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. King Charles I was executed and buried here in the chapel of St. George. The famous "Widow of Windsor" - Queen Victoria spent in this castle last years of her life, 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 was dug in the fortress, through 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, instead of a wooden outpost, a stone fortress was built, marking the beginning of full-scale construction and expansion. windsor castle successive 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 knightly orders 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. IN 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 box office 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 acquired 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.

Many of them are still inhabited. But the most famous, largest and oldest is Windsor Castle - the main residence for a very long time.

The structure was erected on top of an artificial hill and at first was a fortification of wooden structures. Over the centuries, the famous Windsor Castle has been rebuilt many times. Almost all the rulers changed its appearance, but the round hill created by Wilhelm remained untouched. The fortress, located thirty kilometers from the capital of the country - London - and very close to the magnificent Thames embankment, was an important Norman site.

In 1170, King Henry II built stone buildings on this territory for the first time, which were almost completely destroyed by Edward the Third, who was born here. He erected a new round castle in the center of the fortress. The main building of its construction has survived to this day, although with significant changes. At the end of the fourteenth century (1461-1483), during the reign of Edward the Fourth, construction began main church castle, completed by King Henry VIII. He is buried on the grounds of the famous castle with nine other English monarchs.

Windsor Castle holds many secrets from British history. During the civil

war in England, famous troops conquered the fortress and used it as their headquarters. The defeated Charles the First was taken into custody in the castle. He was executed and buried here in 1648.

The monarchy was restored in 1660. Almost immediately, Windsor Castle begins to experience one of the largest renovations in its history. In an effort to create a kind of Versailles castle in France, Charles II laid out many beautiful shady alleys on the territory of the complex.

After the death of Charles II, for unknown reasons, the following monarchs preferred to live in other castles and palaces in England. It was only during the reign of George the Fourth that the restoration of the castle began. The architects of the king did the impossible - they turned the ancient castle into a stunning Gothic palace, which is perfectly preserved today. The height of the towers has been significantly increased, original decorative elements which successfully combined buildings of different styles and eras.

Today, Windsor Castle is still the main residence, but much of it is accessible to tourists.

Visitors can watch the solemn changing of the guard of honor that guards the castle. The sight is truly mesmerizing! Undoubtedly, Windsor Castle (photo can be seen below) is the greatest monument of history and culture. In addition, its majestic halls store the most valuable exhibits of painting, antique furniture, and unique decorative ceiling designs are amazing.

In 1992, a fire destroyed part of the royal apartments open to the public, but all of them have been carefully restored and restored.

To see all this splendor, you need to buy tickets to the UK and fly to London, from where regular excursions to the famous castle are conducted.

Windsor Castle is one of the most famous in the world. The only castle that has been inhabited for over 900 years. Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family consider it their home. Survivor of the war, the era of medieval knights and the English Civil War. In 1649, a demolition bill in the English Parliament was defeated by just one vote! Windsor Castle was forgotten and then turned into a luxurious palace. Survived two world wars and then almost destroyed by accidental fire. No wonder people are fascinated by the magnificent Windsor Castle. The photo is shown below.

Historical facts

The history of Windsor Castle begins with William the Conqueror, who began construction in England in 1070. By 1100, over 900 years ago, his son Henry I had created living quarters, making it not only the largest, but also the oldest castle in the world. He, along with Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, is one of the main official residences of the Monarch.

Since the time of Henry I (1068-1135) it has been used by all monarchs and is the only residential palace in Europe. From the 1350s to the 1370s, Edward III transformed Windsor from a military fortification into a Gothic palace. Edward's basic design continued into the Tudor period, during which Henry VIII and Elizabeth I increasingly used the castle as a royal court and center of diplomatic entertainment. During civil war in England (1642-1651) the castle was used as a prison for Charles I and military headquarters for parliamentary forces.

At the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II rebuilt much of Windsor Castle with the help of the architect Hugh May, creating many extravagant Baroque interiors that are still admired.

After a period of neglect during the 18th century, George III and George IV refurbished and restored the palace of Charles II at enormous expense, producing the existing Rococo, Gothic and Baroque designs of the apartments.

Queen Victoria made several minor changes to the castle, which became the center of royal entertainment for much of her reign.

Where is Windsor Castle

Windsor is an hour west of London and 15 minutes from Heathrow Airport. The English royal residence stands on a ridge at the northeast edge of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England.

How to get there

Many tourists are interested in how to get to Windsor Castle. By Car: From Central London - Follow the A4 towards Kensington and Knightsbridge, onto the M4 WEST, to Heathrow Airport. Towards Windsor / A332. Parking is £6 for a full day.

By Train: There are two train stations in Windsor located near the castle. Paddington station is served by Windsor & Eton Central. By train, you need to go to Windsor Central Station. Transport departs from Paddington Station every 10-15 minutes throughout the day. The journey takes 25 to 35 minutes. In 2017 round-trip tickets cost from £10.50. The other station is Windsor and Eaton Riverside Station which is served by London Waterloo Station. The journey takes just under an hour and round trip fares start at £12 (in 2017).

