Windsor Castle
 Royal Britain |  Castles |
The original construction dates back to the 11th century when William I (the Conqueror: 1027-1087) built a castle out of timber to protect the western approaches to London. It was, however, replaced in 1150 by Henry II by a stone castle, which although was altered many times by succeeding monarchs, it followed largely the same lines of the present castle. Ever since its construction it has served as a royal house, though it wasn't until the reign of Charles II in the mid 17th century that its many homely comforts were added.
Situated on the hill overlooking the town, Windsor Castle has dominated the town of Windsor for over 900 years. The castle is the largest castle in Europe, covering a 15-acre site. It is built around three courtyards, the Upper Ward, which houses the state apartments and the East and South wings of the castle, which house the private apartments of the Royal Family, the Lower Ward, which includes St George's Chapel, a late medieval gothic church and the Middle Ward in which the 24.5 meter (80feet) Round Tower, the castle keep, is situated. The Tower is built, according to tradition, where King Arthur sat with the Knights of the Round Table.
It was used as a prison until 1660 and is still surrounded by a moat. Construction on the Chapel was begun in 1474 by King Edward IV and completed in 1528 by King Henry VIII. The Chapel, with its detailed stone vaulting, is a masterpiece of late Perpendicular architecture and has been used, since the time of George III (1738-1820), as the burial place of all monarchs, except Queen Victoria and her husband Albert. Three other monarchs, however, of earlier times also are buried in the Chapel including Charles I (1600-1649), who was denied a funeral service by the parliamentarians who executed him following his defeat in the English Civil War between King and Parliament. His coffin was lost until 1813 when a workman discovered it by accident. The façades of the Chapel are decorated with heraldic shields of ruling royal houses. The choir area in the Chapel is particularly impressive with carved stalls for the monarch and the Knights of the Garter that was founded in the mid 14th century. The walls of the area are decorated with woodcarvings that record the history of the Knights.
To the east of St George's Chapel is the Dean's cloister, originating from the 14th century. The cloister is one of the oldest surviving parts of the castle as well as being one of the earliest examples of a college built around a quadrangle, which became the model for the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge universities. To the south of the cloister is the Albert Memorial Chapel. Built by Henry VII in 1500 to contain his tomb, it fell into disuse during the 17th and 18th centuries. Henry himself was buried in Westminster Abbey in London. Since 1861, the Chapel has been dedicated to the memory of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband. Access to the state apartments is gained from the North Terrace. The apartments house many features and lavishly decorated rooms including the celebrated St. George's Hall, the Throne Room, the Waterloo Chamber, the Rubens Room, and the Van Dyck Room, which contain valuable collections of paintings, statues, and other objects. In November 1992 St George's Hall was devastated by a fire, although after a painstaking and expensive restoration, most of its treasures were saved. Another feature well worth a visit is Queen Mary's Doll's House that is considered to be a masterpiece of craftsmanship.
Surrounding the Castle is extensive parkland. Home Park lies to the north and east of the Castle and also includes the Mausoleum in which both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are buried. The ancient Windsor Great Park lies to the south of the castle and covers about 5000 acres, enclosing most of the countryside that leads to the towns of Ascot and Sunningdale. The park allows for long walks and spectacular views of the Castle.
