Windsor Castle: history and amazing facts. Windsor castle

Windsor residence of the monarchs - the largest castle in the world

In the county of Berkshire, which is known to every inhabitant of England, rises the most beautiful castle in England. Moreover, according to many sociological surveys, it is also the most beautiful castle in the whole world. There is nothing surprising in this, because the Queen of Great Britain and members of her family currently live in it. Naturally, the former power of the English monarchs has long since sunk into the past, but the queen, princes and their wives still live in words of luxury today. The thing is that the family of monarchs, even in the 21st century, is considered a symbol of England.

For those who are not familiar with the political structure of Great Britain, it is worth clarifying that all power in the country is concentrated in the hands of the Prime Minister and Parliament. However, the presence of the queen at all solemn events and many official receptions is considered mandatory. It is for this reason that the monarchs still live in the most beautiful castle in the world and enjoy a huge number of privileges. It may not be entirely appropriate to draw a parallel between the members of the royal family and the heraldic symbols of the country, but it is precisely such a comparison that most fully reflects the constitutional-parliamentary monarchical system in England. According to the most authoritative politicians, this model of governing the country is the most effective and, at the same time, allows Great Britain to demonstrate its luxury and wealth to all countries of the world.

Luxury and wealth - these are the two definitions that, as well as possible, characterize Windsor Castle and the luxurious park adjacent to it. It is in this majestic architectural structure, located on a high hill, on one of the banks of the huge Thames, that the Queen of England arranges magnificent receptions and fulfills the obligations assigned to her by the people. Any tourist who is lucky enough to get into windsor castle.

The residence of the monarchs of England, which is still quite often called "The Winding Shores", is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest castle on our vast planet. Its dimensions are 580x165 meters. Besides this, windsor castle arouses genuine interest among travelers also because this oldest building in England has not turned into a museum and is not a “dead” attraction: life is still in full swing in it. The Queen receives high-ranking guests of the country in it, signs some state documents and demonstrates the prosperity of the monarchy in the United Kingdom.

It would seem that Windsor Castle, which is the current residence of the monarchic family, should be closed from prying eyes. However, many of its premises, in which the queen, her son and grandchildren do not live, are available for inspection, but, at the same time, do not officially belong to any museum.

visit windsor castle- the dream of hundreds of thousands of tourists, however, not all of them will be able to get into the residence of the Queen of Great Britain. Crowds of tourists are not typical for the halls of the castle in Windsor. Excursions on it are ordered and silence is required from guests, because we are talking about a place where Her Majesty receives numerous heads of other states.

In many media in England, you can find statements by Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor herself: in them she admits that the largest castle in the world is her favorite residence. She even visits the majestic Buckingham Palace much less frequently than the castle in Berkshire. Before dwelling on the history of the emergence and construction of Windsor Castle, I would like to clarify that the Queen of Great Britain lives in her favorite residence only two months a year: in the middle of spring (in April) and in early June (in early summer). This only means that the queen's "working schedule" is quite tight.

windsor castle- history of origin and construction

The construction of Windsor Castle began during the reign of the legendary William the Conqueror, who, thanks to his talent as a strategist, was able to conquer all the British Isles in 1066. As is known from history, William the Conqueror was born a warrior (which, in principle, is clear from his nickname), the world of beauty was alien to him. During his reign, all the buildings that were erected on the territory of the British Isles were intended only for two purposes: to intimidate the Anglo-Saxons and prevent the enemy army from invading the conquered territory.

At the place where the favorite residence of the Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II of Windsor now rises, an embankment appeared in the shortest possible time. On this artificial hill, William the Conqueror orders the construction of a small wooden outpost. It was impossible to withstand a long siege or assault in it: a small army was in it only to monitor one of the roads that led to London. In the event of an invasion by an enemy army, the messengers from the wooden fortress would immediately report what was happening to the capital, from which a huge army would move out to meet the enemy. By and large, a strategically important object was an ordinary observation post. By the way, it was under William the Conqueror that the construction of the main attraction of modern Great Britain, the gloomy Tower, began. After 100 years, Henry of Anjou decides to strengthen the building erected by William the Conqueror, and builds walls of durable stone around the wooden premises. In addition, a donjon appears in the courtyard with him, which is a round tower.

