the castle will fly by very quickly, and you still need to visit the huge Windsor Park. I even envy you a little, because either the weather or business has always prevented me from seeing it properly and getting to the Frogmore estate in the park.

You can have lunch in the town or at the station in cafes while waiting for the train to Slow. Or you can go down to the valley of the River Thames and walk to Eton College. Either way, stunning views and fresh English air are guaranteed!

Spend your day like an English monarch on vacation!

Have something to add?

Few people know that the favorite residence of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is Windsor Castle ( windsor castle). This ancient and impressive fortress was built over 900 years ago and has been considered the jewel of the British crown and the largest and most beautiful castle for many centuries.

It is located in Berkshire, not far from London, and hundreds of thousands of tourists visit it every year. Windsor is a functioning castle where the Queen spends her holidays every summer. When she is in the fortress, the royal standard is raised above the white tower.

This royal residence long and rich history. The castle was built during the reign of William the Conqueror. The place on which the Windsor fortress rises was not chosen by chance - it had a strategic purpose.

The wooden outpost, built on an artificial embankment, was supposed to serve as an observation post for the roads leading to London. If an army moved on the city, then the soldiers of the post would have time to warn him about the invasion.

Unfortunately, the Norman fortress of the time of William I was completely destroyed, only the Watchtower, which rises in the center of Windsor Castle, has a foundation of almost a thousand years ago.

For many years, Windsor Fortress practically did not develop. It served as an observation post and a temporary home for British monarchs who went hunting. And only in the middle of the XIV century, Edward III decided on a large-scale reconstruction of the outpost. Many wooden buildings were destroyed, and stone fortifications grew in their place.

The famous Round Tower appeared precisely in those distant times and has survived to this day. Since then, the castle has come out of a period of stagnation and began to expand. During the reign of Edward IV and Henry VIII, a church was built, which became the burial place of many British monarchs. The ashes of Henry VIII, Queen Mary, Charles I and many others are kept in the chapel of St. George (St. George).

In 1648, the castle was captured by Oliver Cromwell and served as his headquarters for some time until the power of the monarchy was restored.

After Charles II ascended the throne, Windsor Castle began to develop with high speed. In 1666, it was ordered to restore the old buildings and lay out beautiful gardens. For the new image of the fortress, the Palace of Versailles was used as an example. After his death, the fortress was forgotten until 1820.

George IV decided to restore the palace, and it was during his reign that Windsor Castle acquired its luxury and splendor, combining the neo-Gothic and romantic styles.

Windsor Castle today

Windsor Castle, like Buckingham Palace, has long been closed to visitors. But due to a fire in 1992 that destroyed several rooms, it was opened to tourists to offset the cost of restoration. To this day, visitors can enter many of the structures of this magnificent castle.

For convenience, visitors can take a map of the castle, as well as an audio guide (available in Russian), which will take them to the most interesting places in the fortress and tell the history of Windsor.

It is worth noting that in addition to the usual tour, there are special tours to the Great Kitchen in January and December, and the famous one takes place in the lower courtyard of the castle.

What to see at Windsor Castle

Unfortunately, tourists cannot get to every corner of Windsor Castle, as it is the current residence of the Queen. However, there are many interesting things to see here.

Map of Windsor Castle.

In the very center of the castle is the highest point of the fortress - " Round Tower", which divides it into two sections (Wards). Entrance to it as part of a regular tour is prohibited, but for an additional fee, accompanied by a guide, you can get there.

The price of a ticket to the castle includes an audio guide, and there are signs throughout the fortress, following which you can fully explore it. Bypassing the Round Tower, you will be taken to Severnub Terrace. From here you have a stunning view of the city of Windsor and Eton.

From here there is an entrance to the premises of the castle, where queen mary dollhouse.

Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside. So here's a picture from the net.

Any girl can only dream of such a house. But this is not a toy, because the purpose of creating this house was to capture the life of the beginning of the 20th century.

In general, visitors can visit the Lower Chambers and the State Chambers when there are no events in them. In St. George's Hall, the ceiling is decorated with the Orders of the Knights of the Garter, the Throne Room serves as an initiation site for new members, and Waterloo Hall hosts an annual solemn feast.

