Windsor, A Royal Residence

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
Comment this article

Twenty miles east of Charing Cross lies the relatively small town of Windsor, which, by most measures is largely unremarkable. Yet Windsor is one of the most visited towns in the UK because it is the location of one of the UK''s most fantastic buildings.

Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and dates back to the time of William the Conqueror. Since the first foundations were laid nearly a thousand years ago the castle has undergone extensive remodelling and extending, but has remained one of the primary residences of the Kings and Queens of England.

Initially built by William the Conqueror as a purely defensive building, it began the slow transformation from castle to royal palace in the last 15th century. Elizabeth I was one of the monarchs who spent a considerable amount of time there, frequently retreating to the castle when she felt under pressure.

Ironically, the greatest threat to Windsor Castle came not from a medieval siege but from a fire in the early 1990s that damaged 97,000square feet of the castle. Renovations took five years and cost ?37 million and was largely the reason ...
... for opening Buckingham Palace up to visitors (to pay for the renovation).

One unusual aspect of Windsor Castle that is not so well known is the incredible miniature version of the castle that can be found just next to one of the major walls. There is often a short queue, but it''s definitely worth it to get an unprecedented view of the castle in its entirety.

For tourists Windsor has another great attraction, Legoland, which attracts nearly two million tourists every single year. It''s a great place to go with kids (but not exclusively for children) and provides something completely different to the castle itself if you''re going for a day out.

The vast majority of tourists only visit Windsor for a single day, but they''re missing a trick. Hotels and accommodation in Windsor generally are a lot less expensive than those in London''s city centre, yet there are two train station in Windsor and the journey is less than twenty miles.

Whether you go for a protracted stay or for just a short visit Windsor is a wonderful place, the history of Windsor castle is mind-blowing and it is undeniably one of the greatest buildings in the UK. Bonny Kominek was inspired to write this article after a particularly pleasant weekend break in Windsor with Octopus travel and recommends their booking facilities when searching for Windsor hotels.