Round tower (much later)

In this form, the architectural structure stood until 1350, until the time when Edward III ascended the throne. By the way, he was born in the same fortification. By his order, many old buildings were destroyed, the artificial hill was fortified, and in the very center of the fortress, the workers partially rebuilt the so-called “Round Tower”. Surprisingly, the architectural structure, erected by order of Edward III, has survived to this day. Naturally, to say that a modern tourist will be able to see it in its original form would be presumptuous.

Over time, the central castle was rebuilt and strengthened several times. By the way, even under Edward III, the deepest moat was dug around the castle in Windsor. It was supposed to be filled with water to create another barrier for the enemy army. This venture failed: as mentioned above, the hill was artificial, so the earth in it let the water through, which flowed into the Thames.

Edward III, whose fate was inextricably linked with windsor castle, participated with his army in many wars. He went down in history not only due to the beginning of the construction of the largest stone castle in the world, but also due to the fact that he legitimized the Order of the Garter. From the name of the order, it becomes clear that Edward III tried to live according to the laws established in his time by King Arthur. The title of "knight" was not an empty phrase for Edward III. As is known from history, the knight who won the tournament received the garter of a beautiful lady as a reward, hence the name of the order, approved by the monarch and playing a huge role in the formation of the power of the king in England.

Blossoming period Windsor Castle fell on the 14th and 15th centuries. During this period, a church was built. By the way, its construction continued during the reign of two kings at once: Edward IV and Henry VIII. The ashes of the last of them still rest on the territory of Windsor Castle. It is worth clarifying that the tomb of the kings is located in the chapel of St. George. It is the second largest in the entire United Kingdom. It is in it that the most prominent English monarchs find eternal rest. At the present moment, Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, Henry VIII, Charles I and other no less famous August persons are buried here.

Windsor at the end of the 19th century

St. George's Chapel

In 1666, King Charles II began a large-scale construction of new buildings at Windsor Castle and ordered the restoration of the old buildings, which had already begun to collapse as a result of the inexorable passage of time. As a model for the construction of a luxurious suburban residence of the monarchs, the architects of that time took the beautiful Palace of Versailles, located in France. During the reign of Charles II, on the territory adjacent to the castle, many gardens were planted with amazing shady alleys. Before continuing the history of the construction of Windsor Castle, perhaps you should go back a little in time and dwell on one terrible event that overshadowed the entire history of the most magnificent architectural structure. In 1648, by order of Oliver Cromwell windsor castle was captured and used as the headquarters of his army. It was this year that Charles I was executed in the castle, where Elizabeth II is now enjoying life. By the way, they buried him right in the same place where they took his life. From the beginning of this section, it becomes clear that the power of the monarchs was restored already 12 years after the execution of the king.

After the departure of Charles II, who made an invaluable contribution to the construction of the majestic Windsor Castle, the kings of England, for some unknown reason, forget about the country residence until the 1820s. At the beginning of the 19th century, the son of George III ascended the throne, who first of all gave the order, by the way, approved by Parliament without delay, on the restoration and significant expansion of Windsor Castle.

The son of George III ruled for only 10 years, however, during this period of time, the architects and workers hired by him completely reconstructed the old castle and literally turned it into a luxurious palace before our very eyes.

Modern experts claim that windsor castle, which was reconstructed and expanded from 1820 to 1830, was built in the Gothic style. In their words, of course, there is some truth, however, authoritative architects have a slightly different opinion, the castle was built in two styles at once: in neo-Gothic (New Gothic style) and romantic styles. A huge number of decorative elements appeared, the height of the towers increased significantly. Brilliant architects and engineers of that time developed a plan that is unique in its kind, thanks to which numerous buildings dating from different eras turned into a magnificent ensemble that boggles the imagination with its luxury.

