Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is the home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The Castle’s dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history and its magnificent State Rooms and works of art reflect the tastes of successive kings and queens. In 1992 a devastating fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. The highly acclaimed restoration work, completed in 1997, is a testament to the skills of some of the finest craftsmen in Europe.
HM The Queen and her family spend most of their private weekends at Windsor Castle. The Queen is also officially in residence throughout April and June, when the annual Garter Service is held in St George’s Chapel. Upon arrival at Windsor Castle, audio guides are available in different languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish.
Windsor Castle Tour Highlights
The State Apartments, the heart of the working palace, are regularly used for ceremonial and official occasions. They are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Van Dyck. During the winter months the Semi-State Rooms, among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle are added to the visitor route.
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is the most famous dolls’ house in the world. It took three years to complete and involved the work of 1,500 tradesmen, artists and authors. The house is unusually well equipped for its day with modern comforts and labour saving devices. It has electric lighting, an electric vacuum cleaner, hot and cold running water, and even flushing lavatories.
St. George’s Chapel is one of the finest examples of gothic architecture in England. It has been the setting for many royal weddings and is the burial place of ten sovereigns. The Chapel is dedicated to the patron saint of the Order of the Garter. Britain’s highest Order of Chivalry.
The Changing of the Guard takes place at 11:00am, weather permitting, from Monday to Saturday between April and the end of June, and on alternate days for the rest of the year, with the exception of Sundays.
The Castle is open to visitors everyday, including when The Queen is in residence, except for 25 and 26 December. As the Castle is a working royal palace opening arrangements may be subject to change at short notice. Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is currently closed for planned improvement works.
Highlights
- Visit the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world
- HM The Queen and her family spend most of their private weekends
- Multimedia guides in Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish.
Schedule
Days of Departure: Daily
Please note
Windsor Castle is open daily throughout the year, with a few exceptions when the Castle is in use for official functions. As a working royal palace, the Castle is used frequently by The Queen for State ceremonies and official entertaining, and closures can occasionally occur at short notice.
Windsor Castle closures:
- 25 October 2019: State Apartments closed
- 13 December 2019: Semi-State Rooms closed
- 25 – 26 December 2019: Castle completely closed
St. George’s Chapel
Closures:
- 13 December 2019 (closes at 3:30pm)
- 23 December 2019 (closes at 1:00pm)
- 24 December 2019 (closes at 1:00pm)
St. George’s Chapel is usually closed to visitors on Sundays as services are held throughout the day. Worshippers are welcome to attend the services.
These occur at the following times:
- 08:30 – Holy Communion
- 10:45 – Mattins and Sermon
- 17:15 – Evensong
- 11:45 – Sung Eucharist
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is currently closed until further notice.
Additional Information
- Please Note:
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House at Windsor Castle is currently closed until further notice. - As a working royal palace, the Castle is used frequently by The Queen for State ceremonies and official entertaining, and closures can occasionally occur at short notice.
- Under 5’s go free
Venue Information:
Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1NJ Nearest Train Station: Windsor and Eton Central or Windsor and Eton Riverside Golden Tours act as an official agent for these activities, as such you are subject to the terms and conditions of the supplier.
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