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Windsor Castle is the largest occupied castle in the world Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. One of the official residences of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. Over the course of nearly 1000 yearsinto one of the greatest palaces in the world, rambles over 13 acres on a chalk buff above the river Thames. The castle has been a royal residence since Henry 1's reign and every subsequent reigning English monarch has made additions to it. Apart from being the largest inhabited castle in the world, Windsor is arguably the best known, and on any visit to the town, it is the vast castle begun by William the Conqueror that draws the eye.
William quickly realised the strategic importance of Windsor, with the use of the River Thames and a forest for hunting close by. Edward III was born at Windsor and cherished it.
Henry II put up the early stone buildings, including the Round Tower, and the castle defences are still mainly those built by Henry I. Queen Mary and Elizabeth I made alterations, there was much done during the reign of Charles II, and by George III. It is however George IV we have to thank for the castle's strikingly beautiful skyline that is surely England's most unforgettable sight.
The castle comprises of three parts, the Lower Ward contains St.Georges Chapel, in the Upper Ward lie the State Apartments and the Middle Ward possesses the enormous Round Tower.
St.George's Chapel as we see it today is mostly of the 15th and 16th-century build, created as an extension to the 13th-century Chapel of Edward the Confessor. The chapel dominates the Lower Ward, it is extremely beautiful with a matchless exterior and interior.
Today, Windsor castle is the much loved home of our Sovereign Lady, Queen Elizabeth II, who was devastated when a fire ravaged the State Apartments in 1992.
A fire damaged over 100 rooms and took 250 fire fighters over 15 hours to control. Fortunately there was little loss of priceless works of art as these had mostly been removed for safety whilst parts of the castle were being restored. It was during the continuity of restoration work that the fire broke out. Apart from this, Windsor Castle had led a peaceful existence with little by way of alteration since the 19th-century.
For the British there is little to compare with the sight of the Round Tower with the Queen's Standard fluttering gently in the breeze.
In the 20th-century Windsor Castle was the dramatic setting for the highly charged emotional abdication broadcast to the British Empire by King Edward VIII, when he renounced the throne in favour of his younger brother who became George VI. In those far off days the affair between Edward and Mrs. Simpson was deemed unacceptable to the British public, the King left these shores as the Duke of Windsor, and later, in France, he married Wallace Simpson. |  Except for the War years, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth did not use Windsor to any great extent, they much preferred the comfort and intimacy of Royal Lodge, their original Windsor home.
At the present time Windsor Castle serves as both a weekend retreat for Queen Elizabeth II and her family. It is also well a fully working castle, the place where most members of foreign Royalty and other Heads of State are received and entertained.
Areas open to visitors are -
- The State Apartments
- The Gallery
- Queen Mary's Dolls House
- St. George's Chapel
- The Albert Memorial Chapel
Windsor Castle is open to visitors from March to October. On rare occasions it may be closed due to affairs of state |
Windsor Castle Plan A = Round Tower N = Entrance to the State Apartments G = St Georg`s Chapel K = Exit O = Entrance T. = Tower  This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its author, Bluewave at the English Wikipedia project. This applies worldwide. | Live, local weather conditions for Windsor
Windsor, England
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 | The purchase of your ticket entitles you to register on the day of your visit for 12 months of complimentary unlimited admission to Windsor Castle. This is valid from the date of your first visit. How to register? To register for unlimited admission, please complete the registration form at the Entrance and ensure that a member of staff at the exit stamps the form before you leave. Registration must take place on the day of your first visit, and forms that have not been stamped will not be accepted once you left the site. For further information: TickedSales and Informaation Office Buckingham Palace London SW1A 1AA (www.royalcollection.org.uk) Telephone: 020 7766 7334 |
 Windsor always has a large population of swans, encouraged by the tourists who feed them. To own swans has always been a privilege granted by the Crown. Today there are three owners of swans, the Monarch, the Worshipful Company of Vintners and the Worshipful Company of Dyers. During Swan-Upping, which takes place in July the swans are marked to show ownership. Until recently the swan was a game bird, eaten at tables as a delicacy, but it disappeared from kitchens when the turkey was imported into England. More recently many swans were dying through lead poisoning caused by them eating discarded lead weights left on the banks by fishermen. Lead weights for angling have now been banned. |  Memorial in Windsor |