Windsor Castle - tour of the royal residence

Modern tourists who come to get acquainted with the architectural styles of Windsor Castle, its interior decoration and treasures and a magnificent garden should definitely purchase an audio guide on its territory. It is worth noting that a tour of Windsor Castle will take the whole day. It is the audio guide, which, by the way, is also offered in Russian, will allow you to see all the main sights of the largest castle in the world and not miss anything interesting and worthy of attention.

round tower

Through the gate Windsor Castle the tourist will enter the courtyard, in which rises the most famous "Round Tower", built by order of Henry II and rebuilt by Edward III. By the way, in this tower, Edward II held meetings of the knights at the legendary round table, invented by King Arthur. It is also interesting that this tower can be used to find out whether Elizabeth II of Windsor is in her favorite residence, or at the moment she is absent. In cases where the Queen of Great Britain stays at Windsor Castle, her personal standard develops on the round tower in the wind.

Royal standard

After visiting the courtyard Windsor Castle the audio guide will advise you to visit the real doll house dedicated to Queen Mary. It is in this building that you can see tourists who come to see this attraction with children. True, all these dolls are not toys and even museum exhibits. Mary's Dollhouse is an exhibition that allows a visitor to Windsor Castle to get an idea of how the monarchs lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Mary's dollhouse

After visiting the Dollhouse, in which many people stay for quite a long time, the guests of the castle set off on a journey through its halls. The halls of Windsor Castle are a real exhibition of paintings by the most famous and most talented artists in the world. The walls of the halls are decorated with paintings by Van Dyck, Raphael, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and other no less famous and legendary painters. Naturally, it is not even worth emphasizing that all the paintings are originals, because the material is about the favorite residence of the Queen of Great Britain.

Hall of Saint George

throne room

Of particular interest to all tourists, without exception, is the hall of St. George, or rather its ceiling. It depicts the heraldic symbols of the knights included in the Order of the Garter. By the way, on the ceiling of the hall of St. George, you can immediately see three Russian coats of arms: Alexander I, Alexander II and Nicholas I. All these three Russian emperors were knighted and entered the legendary Order of the Garter. Their dedication took place in the Throne Room Windsor Castle, which is located immediately behind the hall of St. George. After being knighted, the new members of the Order of the Garter proceeded to Waterloo Hall, where a ceremonial dinner was held.

Another interesting and luxurious building is the chapel of St. George. As mentioned above, the most famous monarchs who played a key role in the formation of the United Kingdom are buried in it. It is not possible to describe all its luxurious decoration in words. It seems that all the decorative elements and even the walls are made of noble metals and inlaid with precious stones. By the way, this impression is not deceptive: during the construction of the Church of St. George, which in many guidebooks is listed as the "Temple of the Order of the Garter", expensive marble, gold and silver were used. In the chapel of St. George, the Queen herself and the heir to the throne, who until a certain moment was Prince Charles, are present at the service. Even if a tourist enters the chapel during the service, he will not be able to see the queen and her heir.

In the back of the temple there are two booths, which are closed from prying eyes with a thick cloth. It is impossible to guess where the queen is sitting and where the prince is. If only because the answer to this question, even after the end of the service, will not be given. By and large, this is one of the most luxurious premises of Windsor Castle, of course, it will not be possible to enter the premises where the queen lives. Elizabeth II even forbids taking photos of her inner chambers.

windsor castle- memo to the tourist

After visiting the rooms of Windsor Castle available for inspection, do not rush to the hotel. Indescribable luxury can also be seen in the gardens laid out on the territory adjacent to the architectural structure.

Windsor Castle is open seasonally (March to October) from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. You can enter it no later than at 16.00. In winter, the castle closes for visitors at 16.15. As already mentioned at the very beginning of the article, silence is required from visitors to the largest castle in the world and the favorite residence of Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor. The royal guard monitors the calmness and observance of order. The same guard, which is captured in many paintings and photographs of professional artists. By the way, the changing of the guard of the royal guard in Windsor Castle- a real performance, not to look at which would be an unforgivable mistake.

A visit to Windsor Castle is paid. A ticket for an adult costs 14.5 pounds sterling, children can visit the royal residence for 8 pounds sterling. There is also the so-called “family ticket”, the cost of which is 34.5 pounds sterling: it involves visiting Windsor Castle by two adults and one child.