Photography is not allowed inside, but there is a virtual tour of several rooms.

Definitely worth a visit chapel of St. George, which serves as the temple of the famous Order of the Garter. Outside, it looks simply amazing, but inside it strikes the imagination of visitors with a "fan" ceiling.

Windsor Castle opening hours

Airplanes often fly here. If you don’t want to just walk with an audio guide and stare around, then to Windsor.

Windsor Castle is the most beautiful and largest castle in Great Britain, owned by the royal family and being their country residence. The castle is located in Windsor, Berkshire, 43 km from London. The residence is an architectural gem and a concentration of British cultural values. Along with, Windsor Castle is one of the most visited attractions in Foggy Albion.

History of Windsor Castle

The castle in Windsor is located on a hill - from here a magnificent panorama of the Thames opens. The residence began its history under William the Conqueror in 1066. Then Windsor Castle was located in the territories of hunting grounds and looked like a wooden structure. His goal was to keep an eye on one of the roads towards London.

Over the course of 100 years, the building has been subject to numerous alterations and reconstructions. The most significant changes occurred during the reign of Henry II Plantagenet. Under him, the first stone walls were erected. After that, each subsequent ruler necessarily made his own changes to the appearance of the castle. Thanks to this, we can observe a variety of canvases, frescoes, tapestries that reflect the history of the monarchical rule of various eras.

In 1386, the wedding of the first Portuguese King of the Avis dynasty, João I, with the daughter of John of Gaunt, Philippa of Lancaster, took place at Windsor Castle. This was the beginning of the Anglo-Portuguese alliance, which lasted until the middle of the 20th century.

On November 20, 1992, Windsor Castle was destroyed by fire. The fire started in the chapel, the fire quickly spread throughout the residence, it could not be extinguished for 15 hours. By the way, on this day the royal couple celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary. As a result of the fire, an area of 9000 sq.m was damaged. The amount of damage amounted to more than 37 million pounds.

For the restoration of Windsor, they decided to open Buckingham Palace to tourists, so all the proceeds from tickets went to repairs. The work was carried out for five years, during which time half of the affected rooms were restored - some of them returned to their previous appearance, and some received a new look, but in accordance with the general style. This event was the largest restoration in the history of Windsor Castle.

Excursion to Windsor Castle: what's inside

Today, everyone has access to many buildings and rooms of the palace. From the first seconds, the gates of Henry VII amaze with their grandeur. Further, visitors enter the halls, the Throne Room, the royal apartments. Here you can see numerous paintings by Anthony van Dyck, Rubens, George Stubbs and others.

Chapel of Saint George

You can not ignore the chapel of St. George (The College of St George), which is the main temple of the Knights of the Order of the Garter. The shrine was erected by the monarch Edward III in 1348. This building of the Gothic style is a vivid example of English architecture of the Middle Ages. Today St. George's Chapel belongs to the Anglican Church. 35 members of the royal family are buried here, including Charles I, George VI, Queen Mother Elizabeth.

Queen Mary's Doll House

Another one interesting thing worth seeing here is Queen Mary's Doll's House. Queen Mary (grandmother of the current Queen Elizabeth II), wife of George V, was famous for her art collecting and love. One day, the king's cousin, Princess Marie-Louise, presented the queen with an unusually beautiful dollhouse. Although it is difficult to call it a “house”, since the dimensions of the product are 2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 m, the scale is 1:12.

The doll house was made in 1921-1924. the eminent architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Also, the best English miniature masters and artists had a hand in it. In total, about 1500 craftsmen worked on the project. In particular, such famous writers as Arthur Conan Doyle and Alan Milne took part, who wrote short stories for the mini-library.

In addition to the library, in the dollhouse you can see a wine cellar with bottles of wine, champagne and other drinks; copies of original paintings, a magnificent piano; “underground” parking with motorcycles and limousines; chapel with icons; Knight armour and even an outdoor front garden by garden designer Gertrude Jekyll.

