Windsor Castle

Home to royalty and 1,000 years of royal history.

Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. It is open to visitors throughout the year. Founded by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, it has since been the home of 40 monarchs. The Castle includes the State Apartments that are used today by the Royal Family, the historical rooms that were built for Charles II and private apartments created for George IV. There are many famous, must-see moments within these spectacular rooms, like the colossal Waterloo Chamber, magnificent Crimson Drawing Room and impressive Grand Staircase.

Have you ever wanted to attend a royal wedding? In the grounds of Windsor Castle you can find St George’s Chapel, a 500-year-old medieval marvel. Grab your chance to witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony. The guards arrive at the Castle just before 11:00 on THursdays and Saturdays.  

Venus Garden - Formerly known as the East Terrace Garden, the newly renamed and redesigned Venus Garden will become part of a standard visit to Windsor Castle this summer, marking the first opportunity for visitors to experience this historic space as inspired by The King’s passion for patterns in nature.  Venus Garden will become part of a standard visit to Windsor Castle this summer from 16 July -13 September 2026

Windsor Castle is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Entrance to the State Apartments closes 30 minutes after the last admission time.

• The safety and wellbeing of our visitors and staff are our priority. 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; and Precinct Tours are temporarily unavailable. We hope to reopen these spaces soon and when it is safe to do so. 
• We suggest you allow 1½-2 hours for your visit. The Castle is at the top of a steep hill, and the visitor route covers long distances. We recommend you wear comfortable shoes.
• When you arrive, you will pass through an airport-style security check. 
• You can take photographs outside the Castle buildings, but not inside the Castle or within St George's Chapel. 
• Your ticket includes a multi-media guide available in English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Mandarin and BSL. We also have a guide for families.  We recommend you bring your own headphones to use with the multimedia guide.
• You will also have the option to buy souvenir guidebooks to collect on the day to accompany your visit.