Before Windsor Castle the best way to get there is by train. By the way, at the railway ticket office you can immediately buy tickets to visit one of the main attractions of Great Britain. In this case, it will not be possible to save money, but time will work out. The thing is that there are two entrances to Windsor Castle, intended for tourists. Travelers who have purchased a ticket at the ticket office near the castle enter one of them, and the second one - at the railway ticket office. The queue at the last entrance is much smaller than at the first. Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor, of course, enters her residence through a separate entrance, so it will not work to face Her Majesty in line at the castle.

The article was prepared using materials from the site https://putidorogi-nn.ru

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 on the 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 Henry. In 1350, King Edward III began building his so-called Round Castle. It was located in the center of the fortress itself. This structure has survived to this day, but, however, it has changed several times.

As for the chapel of St. George, the main church of the complex, 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.

Address: UK, Windsor
Date of construction: around 1070
Architect: Hugh May
Coordinates: 51°29"02.0"N 0°36"16.0"W

In the county of Berkshire, which is known to every inhabitant of Foggy Albion, rises the most beautiful castle in England. Moreover, according to many opinion polls, it is also the most beautiful castle in the whole world.

Castle from a bird's eye view

There is nothing surprising in this, because the Queen of Great Britain and members of her family currently live in it.. Naturally, the former power of the English monarchs has long since sunk into the past, but the queen, princes and their wives still live in indescribable luxury today. The thing is that the family of monarchs, even in the 21st century, is considered a symbol of Foggy Albion.

For those who are not familiar with the political structure of Great Britain, it is worth clarifying that all power in the country is concentrated in the hands of the Prime Minister and Parliament. However, the presence of the queen at all solemn events and many official receptions are considered mandatory. It is for this reason that monarchs still live in the most beautiful castle in the world and enjoy a huge number of privileges. It may not be entirely appropriate to draw a parallel between members of the royal family and the heraldic symbols of the country, but it is precisely such a comparison that most fully reflects the constitutional and parliamentary monarchical system in England. According to the most authoritative politicians, this model of governing the country is the most effective and, at the same time, allows the UK to demonstrate its luxury and wealth to all countries of the world.

View of the castle from the Long Walk

Luxury and wealth - these are the two definitions that perfectly characterize Windsor Castle and the luxurious park adjacent to it. It is in this majestic architectural structure, located on a high hill, on one of the banks of the huge Thames, that the Queen of England arranges magnificent receptions and fulfills the obligations assigned to her by the people. Any tourist who is lucky enough to get to Windsor Castle will be able to familiarize himself with all these obligations.

The residence of the monarchs of England, which is still quite often called "The Winding Shores", is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest castle on our entire vast planet. Its dimensions are 580x165 meters. In addition, Windsor Castle is of genuine interest to travelers due to the fact that this oldest building in Foggy Albion has not turned into a museum and is not a “dead” attraction: it is still full of life. The Queen receives high-ranking guests of the country in it, signs some state documents and demonstrates the prosperity of the monarchy in the United Kingdom.

View of (left to right) Lancaster Tower, King George IV Gate, York Tower

It would seem that Windsor Castle, which is the current residence of the royal family, should be closed from prying eyes. However, many of its premises, in which the queen, her son and grandchildren do not live, are available for inspection, but, at the same time, do not officially belong to any museum.

Visiting Windsor Castle is the dream of hundreds of thousands of tourists, however, not all of them manage to get into the residence of the Queen of Great Britain. Crowds of tourists are not typical for the halls of the castle in Windsor. Tours around it are ordered and guests are required to observe silence, because we are talking about a place where Her Majesty receives numerous heads of other states.

In many media in England, one can find statements by Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor herself: in them she admits that the largest castle in the world is her favorite residence. She even visits the majestic Buckingham Palace much less frequently than the castle in Berkshire. Before dwelling on the history of the emergence and construction of Windsor Castle, I would like to clarify that the Queen of Great Britain lives in her favorite residence only two months a year: in the middle of spring (April) and early summer (June). This only says that the Queen's "work schedule" is quite tight.

