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Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world and the oldest in continuous occupation. The castle is located in the Berkshire town of Windsor, in the Thames Valley to the west of London.
Queen Elizabeth II spends many weekends of the year at the castle, using it for both state and private entertaining. Windsor Castle dates back to the time of William the Conqueror who originally built the Castle and reigned from 1066 until his death in 1087. His original wooden castle stood on the site of the present Round Tower. The castle formed part of his defensive ring of castles surrounding London, the site chosen in part because of its easily defendable position.
Most of the kings and queens of England have had a direct influence on the construction and evolution of the castle, which has been their garrison, fortress, home, official palace, and sometimes prison. Over its 1,000-year history, the design of Windsor Castle has changed and evolved according to the times, tastes, requirements and finances of successive Monarchs.
The highly visible landmark of the castle, the Round Tower is in reality far from cylindrical, its shape dictated by the irregular but seemingly round man-made hill on which it sits. The castle's layout dates back to the mediaeval fortifications. The Round Tower divides the castle into two distinct sections known as wards. The Lower Ward is home to St. George's Chapel, while the upper ward contains the private Royal Apartments and the more formal state rooms, which include St. George's Hall a vast room which has a ceiling decorated with the coats of arms of past and present knights of the garter.
The castle is still one of the queens official residences though On the 20th November 1992 a spotlight left on during some restoration work ignited a near by curtain and a fire spread through a 5th of the building destroying 9 principle rooms and over 100 others. It took 5 years to restore the damage at a cost of 37 million pounds. But today the castle is again open to the public.
Windsor Castle still retains a medieval character though later monarchs added towers and battlements to enhance the castles fairytale quality. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_castle)
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