- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1070 · 11th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- England, United Kingdom
- Style
- Perpendicular Gothic
- Commissioned by
- William the Conqueror
- Architect
- Hugh May
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 51.4839°, -0.6044°
History
William the Conqueror raised a motte-and-bailey fort here around 1070 to guard the western approach to London. Henry II replaced the timber defences with stone, and Edward III turned the castle into a magnificent palace and made it the seat of the Order of the Garter in the mid-14th century. Work on the Gothic St George's Chapel began in 1475, and many monarchs are buried there, including Charles I and Elizabeth II. Under George IV in the 1820s the architect Jeffry Wyatville gave the castle its romantic skyline. After a major fire in 1992 the damaged rooms were restored by 1997, and Windsor remains one of the monarch's official residences.
What to see
Visitors tour the State Apartments hung with paintings from the Royal Collection, the restored St George's Hall and Queen Mary's Dolls' House, a miniature mansion with working lights and running water. The highlight is St George's Chapel, with its fan vaulting and the banners of the Garter knights above the stalls. On selected days the Changing of the Guard takes place, and the tree-lined Long Walk stretches for miles from the gates.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q42646
Popularity: articles about this site in 85 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).