Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and King Charles III loves to spend her weekends in this stunning fortress. Built in the 11th century by William the Conqueror, the castle is still a favorite residence of the royal family.This sprawling grand home covers an area of 13 acres and overlooks charming Windsor town – pay the castle a visit and find out why our royals have lived here for centuries!
The State Apartments
Take a look inside the heart of the working palace – the State Apartments. Regularly used for ceremonial and official occasions, the Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection. Try and spot the paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens and Leonardo da Vinci that hang from the walls! During the winter months the richly decorated Semi-State Rooms are added to the visitor route.
Queen Mary’s Dolls House
Specially built for Queen Mary by leading British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in the 1920’s, Queen Mary’s Dolls House is a magical miniature residence with extraordinary attention to detail. Complete with working lights, running water and a tiny garden, this dolls house is a perfect replica of an aristocratic home. The library is even filled with original works by famous writers of the day!
St George’s Chapel
St George’s Chapel is an imposing Gothic building and the resting place for a number of British monarchs. These include Edward IV, who built the Chapel, Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Services are held regularly and this quiet church is a peaceful addition to a Windsor Castle visit.
The Changing of the Guard
This rousing, truly British ceremony takes place at 11.00am, weather permitting, from Monday to Saturday between April and the end of June. The rest of the year it takes place on alternate days, with the exception of Sundays.
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is currently closed for planned improvement works.
Windsor Castle opening hours:
Windsor Castle is only open Thursday to Monday. 1st of March to 31st of October 10am – 5.15pm (last admission time 4pm) 1st of November to 28th of February 10am – 4.15pm (last admission time 3pm) Semi-State Rooms Entrance to the State Apartments closes 30 minutes after the last admission time. The Semi-State Rooms usually open from autumn-spring each year. The Semi-State Rooms are not open on days when the State Apartments are closed. St. George’s Chapel 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. Monday, 4 December 2023 – St George’s Chapel closing 13:00 Friday, 8 December 2023 – St George’s Chapel opening 11:00 Saturday, 23 December 2023 – St George’s Chapel closing 13:00 Windsor Castle closures: As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, sometimes the entire Castle or the State Apartments within the Castle need to be closed at short notice. 2, 14 and 28 Sept – Castle will close at 16:15. 21 Sept – Castle will close at 14:15. 25 and 26 December – Castle completely closed. 13 – 29 November 2023 – Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House closed, the rest of the Castle remains open.
Please note:
Please note St George’s Chapel is closed to visitors on Sundays. Face coverings are no longer mandatory in Windsor Castle, however they are encouraged. You MUST print the voucher and exchange it at the ticket office for an entry ticket. As a working royal palace, the Castle is used frequently by The King for State ceremonies and official entertaining, and closures can occasionally occur at short notice. Under 5’s go free. In order to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit, we have closed a small number of rooms where social distancing cannot be easily maintained including Queen Mary’s Dolls House. We hope to reopen these spaces soon and when it is safe to do so.
Highlights
HM The King and his family spend most of their private weekends.
Multimedia guides in Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish..