By bus: Lines 701 and 702 travel between London and Windsor several times an hour. The journey takes an hour and ten minutes and round trip fares start at £15.

What can be seen

Inside are magnificent apartments, luxuriously decorated rooms that are used for various government functions. A photo inside Windsor Castle is presented below.

Be sure to visit the gothic chapel of St. George, Queen Mary's doll house and an art exhibition that takes place throughout the year. For an additional fee, a tour of the state kitchen is organized. Don't forget to watch the changing of the guard which takes place at 11:00 am from Monday to Saturday from April to the end of July.

Next to the castle in the south, east and north is a park of 500 hectares. Frogmore, site of the mausoleum of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, is also located here. To the south of the castle is the Great Park, with an area of ​​1800 hectares. Long Alley, 5 km avenue, planted by Charles II in 1685. The old trees were replaced by newer ones in 1945.

Cost of visiting

The price range includes categories:

• adults - £21.20 per ticket
• over 60 students - £19.30 per ticket
• under 17s - £12.30 per ticket
• family (two adults and three children under 17) - £54.70 per ticket.
• In addition, children under 5 years are admitted free. Ticket prices in 2018 are valid from January 9 to December 31.

Working hours

The timing of the castle's opening is influenced by the fact that Windsor Castle is used for ceremonial, state occasions and for the Queen's weekends during much of the year.

Opening hours:

March - October - from 9:45 to 5:15 pm (last entry at 4 pm).

November to February - 9:45 pm to 4:15 pm.

Why you need to visit this place

This is the oldest castle in the world. Her Majesty The Queen's official home is full of history that goes back over 1,000 years. No wonder the castle has become a popular tourist destination for those on holiday in the UK.

Over the years, various monarchs have contributed to architecture. The "master builders" who fortified the castle were Edward III in the 14th century, Charles II in the 17th century.

When the queen's mother was still alive, the castle was a favorite building. It covers an area of ​​over 13 acres of land which include:

• a chapel where 10 British monarchs are buried;
• a residential area containing treasures from the royal collection;
• a beautiful doll house that used to belong to Queen Mary;
• a gallery with an art exhibition inside for tourists to showcase British art;
• five state rooms, they are still used by the royal family.

Description of Windsor Castle

The castle after centuries of changes contains about 1000 rooms. William the Conqueror chose the location for Windsor Castle in "New Windsor" - taking the name from "Old Windsor" which was used by the Saxon kings. The New Windsor was 100 feet above the River Thames and on the edge of the Saxon hunting ground. Despite numerous changes, the outer walls and the central mound of the castle are still in the same position as the original version built by William the Conqueror.

Windsor Castle is made up of three "wards" - the upper house, the middle house and the lower house.

On the north side of the Lower Chamber is the chapel of St. George. The chapel is an architectural landmark. This huge building is the spiritual home of the Order of the Knights, dating from the late 15th and early 16th century, designed in the Gothic style. It is the burial place of ten monarchs, including Henry VIII and Charles I.

The middle chamber is actually a round tower that is built in the form of an amphitheater on the highest part of the mountain. It consists of a guards chamber, a dining room, a dressing room and a chamber for beds.

The upper ward contains the royal apartments and large state rooms. Comprises:

• Royal apartments;
• Royal Guard;
• The Queen's Presence Chambers;
• The Queen's Spectators' Chambers;
• Rooms for playing balls;
• Royal drawing room;
• King bed;
• beauty rooms;
• Royal dressing room;
• Queen Elizabeth Galleries (Art Gallery);
• Chinese cabinet;
• Royal cabinet;
• Royal dressing room;
• King bed;
• Royal drawing room;
• Royal public dining room;
• The columned chamber of the king;
• Chambers of the presence of the king;
• Royal Guards Chamber;
• St. George's Hall and St. George's Church or King's Chapel.

• It is the oldest inhabited castle in the world and has been the family home of British kings for 1000 years.
• Henry I was the first monarch to use Windsor Castle as a home, and during his reign the wooden buttresses and walls were replaced with stone.
• Queen Victoria and Prince Albert made the castle their main residence. After Albert's death, Queen Victoria was sometimes referred to as "The Widow of Windsor".
• During World War II, the windows of the castle were blacked out, many of the most valuable works of art were pushed aside, and the royal bedrooms were fortified in case of a siege. royal family slept in this castle during World War II, but it was a secret. The public believed they spent their nights at Buckingham Palace.
• The Great Fire on November 20, 1992 damaged and destroyed 20% of the area of ​​the castle. The palace was completely refurbished over the course of several years at a cost of £36.5 million.
• Seventeen cannons are mounted on the wall of the Tower.
• The devastating fire at Windsor Castle used about one and a half million gallons of water.
• Today, more than 150 people live and work on the territory of the castle.
• The Royal Librarian oversees a priceless collection of 300,000 books, prints and drawings.
• There are 300 fireplaces in the castle, which are looked after by one family that has been working for generations.
• There are over 450 hours at Windsor Castle (including Windsor Great Park).
• Great Kitchen - served 32 monarchs, including Her Majesty the Queen.
• In order to protect the royal family, the castle always had holes in the walls through which hot water was poured on the invaders; loopholes from which they shot back from uninvited guests.