View of the Edward III Tower

Windsor Castle - history and construction

On the site where the favorite residence of Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor now stands, in as soon as possible an embankment appeared. On this artificial hill, William the Conqueror orders the construction of a small wooden outpost. It was impossible to withstand a long siege or assault in it: a small army was in it only to monitor one of the roads that led to London. In the event of an invasion by an enemy army, the messengers from the wooden fortress would immediately report what was happening to the capital, from which a huge army would move towards the enemy. By and large, the strategically important object was an ordinary observation post.

View of St. George's Gate

By the way, it was under William the Conqueror that the construction of the main attraction of modern Great Britain began - the gloomy Tower. After 100 years, Henry of Anjou decides to strengthen the building erected by William the Conqueror, and builds walls of durable stone around the wooden premises. In addition, a donjon appears in the courtyard with him, which is a round tower.

In this form, the architectural structure stood until 1350, until the time when Edward III ascended the throne. By the way, he was born in the same fortification. By his order, many old buildings were destroyed, the artificial hill was strengthened, and in the very center of the fortress, the so-called “Round Tower” was partially rebuilt by workers. Surprisingly, the architectural structure, erected by order of Edward III, has survived to this day. Naturally, it would be presumptuous to say that a modern tourist will be able to see it in its original form.

Round Tower

Over time, the central castle was rebuilt and strengthened several times. By the way, even under Edward III, the deepest moat was dug around the castle in Windsor. It was supposed to be filled with water to create another barrier for the enemy army. This idea failed: as mentioned above, the hill was artificial, so the earth in it let the water through, which flowed into the Thames.

Edward III, whose fate was inextricably linked with Windsor Castle, participated with his army in many wars. He went down in history not only due to the beginning of the construction of the largest stone castle in the world, but also due to the fact that he legitimized the Order of the Garter. From the name of the order, it becomes clear that Edward III tried to live according to the laws established at one time by King Arthur. The title of "knight" was not an empty phrase for Edward III. As is known from history, the knight who won the tournament was rewarded with the garter of a beautiful lady, hence the name of the order, approved by the monarch and playing a huge role in establishing the power of the king in Foggy Albion.

View of the tower of Henry VIII

The heyday of Windsor Castle fell on the 14th and 15th centuries. The church was built during this period. By the way, its construction continued during the reign of two kings at once: Edward IV and Henry VIII. The ashes of the last of them still rest on the grounds of Windsor Castle. It is worth clarifying that the tomb of the kings is located in the chapel of St. George. It is the second largest in the entire United Kingdom. It is in it that the most prominent English monarchs find eternal rest. At the moment, Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, Henry VIII, Charles I and other no less famous august persons are buried here.

In 1666, King Charles II began extensive construction of new buildings at Windsor Castle and ordered the restoration of the old buildings, which had already begun to collapse as a result of the inexorable passage of time. Architects of that time took the beautiful Palace of Versailles, located in France, as a model for the construction of a luxurious country residence of monarchs. During the reign of Charles II, on the territory adjacent to the castle, many gardens were planted with stunning shady alleys.

Henry VIII Gate

Before continuing the history of the construction of Windsor Castle, perhaps we should go back a little in time and dwell on one terrible event that overshadowed the entire history of the most magnificent architectural structure. In 1648, by order of Oliver Cromwell, Windsor Castle was captured and used as the headquarters of his army. It was this year that Charles I was executed in the castle, where Elizabeth II is now enjoying life. By the way, they buried him right in the same place where they took his life. From the beginning of this subsection, it becomes clear that the power of the monarchs was restored already 12 years after the execution of the king.

After the departure of Charles II, who made an invaluable contribution to the construction of the majestic Windsor Castle, the kings of England for some reason forget about a country residence until 1820. At the beginning of the 19th century, the son of George III ascended the throne, who first of all gave the order, by the way, approved by Parliament without delay, on the restoration and significant expansion of Windsor Castle.

Statue of Queen Victoria with Salisbury Tower in the background

The son of George III ruled for only 10 years, but during this period of time, the architects and workers hired by him completely reconstructed the old castle and literally turned it into a luxurious palace before our very eyes.