This project was timed and exhibited at the British Imperial Exhibition to stimulate local crafts and trade. The royal dollhouse was seen by more than one and a half million people.

Round Tower

When visiting the residence, be sure to try to climb the Round Tower. It is the highest point of Windsor Castle - the height is more than 60 m. Only a water bottle and a camera are allowed on the tower, bags and backpacks must be left below.

As a rule, you need to plan about 3 hours for a tour of Windsor Castle.

How does Windsor Castle live?

Windsor Castle is used for various state events. Every year the queen comes here for a month after Easter. At this time, she receives guests, public and political figures. The Queen is also at Windsor Castle for a few days in June to attend Royal Ascot and The Most Noble Order of the Garter.

Guyanese President David Granger and Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle (April 2017)

At the meeting of the Order of the Garter there are senior ranks of the order. The ceremony begins at St. George's Chapel. Further in the Hall of the Order, the queen consecrates new knights, presenting the ceremonial garter and star of the order. The action ends with lunch at the Waterloo Chamber.

While the queen is in the castle, you can watch the changing of the guard of honor.

Information for tourists

Address: Windsor SL4 1NJ, United Kingdom

Ticket price:

adults - £21.20;
people over 60 and students - £19.30;
children under 17 and the disabled - £12.30;
children under 5 years old - free of charge;
families (2 adults and up to 3 children under 17) - £54.70.

*A ticket can be purchased at the box office or in advance on the official website of Windsor Castle: www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle.

**If you did not have time to see everything or want to visit the residence again, you can do this on the same ticket, putting the appropriate stamp at the exit. The ticket is valid for a calendar year.

How to get there

You can get to Windsor Castle from London in the following ways:

By train

From Waterloo Station to Windsor & Eton Riverside Station. Trains depart every 30 minutes and the journey takes about 1 hour. From Windsor & Eton Riverside station, it's a 10-minute walk to the castle. The ticket price is €12.65 (2018).

From Paddington station to Windsor & Eton Central can be reached in 25-40 minutes, but with a change in Slough. The train arrives right at the castle walls. The ticket price is €21.69 (1st class) or €12.53 (2nd class). Prices are also for 2018.

By bus

Bus number 702 leaves for Windsor from the bus station Victoria Station, the line is operated by the Green Line carrier company. The bus arrives at the Royal Theatre, from where it is a 5-minute walk to the castle. The round-trip ticket price is €21.45 in the morning and €12.87 in the afternoon. Travel time is 1 hour 15 minutes.

Windsor Castle on a map of Windsor

Windsor Castle is the most famous in England, and besides, it is considered the oldest in the world, as it served as the home of the British royal family during the reign of William the Conqueror.

The very first fortifications that were in Windsor Castle had a wooden structure and were located at the very top of an artificial hill. The castle was rebuilt from time to time, and this was not so rare. Many monarchs left their seals on the fortress, but the round artificial hill, as it was, has remained in its position. It has not changed since the day it was founded by Wilhelm. The fortress has a strategic location, which made it one of the most important Norman posts. The castle is located 30 km from London with west side, not very far from the River Thames.

In 1170, the very first stone buildings were built by King Henry II. But over time, King Edward III, who was also born and raised in this castle, destroyed a large number of buildings that were built by Heinrich. In 1350, King Edward III began building his so-called Round Castle. It was located in the center of the fortress itself. This building has survived to today, but, truth, changed several times.

As for the chapel of St. George, main church complex, then it began to be built during the reign of Edward IV and was completely built under the government of King Henry VIII, approximately, it was 1509-1547. By the way, Henry was buried under this chapel, as well as nine other British monarchs lie there.

The most beautiful episode in the history of Windsor Castle is the time of the English civil war. At this time, the castle was captured by the troops of the Liver Roundehead and used as a fortress and home to the entire army. The monarch Charles I, who at that time ruled the castle, was imprisoned, and soon buried here.

And only in 1660 the monarchy was restored again. Charles II began to take active steps regarding the reconstruction and expansion of the castle. He built many beautiful alleys that delight visitors today.

