About
Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world and has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years. Located in the county of Berkshire, approximately 25 miles west of central London, the castle remains a working royal palace and the preferred weekend home of Her Majesty The Queen. The castle's striking silhouette dominates the skyline of Windsor, visible for miles around.
Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century following the Norman invasion of England in 1066, Windsor Castle has been remodeled by successive monarchs according to the tastes and requirements of the day. The castle has survived multiple sieges, a devastating fire in 1992, and two world wars to remain one of the most spectacular and historically important buildings in Britain. The castle covers 13 acres and contains magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Canaletto.
Visitors can explore the magnificent State Apartments, still used today for state occasions and official entertaining. St George's Chapel is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, Britain's oldest order of chivalry, founded by Edward III in 1348. The chapel is also the resting place of ten monarchs, including Henry VIII, Charles I, and Queen Elizabeth II. The semi-state rooms, open during autumn and winter, showcase the castle's opulent royal interiors.
As a working royal palace, Windsor Castle is intimately connected with the British monarchy's history and pageantry. The Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place on selected days, adding to the castle's living heritage. With admission tickets providing access to the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and the beautiful castle grounds, Windsor Castle offers visitors an unparalleled journey through 1,000 years of royal history and British heritage.
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Annual Visitors (2019)
1,600,000
Plan Your Visit
⏱️ Recommended Visit Duration
📅 Best Times to Visit
Quietest: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Busiest: Saturday, Sunday
💡 Weekday mornings (10:00-12:00) for quietest experience. Arrive at opening during school holidays.
💡 Visitor Tips
- Book tickets online in advance for guaranteed entry and to save time queuing at the ticket office. During peak season and school holidays, timed entry slots can sell out days in advance.
- Arrive early at opening time (10:00) to avoid crowds and maximize your visit time. The castle gets progressively busier throughout the day, with peak congestion typically occurring between 12:00-14:00.
- Check the website on the morning of your visit, as the castle occasionally closes at short notice for state occasions or official events. St George's Chapel is closed on Sundays except for worshippers attending services.
- Allow at least 2-3 hours for your visit to see the State Apartments, St George's Chapel, and grounds properly. If the Semi-State Rooms are open (autumn/winter), add another hour to your visit time.
- The free multimedia guide included with admission is excellent and provides detailed commentary in eight languages. Download the Royal Collection Trust app before visiting for additional content.
- Changing of the Guard takes place at 11:00 on selected days (usually Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday). Arrive by 10:30 to secure a good viewing position in the castle quadrangle. Check the schedule online before visiting.
- Photography is not permitted inside the State Apartments or St George's Chapel. You can take photos in the castle grounds, exterior courtyards, and of the Round Tower.
- Wear comfortable walking shoes as the visit involves standing and walking on stone floors. The castle has stairs and cobbled areas. Some sections have limited wheelchair access - contact in advance for assistance.
- The Undercroft Café offers refreshments, but for more dining options, explore Windsor town centre which has numerous restaurants, pubs, and cafes within 5-10 minutes walk of the castle.
- If visiting between September and March, don't miss the Semi-State Rooms, which are George IV's private apartments and showcase even more spectacular interiors and treasures from the Royal Collection.
Highlights
The State Apartments
The magnificent State Apartments showcase the finest treasures from the Royal Collection and have been the setting for state occasions and royal entertaining for over 500 years. Created by Charles II in the 1670s and redesigned by George IV in the 1820s, these lavishly decorated rooms feature gilded ceilings, rich tapestries, fine furniture, and world-class paintings by masters including Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, and Canaletto.
The Grand Reception Room, with its spectacular Gobelins tapestries, and the Waterloo Chamber, created to commemorate the defeat of Napoleon and featuring portraits of the allied leaders, are particularly impressive.
Each room tells a story of royal history and displays breathtaking examples of craftsmanship and artistic excellence collected over centuries.
St George's Chapel
St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England and the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in the world, founded by Edward III in 1348. This stunning perpendicular Gothic chapel, begun by Edward IV in 1475 and completed in 1528, features magnificent fan-vaulted ceilings, beautiful stained glass windows, and elaborate wood carvings.