Modern experts claim that Windsor Castle, which was reconstructed and expanded from 1820 to 1830, was built in the Gothic style. In their words, of course, there is some truth, but authoritative architects have a slightly different opinion, the castle was built in two styles at once: neo-Gothic (New Gothic style) and romantic styles. Appeared great amount decorative elements, the height of the towers increased significantly. brilliant architects and the engineers of that time developed a plan unique in its kind, thanks to which numerous buildings dating from different eras turned into a magnificent ensemble that boggles the imagination with its luxury.

View of the Commandant's Tower

Windsor Castle - tour of the royal residence

Modern tourists who come to get acquainted with the architectural styles of Windsor Castle, its interior decoration and treasures and a magnificent garden should definitely purchase an audio guide on its territory. It is worth noting that the tour of Windsor Castle will take the whole day. It is the audio guide, which, by the way, is also offered in Russian, will allow you to see all the main sights of the largest castle in the world and not miss anything interesting and worthy of attention.

Through the gates of Windsor Castle, the tourist will enter the courtyard, in which rises the very famous "Round Tower", built by order of Henry II and rebuilt by Edward III. By the way, in this tower, Edward II held meetings of knights at the legendary round table, invented by King Arthur. It is also interesting that from this tower you can find out whether Elizabeth II of Windsor is in her favorite residence, or in this moment she is absent. If the Queen of Great Britain stays at Windsor Castle, her personal standard develops on the round tower in the wind.

Chapel of St. George

After visiting the courtyard of Windsor Castle, the audio guide will advise you to visit a real doll house dedicated to Queen Mary. It is in this building that you can see tourists who come to see this attraction with children. True, all these dolls are not toys and even museum exhibits. Mary's Dollhouse is an exhibition that allows a visitor to Windsor Castle to get an idea of how monarchs lived in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After visiting the Doll's House, where many people stay for quite a long time, the guests of the castle go on a journey through its halls. The halls of Windsor Castle are a real exhibition of paintings by the most famous and most talented artists in the world. The walls of the halls are decorated with paintings by Van Dyck, Raphael, Rembrandt, Van Gogh and other equally famous and legendary painters. Naturally, it is not even worth emphasizing that all the paintings are originals, because the material is about the favorite residence of the Queen of Great Britain.

Norman gate

Of particular interest to all tourists without exception is the hall of St. George, or rather its ceiling. It depicts the heraldic symbols of the knights belonging to the Order of the Garter. By the way, on the ceiling of the hall of St. George, you can see three Russian coats of arms at once: Alexander I, Alexander II and Nicholas I. All these three Russian emperors were knighted and entered the legendary Order of the Garter. Their initiation took place in the Throne Room of Windsor Castle, which is located just behind St. George's Hall. After being knighted, new members of the Order of the Garter proceeded to Waterloo Hall for a formal dinner.

Another interesting and luxurious building is the chapel of St. George. As mentioned above, the most famous monarchs who once played a key role in the formation of the United Kingdom are buried in it. It is not possible to describe all its luxurious decoration in words. It seems that all the decorative elements and even the walls are made of precious metals and inlaid with precious stones.

Left to right: Queen's Tower, Clarence Tower, Chester Tower, Prince of Wales Tower

By the way, this impression is not deceptive: during the construction of the Church of St. George, which is listed in many guidebooks as the "Temple of the Order of the Garter", expensive gold and silver marble was used. In the chapel of St. George, the queen herself and the heir to the throne, who up to a certain point was Prince Charles, are present at the service. Even if a tourist enters the chapel during the service, he will not be able to see the queen and her heir.

At the back of the temple are two booths that are covered from prying eyes with thick cloth. It is impossible to guess where the queen is sitting and where the prince is. If only because the answer to this question, even after the end of the service, will not be given. By and large, this is one of the most luxurious premises of Windsor Castle, of course, it will not be possible to enter the premises where the queen lives. Elizabeth II forbids even taking photos of her inner chambers.

View of the Arsenal Tower

Windsor Castle - tourist memo

After visiting the accessible rooms of Windsor Castle, do not rush to the hotel. Inexpressible luxury can also be seen in the gardens laid out on the territory adjacent to the architectural structure.