After Charles II died, all monarchs, up to George III, preferred to use other castles and palaces available in England for living. And only when the son of George III, George IV came to the government, the final and most significant restoration of the fortress began. The years of George's government are not significant - 1820-1830. Its architects turned the ancient castle into a wonderful and unique palace in the Gothic style, which has survived to this day. The architects working on the restoration of the fortress increased the height of all the towers and added some decorative elements that unite buildings built in different eras.

Windsor Castle - facts, description, photos

Windsor Castle has become a symbol of British power. King Henry and his wife Adela became the first royal family to use the castle as a residence. Here, King Charles I was executed and buried in the chapel of St. George. The famous "Widow of Windsor" - Queen Victoria spent the last years of her life in this castle, mourning her husband Albert.

Its park areas still remember young princes and princesses, children of kings frolicking on the lawns, and the walls of the apartments silently keep the history of intrigues and conspiracies taking place in the alcoves of the English kings.

The Amazing History of Windsor

Medieval Windsor Castle, like the Tower of London, is the creation of William I the Conqueror, designed in the 11th century by architect Hugh May. After the capture of England, William was actively engaged in the construction of defensive structures in the country in order to strengthen his precarious position and protect himself from attacks by enemies eager to take possession of the crown, following the example of William himself.

Windsor Castle has become another defensive fortress of the suspicious king. For its construction, one of the most elevated places in the city of Windsor was chosen, but Wilhelm did not stop there and ordered the construction of an artificial limestone hill, from the height of which one could already see the approaching enemy troops from a distance. At first, the fortress was built of wood and served as an outpost, from which vigilant observation was carried out. When the enemy appeared, the messenger of the fortress immediately rushed to London and notified the royal army about the impending attack. At the same time, an impressive underground passage, along which the defenders of Windsor could get out of the castle during the siege and deliver an unexpected blow to the enemy.

Wilhelm's plan was a success: over the thousand-year history of its existence, the castle fulfilled its strategic mission in full, repelling enemy attacks. Only once he could not resist and was captured in the 17th century by the revolutionary Oliver Cromwell, who overthrew King Charles I. The king was executed on the orders of Cromwell and buried in the castle grounds.

In the 12th century, a stone fortress was built instead of a wooden outpost, marking the beginning of the full-scale construction and expansion of Windsor Castle by subsequent rulers of England. In the same years, the castle began to be used by members of the royal families as a country residence.

The biggest castle in the world

Centuries later, Windsor gained fame as the largest castle in the world: every ruler of England considered it his duty to add something of his own to the castle. The castle was rebuilt many times and supplemented with new buildings and decorative elements, and some towers were completely destroyed by order of the monarchs. The palace of Henry III, which was not to the liking of Edward III, has not survived to this day. Having demolished the creation of his predecessor, Edward ordered the construction of a new palace.

However, Edward's blasphemy was justified in another area. The king became the founder of the Order of the Garter - one of the oldest orders of chivalry in Great Britain. He organized knighting at Windsor Palace, this tradition has remained unchanged today: Queen Elizabeth II every summer presents new knights who have replaced the old ones with the symbols of the legendary order - a garter and a star.

Due to the disparate tastes of the kings who have inherited the crown over the past 10 centuries, Windsor Castle could have turned out to be pretentious, but this did not happen. Thanks to King George IV, who gave the castle a single romantic style, Windsor today impresses tourists with medieval splendor on the outside and luxury inside. What is the chapel of St. George, decorated with jewels, gold and silver!

Or the rich hall of the saint, where the heraldic symbols of the order-bearers of the Garter flaunt on the ceiling! Or the Round Tower, which not every tourist can get access to!

And what park areas and gardens are spread around the royal castle - they can give odds to any parks in Europe! What can we say about the royal chambers, which tourists have never set foot in: the members of the royal family live in the apartments and only distinguished guests can visit them by special invitation.

However, this is not a reason to be upset: in a huge castle measuring 580x165 meters, there are plenty of halls with impressive art galleries and royal relics that visitors can visit.

Windsor Castle was improved up to Queen Elizabeth II, who also contributed to the history of the castle.

