Windsor Castle, the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world, is one of the official residences of Her Majesty The Queen. The Castle's dramatic site encapsulates 900 years of British history. It covers an area of 26 acres and contains, as well as a royal palace, a magnificent chapel and the homes and workplaces of a large number of people.

Find out more about the history of Windsor Castle and how it is used today on the British Monarchy Website

What there is to see

The magnificent State Apartments are furnished with some of the finest works of art from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Canaletto and Gainsborough.

In 1992 fire destroyed or damaged more than 100 rooms at the Castle. By good fortune the rooms worst affected were empty at the time, and as a result, few of the Castle's artistic treasures were destroyed. The highly acclaimed restoration work, completed in 1997, is a testament to the extraordinary skills of some of the finest craftsmen in Europe.

From October to March visitors can also enjoy George IV's private apartments (the Semi-State Rooms), among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle.

During August and September the East Terrace is open to visitors. Overlooking Home Park and the rose garden created for George IV in the 1820s, it offers views of the East façade of the Castle, not normally visible to the public.

St George's Chapel is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in England. It is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the senior order of British Chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. Within the chapel are the tombs of ten sovereigns, including Henry VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour, and Charles I.

Among the highlights of a visit to Windsor is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, the most famous dolls' house in the world. It took three years to complete and involved 1,500 craftsmen, artists and authors. The house has electric lighting, hot and cold running water, and even flushing lavatories.

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The Drawings Gallery, Windsor Castle

The Drawings Gallery shows changing exhibitions of material from the Royal Library at Windsor Castle. The special display below is shown alongside a selection of treasures from the Royal Library.

Current exhibition:

Marcus Adams: Royal Photographer

24 April 2010 – 6 February 2011

Marcus Adams (1875-1959) photographed four generations of the Royal Family between 1926 and 1956.

The son of the photographer Walton Adams, he established a reputation as a leading child photographer through his ability to capture the personality of his young sitters. The 57 images in the exhibition span a period of 30 years and include vintage prints from almost all the royal sittings, many from the collection of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The centrepiece of the exhibition is a charming group of photographs of the very young Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret taken in the late 1920s and 1930s.