Windsor and its Castle

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 a building with the sole intention of providing a strong defence, it began the slow transformation from castle to a palace around the late 15th century, Elizabeth I spent a lot of time at Windsor, viewing it as the safest place in her realm and making significant amendments to the plans. The Castle that visitors see today bears the hallmarks of a thousand years of British architecture and is still changing today.

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 attraction at Windsor that isn''t widely known is the incredible miniature replication of the castle that is found in a large room next to one of the walls. It is a remarkable creation, showing even the smallest details and giving people the chance to get an unparalleled view of the castle''s layout.

Windsor Castle is not the only major attraction in Windsor, the town also hosts the fourth busiest theme park in the UK: Legoland. Over two million tourists visit every year, and it''s guaranteed to charm visitors of all ages.

In general Windsor is the kind of place that people visit for just one day, but increasingly people are choosing to stay in Windsor''s hotels as a base for sightseeing in London. Hotels in Windsor aren''t cheap, but compared to staying in the centre of London (just a short hop away on the train) they represent extremely good value.

Regardless of whether you go as a one off, or if you use Windsor as the base for a protracted holiday, Windsor Castle is one of the most remarkable buildings in the UK and a perfect start for a staycation.

Article Source: http://www.casinoarticlessite.com

Caron Kristan 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.

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