What to look out for at Windsor Castle
There’s so much to see at Windsor Castle, it’s hard to know where to begin! Here are some of our favourite attractions from the tour:
The State Apartments: Windsor Castle’s lavishly decorated State Apartments hold a large collection of fine art and paintings that are stunning to behold. If you visit between September and March, you’ll be able to explore the Semi-State Rooms, which were created for George VI and are now used by The Queen for official entertaining.
St George’s Chapel: In the grounds of Windsor Castle, you’ll find St. George’s Chapel, an active centre of worship, where Prince Edward was married and Henry VIII was laid to rest.
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House: Another must-see attraction at Windsor Castle is Queen Mary’s world-famous Dolls’ House, complete with working lifts, water and electricity supply! It has its own library, full of original works by the top literary names of the day, as well as a beautiful garden and a wine cellar.
Changing the Guard: This spectacular ceremony begins as the Windsor Castle Guard line up outside the Guard Room, until a regimental band, corps of drums or pipe band heralds the entrance of the new Guard. This 45-minute ceremony is part of London’s patriotic culture and is the ultimate spectacle to witness when you visit Windsor Castle.
Windsor Castle facts
Windsor Castle was Queen Victoria’s main place of residence. After Prince Albert passed away, she was often referred to as ‘the Widow of Windsor’.
During World War II, the Royal Family secretly slept in Windsor Castle. The public believed they were sleeping in Buckingham Palace during this time.
There was a huge fire at Windsor Castle in November 1992, damaging more than 100 rooms. The restoration cost almost million.
The castle’s Great Kitchen is home to a whisk that can hold up to 250 eggs at a time, and the cellar holds around 18,000 bottles of wine.
The clocks in the Great Kitchen are always 5 minutes fast, so that the Queen’s food is never served late.
Tickets purchased through 365 Tickets cannot be converted to a 1-year pass
Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. The Castle's dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history. It covers an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal palace, a magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of a large number of people.
What there is to see:
The magnificent State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and the famous triple portrait of Charles I by Sir Anthony van Dyck. In 1992 fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. By good fortune the rooms worst affected were empty at the time, and as a result, few of the Castle's artistic treasures were destroyed. The highly acclaimed restoration work, completed in 1997, is a testament to the extraordinary skills of some of the finest craftsmen in Europe. From October to March visitors can also enjoy George IV's private apartments (the Semi-State Rooms), among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle.
St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the senior order of British Chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. Within the chapel are the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, and Charles I. Among the highlights of a visit to Windsor is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most famous dolls' house in the world.
Photographer Credits:
Image 1: Photographer: Mark Fiennes, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018
Image 2: Photographer: Dennis Gilbert, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018
Image 3: Photographer: John Freeman, Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018