Windsor Castle is open seasonally (March to October) from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. You can enter it no later than at 16.00. In winter, the castle closes for visitors at 16.15. As already mentioned at the very beginning of the article, from the visitors of the huge castle peace and the beloved residence of Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor, silence is required. Peace and order are monitored by the royal guard. The same guard that is depicted in many paintings and photographs by professional artists. By the way, the changing of the guard of the royal guard at Windsor Castle is a real performance, not to see which would be an unforgivable mistake.

Entry to Windsor Castle is free of charge. An adult ticket costs £14.5, children can visit the royal residence for £8. There is also a so-called "family ticket", the cost of which is 34.5 pounds sterling: it involves visiting Windsor Castle for two adults and one child.

Castle courtyard

The best way to get to Windsor Castle is by train. By the way, at the railway ticket offices you can immediately purchase tickets to visit one of the main attractions of the UK. In this case, it will not be possible to save money, but time will work out. The thing is that there are two entrances intended for tourists to Windsor Castle. Travelers who have purchased a ticket at the box office near the castle enter one of them, and the second one - at the railway ticket office. The queue for the last entrance is much shorter than for the first one. Queen Elizabeth II of Windsor, of course, enters her residence through a separate entrance, so it will not work to face Her Majesty in line at the castle.

Windsor Castle is undoubtedly the most famous in England. As the main home of the British royal family since the time of William the Conqueror, it is also considered to be the largest and oldest residential castle in the world.

Myths and facts

The first fortifications consisted of a wooden structure on top of an artificial hill. Throughout history, Windsor Castle has been rebuilt several times. Many monarchs have affixed their seals to this one, but the round hill, surrounded by walls, is still in the same position as on the day it was founded by William. The strategic position of the fortress - 30 km west of London, not far from the embankment of the River Thames - made it an important Norman post.

King Henry II built the first stone buildings in 1170. King Edward III, who was born here, destroyed most of Henry's buildings and in 1350 built his new "round castle" in the center of the fortress. Edward's central building survives to this day, albeit with significant modifications.

St. George's Chapel, the main church of the complex, was founded during the reign of King Edward IV (1461-1483) and completed by King Henry VIII (1509-1547), who is buried there along with nine other British monarchs.

The bloodiest episode in the history of Windsor Castle took place during the English Civil War, when the troops of Oliver Cromwell captured and used it as a fortress and the headquarters of the parliamentary army. The deposed monarch Charles I was imprisoned for a short time in Windsor Castle and buried here after his execution in 1648.

After the monarchy was restored in 1660. Charles II began one of the most extensive periods of reconstruction and expansion, greatly transforming the entire complex. Imitating in, Karl laid many shady alleys in the surrounding area.

After the death of Charles II, subsequent monarchs up to George III preferred to use other and. It was during the reign of George III's son, George IV (1820-1830), that the final significant restoration was begun, which the royal house survived. George's architects turned it into the spectacular gothic palace you see today. The height of the towers has increased and decorative elements have been added that unite buildings from different eras.

What to watch

Windsor Castle remains the main residence of the royal family, but most of it is now open to tourists. As well as, it is guarded by a guard, the solemn change of which visitors can watch daily. And in the majestic halls you can see valuable paintings, decorative ceiling designs and antique furniture.

A fire in 1992 destroyed some of the royal apartments that were open to the public, but they have been painstakingly restored. As you explore the complex, take a walk through Windsor Great Park with beautiful sculptures - part of the forest where the royal hunt once took place.

It will take you a full day to visit England's greatest castle, making it a great getaway from London's city sights. And in you can see the most romantic fortress, which also served as a home for many queens of England. In there is another, one of the largest fortresses built by Edward.

Windsor Castle is open to the public daily from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, Sunday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.
Cost: £14 (about $22.4), children under 15 years old - £8.
How to get there: from London (40 km) to Windsor, trains depart from stations: Waterloo and Paddington (at least two per hour). Buses No. 700, 701, 702 from Buckingham Palace Road, No. 77 from Heathrow Airport.
Official website: www.windsor.gov.uk

Few people know that the favorite residence of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain is 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 has a long and eventful 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 at a great 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) that will take them through the most interesting places fortress and tells the story 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 adorned 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 gala 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.