Purpose and functions

The original functions of Windsor Castle were:

• First of all, this is a defensive function. Protection from enemy invaders.
• Provide a retreat for the royal family during times of civil unrest.

Windsor Castle in London was first built with a central keep, the first of the towers being called the "Great Tower". Took shape with successive lines of fortification, only after hundreds of years and several different reigns. Now there are many different towers that form Windsor.

Additional functions

• Royal residence.
• A prison that held very important government prisoners.
• Royal burial place.

Inmates of Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle in England contains many dungeons that have been occupied by many famous prisoners.

Some of the notable prisoners are:

1. 1265 Lord Mayor named FitzThomas.
2. 1346 - King John II of France and King David II of Scotland were imprisoned in luxury in the Upper Ward until they were ransomed. King Edward III often used the castle as a prison.
3. 1413 - Earl March and Prince James (later James I) of Scotland were imprisoned at Windsor.
4. 1546 Poet, Earl of Surrey.
5. 1647 - King Charles I was imprisoned.

Prisoners were kept in the Devil's Tower or in the dungeons. When they died, their bodies were hung from the tower as a warning to others.

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 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.

For the past nine centuries, Windsor Castle has been the embodiment of the power and inviolability of the monarchical system. This residence of the British monarchs is considered to be the oldest and largest residential castle in the world. Tourists from all over the world travel to the city of Windsor (Berkshire) to see with their own eyes the majestic building, in which traces of various eras are imprinted.

History of Windsor Castle

William the Conqueror was the founder of Windsor Castle. He laid a wooden structure on the territory where the royal hunting grounds were located in those days (today there is a magnificent Windsor Great Park). It happened in 1066, after the Norman conquest of England.

Of course, during its long life, the castle was reconstructed and rebuilt many times at the direction of the current monarchs, each of whom was guided by the fashion trends of the corresponding era, as well as their own preferences and financial capabilities.

So, the state apartments with the light hand of Charles II are still a vivid embodiment of the Baroque style, and the semi-state apartments built for George IV are made in the Gothic style.

Already in 1992, the fire caused a colossal reconstruction of Windsor Castle, which, of course, could not pass without leaving its mark on the formation of its appearance. special attention deserves the sumptuous Jubilee Garden, laid out on the occasion of the Queen's Golden Jubilee, and the stunning new setting of the historic St. George's Hall.

Windsor Castle today

Today, Windsor Castle is recognized as the most beautiful castle in the world. Luxury, splendor, wealth - it is in such an environment that members of the royal family deserve to live. By the way, the fact that the castle is the residence of the British monarchs, and not just a museum, makes it even more attractive in the eyes of tourists. Most of the premises of the castle, with the exception of those in which the Queen, her son and grandchildren live, are open to the public.

Important meetings are being held here today, including visits by heads of other states. Almost every day tourists flock here from all over the world. And this is not surprising, because despite the fact that in our days the monarchs do not actually have such power as before, the spirit of their former greatness and power hovers in Windsor Castle to this day.

Attractions of the castle

Windsor Castle is a world landmark in itself. It is even listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest castle on the planet.

On the territory of the castle you can find architectural monuments from many eras and vivid examples of various styles of art that have been in vogue throughout the centuries-old existence of Windsor Castle.

So, the chapel of St. George is the embodiment of the Gothic style. Here are the tombs of monarchs, which also attract the attention of most tourists with the perfection of the design of tombstones and the luxury of the interior.

The majestic view of the round tower, located on a hill surrounded by spreading trees, is breathtaking even for those who are not fans of medieval romance. When the queen is in the castle, flags are raised over the tower - and at this time tourists are not allowed to access the royal apartments.

The luxury of the decoration of the chambers of the monarchs and their family members, the ceiling of the knight's hall lined with the coats of arms of the knights of the Order of the Garter, the abundance of original paintings by legendary masters (Rembrandt, Canaletto, Rubens), elegant antique furniture ... All this shocks, delights and plunges you into a whirlpool of changes in historical eras.

Speaking of the sights of Windsor Castle, one cannot ignore the famous doll house of Queen Mary. This piece of art, measuring 2.5 by 1.5 m, captivates with the elaboration of every detail - from the interiors of tiny chambers to the pattern on each cup that makes up the table setting. The most talented craftsmen from all over the world have been creating the house for four years.

The ceremony of changing the guard of honor, which tourists have the opportunity to see every day, is also worthy of special attention.

Without a doubt, a visit to Windsor Castle will be a bright and unforgettable experience in everyone's life. This is an opportunity to touch the history, feel the greatness of the monarchs and get aesthetic pleasure from the unique and inimitable views.