Windsor Castle

We visited Windsor Castle last week during the Bank Holiday Monday. The castle is billed as the longest inhabited castle in Europe, if no the world. Construction on the castle began not long after the Norman Invasion in 1066. It has been added onto over the following 1000 years.

The city of Windsoe has built up around the castle. Right across the street from the castle it seemed like a bit of America: McDonald's Burger King, PIzza Hut, and Starbucks!.

We got to the castle early enough in the morning and missed the long lines that we saw when we left the castle. We did miss the changing of the guard but can always go to Buckingham Palace and watch it there.

One item in the castle is Queen Mary's Dollhouse. It was constructed in 1924 and was a replica of the castle at that time. The electric lights light, the vacuum cleaner actually works, etc., etc. The plates on the dining room table are made of real silver.

Another of the amazing parts of the castle was the Great Hall that has the names and coat of arms of all the kinghts of the Order of the Garter. A few of the coats have been whited out. These are knights that have commited some crime. They are left there as a reminder to the others.

St George's Chapel is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter. Inside the chapel a number of English monarchs are buried. Here is a complete list of those buried in the chapel.

The Fire of Windsor Castle took place on 20 November 1992 - ironically the 45th wedding anniversary of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. During work on some of the State Rooms in the castle, a fire broke out in the north-east part of the Castle and rapidly spread to engulf many rooms. Fortunately most treasures and works of art had been removed temporarily and so few items were lost, although over 100 rooms in the Castle were badly damaged or destroyed. The fire took 250 firefighters some 15 hours to extinguish. The Castle was renovated, the aim being to restore the damaged rooms to their former glory using authentic materials and craftsmanship, and was re-opened in 1997 after five years of work. The cost of the renovation was £37 million.