Windsor Castle

Windsor is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and the Official Residence of Her Majesty The Queen. Its rich history spans almost 1000 years. The Castle covers an area of about 5 hectares (13 acres) and contains magnificent State Apartments furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, St George's Chapel (one of the most beautiful ecclesiastical buildings in England and the burial place of 10 monarchs), and Queen Mary's Dolls House, a masterpiece in miniature.

During the winter months an additional five rooms, known collectively as the Semi-State Rooms, are included in the visitor route. Standard admission charges apply. The Semi-State Rooms are open to the public from Saturday 26 September 2009 to the end of March 2010.

Henry VIII: A 500th Anniversary Exhibition, 8 April 2009-18 April 2010. To mark the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne, some of the most important and beautiful treasures to survive from the King's reign have been brought together from the Royal Collection and St George's Chapel archives. Windsor Castle played host to Henry VIII and his court on many occasions and the monarch is buried in St George's Chapel with his third wife Jane Seymour. Through paintings, drawings, miniatures, prints, books and manuscripts, the exhibition explores the life of a king who had a profound impact on British history and whose fascinating story continues to generate widespread interest today.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CASTLE CLOSES 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES AFTER LAST ENTRY TIME: March to October 09:45-17:15 (last admission 16:00), November to February 09:45-16:15 (last admission 15:00).



As Windsor Castle is a working royal palace, opening arrangements may change at short notice. Please check before planning a visit.

Please note the following provisional closure dates during 2009:

CASTLE COMPLETELY CLOSED:
27 October 2009
25 and 26 December 2009 (St George's Chapel open to worshippers)

STATE APARTMENTS CLOSED:
26-29 October 2009
3 November 2009
10 November 2009
1 December 2009

SEMI-STATE ROOMS CLOSED
2 December 2009

ST GEORGE'S CHAPEL CLOSED:
23 December 2009 (chapel closed from 1pm, other than to worshippers attending services)
24 to 26 December 2009 (other than to worshippers attending services)
Please note, worshippers are welcome to attend the Sunday services at St George’s Chapel but the chapel is closed to general visitors on Sundays.

SPECIAL TOURS FOR PRE-BOOKED GROUPS:
From Great Kitchen to State Apartments - An introduction to the history of royal dining, past and present followed by a guided visit to the Great Kitchen and medieval Undercroft, neither of which are normally open to the public.

Private Evening Tours - An exclusive guided tour of the State Apartments and Semi-State Rooms for your group.

Both these special tours are available to pre-booked groups on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 29 September 2009 only by appointment with the ticket sale and information office at Buckingham Palace on 020 7766 7322.

Exhibition Talk - Henry VIII: A 500th Anniversary. The tour begins in the Castle's Winchester Tower with refreshments and an introduction to the special exhibition in the Castle's Drawings Gallery marking the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne. The tour concludes with a visit to the Drawings Gallery where your group will be able to explore the life of a king who had a profound impact on British history and whose fascinating story continues to generate a widespread interest today.

This tour is available to pre-booked groups from May 2009 to March 2010 (excluding July and August) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only by appointment with the ticket sale and information office at Buckingham Palace on 020 7766 7322.