The chapel is the final resting place of ten monarchs, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, Charles I, George V and Queen Mary, George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and most recently, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
The heraldic banners of the Garter Knights hanging above the choir stalls add colorful pageantry to the sacred space.
Queen Mary's Dolls' House
Queen Mary's Dolls' House is the largest, most beautiful and most famous dolls' house in the world, designed by the leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and presented to Queen Mary in 1924. Built to a scale of 1:12, the dolls' house is a perfect replica of an aristocratic residence, complete with working lifts, flushing toilets, running water, electricity, and a wine cellar stocked with vintage bottles.
Over 1,500 of the finest artists, craftsmen, and manufacturers of the 1920s contributed to its construction, creating miniature artworks, furniture, and fittings of extraordinary detail and quality.
The library contains over 700 specially written books by famous authors including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling, while the garage houses scale models of 1920s vehicles including a Rolls-Royce and Daimler.
The Round Tower
The Round Tower, standing on a 50-foot high mound, is the most iconic and recognizable feature of Windsor Castle, dominating the skyline for miles around. Originally built in wood by William the Conqueror around 1170, it was rebuilt in stone by Henry II in the 1170s and heightened by George IV in the 1820s to improve its proportions and dramatic effect.
The tower divides the castle into two wards - the Lower Ward to the west and Upper Ward to the east.
While the interior is not open to visitors as it contains the Royal Archives and Royal Photographic Collection, the Royal Standard flies from the tower when The Queen is in residence. The views from the castle grounds of the Round Tower are spectacular and instantly recognizable from countless paintings and photographs.
Collections
Windsor Castle houses one of the world's finest and most extensive art collections, part of the Royal Collection held in trust by The Queen for her successors and the nation. The collection spans 600 years and includes over 7,000 paintings, drawings, watercolors, and miniatures by masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Holbein, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Canaletto, Gainsborough, and Reynolds.
The castle's furniture collection includes superb examples of English and French craftsmanship, much of it commissioned by George IV, while the decorative arts encompass Sèvres porcelain, silver gilt, clocks, and tapestries.
The collection of armor and weapons displayed in the Grand Corridor is among the finest in existence. The Royal Library at Windsor contains rare books, manuscripts, and an outstanding collection of Old Master drawings and prints.
State Apartments
The State Apartments form the centerpiece of any visit to Windsor Castle, offering a spectacular journey through royal history and artistic excellence. These magnificent rooms, created by successive monarchs from Charles II to George IV, are still used today for state occasions and official entertaining.
The King's Drawing Room, King's State Bedchamber, King's Dining Room, and Queen's Ballroom showcase the finest treasures from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, and Canaletto, exquisite Gobelins tapestries, Sèvres porcelain, and furniture crafted by the greatest cabinetmakers.
The tour includes the Grand Staircase, Grand Vestibule featuring arms and armor, and multiple drawing rooms and state chambers, each more impressive than the last.
📍 Upper Ward
St George's Chapel
St George's Chapel is a working church and one of England's finest examples of perpendicular Gothic architecture. The chapel serves as the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter and hosts regular services. Visitors can admire the stunning fan-vaulted ceiling, beautiful stained glass windows dating from the 15th to 20th centuries, and intricate wood carvings.
The chapel contains the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII, Charles I, George V, and George VI, as well as Queen Elizabeth II. The Quire, with its carved stalls and colorful heraldic banners of the Garter Knights, is particularly impressive. The Albert Memorial Chapel, adjacent to St George's Chapel, features elaborate Victorian decoration and commemorates Prince Albert.
📍 Lower Ward
Semi-State Rooms
The Semi-State Rooms, open during autumn and winter months, showcase George IV's personal apartments created in the 1820s. These lavishly decorated rooms represent the height of Regency luxury and taste, featuring gilded ceilings, silk wall hangings, and some of the finest furniture ever made. The Crimson Drawing Room, Green Drawing Room, and State Dining Room demonstrate George IV's passion for collecting and his vision of royal splendor.
The 550-foot Grand Corridor displays part of the Royal Collection, including armor, sculptures, portrait miniatures, and Sèvres porcelain. These rooms remain in use by The Royal Family for entertaining, providing unique insight into the private life of the monarchy.
📍 East Terrace, State Apartments
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Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.