Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It is open to visitors throughout the year. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since been the home of 40 monarchs. 

There are a lot of things to see and do at Windsor Castle. In the State Apartments you’ll explore ceremonial rooms that are used today by the Royal Family and you’ll discover historical rooms that were built for Charles II and his Queen, Catherine of Braganza. The ceremonial rooms are the main State Apartments that are used today by the Royal Family. Within these rooms the monarch hosts official visits by Heads of State from other countries, investitures, and awards ceremonies, where people from all walks of life are recognised for their achievements.
 
Perhaps the most striking room is the Grand Reception Room. With its chandeliers and gilding it was once used as the main ballroom in the Castle. One object you can't miss in this room is the large malachite urn, presented to Queen Victoria by Tsar Nicholas I in 1839, and one of the largest examples outside Russia. Looking around the gold-covered walls and ceilings it's hard to believe that this room was so severely damaged in the fire of 1992. The room was painstakingly repaired to its former glory, which you can see today. 
 
George IV gave the State Apartments a new grand entrance and staircase, added the colossal Waterloo Chamber, celebrating the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815, and created a new set of private rooms within the Castle, the Semi-State Rooms. These rooms follow the pattern established in English palaces over hundreds of years; a series of rooms getting smaller as they get closer to the most private spaces. Admission was strictly controlled so that only the most important people in the court had access to the king and queen.
 
Charles II set out to rival the achievements of his cousin, Louis XIV, at Versailles in France. In the 17th century he modernized the Castle’s interiors, which became the grandest State Apartments in England, with painted ceilings by Antonio Verrio and carvings by Grinling Gibbons.
 
Since then the rooms have been changed significantly. Many of the painted ceilings were covered with ornamental plaster under the direction of architect Sir Jeffry Wyatville, who worked for George IV. The Grand Reception Room is an example of a gilded plaster ceiling, which was recreated after the Windsor Castle fire.
 
The State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Holbein, Van Dyck and Rubens. Many of the works of art are still in the historic settings for which they were first collected or commissioned by the kings and queens who lived at Windsor.  

Queen Mary's Dolls' House was built between 1921 and 1924 for Queen Mary, wife of George V, by the leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. It includes contributions from over 1,500 of the finest artists, craftspeople and manufacturers of the early 20th century. The House is on permanent display at Windsor Castle. From life below stairs to the royal setting of the saloon and dining room, and from a library bursting with original works by famous literary names of the day, to a fully stocked wine cellar and a garden, no detail was forgotten. The house even includes electricity, running water, and working lifts. Each room is fully furnished and waiting to be explored.
 
St George's Chapel has been the location of many royal weddings including TRH The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and HRH Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank. The Chapel 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 11 monarchs, including Queen Elizabeth II, George VI, Henry VIII and Charles I. Among the many monuments in the Chapel, look out for the spectacular marble memorial by Matthew Wyatt to George IV's only child, Princess Charlotte, who died in childbirth in 1817.

When the Castle is open (Thursday - Monday) the Chapel closes at 16:15 (last entry 16:00), in order to prepare for the evening church service at 17:15. The chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays as services are held throughout the day. Worshippers are welcome to attend the services. 




Starting point: LANDMARK - Windsor Castle, Windsor,  - (Longitude: -0.604403, Latitude: 51.483894)
Ending point: Same - Same as Starting Point

Inclusions: 
 
Tickets
 


Exclusions: 
 
Guide
 


Important Info: 
Please make sure you answer all the mandatory questions during the booking process.
 You need to show a valid ISIC card to get the student rate.