In 1992, the palace suffered a terrible fire, which was not extinguished immediately. The fire damaged many rooms of the castle and completely destroyed 9 halls, some of which had to be modified during the restoration, as it was not possible to restore their former appearance and decoration. Fortunately, after a few years, all repair work was completed and there was no trace of the former conflagration in the castle.

Mary's dollhouse was also damaged during the fire - a real miracle of art of the early 20th century, which would be incredibly difficult to repeat again. The dollhouse reproduces the life of the royal family of King George V, like two drops of water similar to the Russian Emperor Nicholas II. The striking similarity of the two monarchs is easily explained: they were cousins to each other.

Maria's dollhouse has over 40 rooms. All tiny rooms repeat every detail of the palace rooms to the smallest detail: small paintings identical to the originals hang on the walls, painted boxes and real tiny books lie on the tables, water flows from the tap ... In the evenings, lights come on in all the rooms of the dollhouse, which not surprising, since the house has electricity.

Maria's amazing dollhouse is decorated with a large charming garden in which flowers, trees grow, there are small carts, shovels and other tools necessary for doll gardeners to take care of a huge park area. This garden is hidden in a niche under the house and put forward for viewing at the request of tourists.

Ghosts of Windsor Castle

A third of the British believe in the existence of ghosts and claim that Windsor is haunted.
It is said that the ghost of King Henry VIII roams in the alcoves of the castle, who took upon himself the sin of killing two of his wives: he executed Anne Boleyn and Kate Howard. AT last days In his life, Henry suffered from gluttony and died in excruciating agony, so his ghost groans. The ghost of Anne Boleyn also visits Windsor Castle. The executed queen is always silent and carries her severed head in her hands.

The ghost of King George III, who was suffering from a serious hereditary disease during his lifetime, was noticed by the townsfolk in the office where he spent his last years. Georg by that time was already completely blind and became mentally insane, so he was kept locked up.

The listed ghosts are not the only ones in the castle, there are other deceased kings among them. However, many English people deny the very existence of ghosts, considering them to be the product of the wild imagination of people amazed by the grandeur and pomposity of Windsor Castle.

Information for tourists

To have time to see the sights of Windsor Castle, you need to go on a tour in the morning. Tickets to the castle are sold in two places: at the ticket office of the castle and at the ticket offices of railway stations. In order not to waste time standing in lines, it is better to purchase tickets for the tour in advance.

The first attraction that catches the eye of tourists upon entering the castle will be the Round Tower. If Queen Elizabeth II is in her favorite palace, then her royal standard will fly on the tower. It is pointless to be upset if there is no standard: in any case, not a single tourist will be able to see the queen in the castle. She enters Windsor Palace through a separate gate, and the tours are planned so that it will not work to cross with the Queen of Great Britain.

The guards, which everyone who comes to Windsor Castle will see, carefully monitor discipline and order in the castle grounds. Tourists need to know that it is not customary to make noise and take pictures without permission in the royal residence, otherwise there is a risk of incurring the disgrace of law enforcement officers. But the close attention of the royal guard will pay off handsomely when tourists see a breathtaking picture of the changing of the guard: for the British, this is an important ceremony.

After visiting the chapel of St. George, the palace apartments and other delightful sights of the castle, tourists can take a walk in the magnificent parks of Windsor.

Tours in Windsor are held daily, and an audio guide to the castle in Russian can be purchased along with entrance tickets at the castle box office.

Windsor - a symbol of the power and sovereignty of the country

Much water has flowed under the bridge in a thousand years. Windsor Castle has been replaced by 9 royal dynasties, each of which has done a lot to ensure that Windsor Castle acquires modern luxury and grandeur.

The last ruling Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty went further than all its ancestors and not only contributed to the reconstruction of the castle, but also officially renamed itself the Windsor dynasty, paying tribute to Windsor Castle and officially establishing it as a symbol of the power and sovereignty of the country. The direct descendants of the Windsor dynasty are Queen Elizabeth II and Crown Prince Charles, who consider Windsor Castle their favorite country home and the living embodiment of a millennium kingdom history.