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Windsor Castle is (along with Buckingham
Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh) one of a the
principal official residences of the British monarch, who always
stays there at Easter and during "Royal Ascot" week (in June) at the nearby Ascot race course; as well as
for various weekend retreats throughout the year. It is the largest occupied castle in the world, and among the oldest.
The castle is located in the Thames valley to the west of London, in the Berkshire town of Windsor. It was originally built by William the Conqueror to act as a line of defence for London and has since had many additions
and improvements. King Edward III made its St. George's Chapel the home of the Order of the Garter in 1348. Today the inhabited wing of the castle
mostly dates to within the last two centuries, much of it built under George IV.
The castle's layout dates back to the medieval fortifications. The lower ward (at the bottom of the accompanying
illustration) is home to St. George's
Chapel, while the upper ward (at the top) contains the royal apartments and grand state rooms (such as St. George's
Hall, whose ceiling is decorated with the coats of arms of all the knights of the garter). The two wards are separated by the
round tower, a descendant of the original motte of William the Conqueror's castle.
One of the most popular tourist attractions at Windsor Castle is Queen Mary's Dolls' House, a 1:12 model
(designed by Edwin Lutyens) of a house suitable for a monarch in the
early 20th century.
Some of the important events which have occurred at Windsor Castle:
During the first world war, the royal family felt the need to change its dynasty name from the German "House of Saxe
Coburg-Gotha"; they took their new name from the castle, becoming the "House of Windsor."
On November 20, 1992, a significant
part of the upper ward of Windsor Castle (including St. George's hall) was damaged by fire. The fire started in the Private
Chapel, raged for 15 hours, and seriously damaged the northwest side of the building. An investigation found that the fire was
ignited after a spotlight came into
contact with a curtain over an extended period. In order to meet the £40 million repair bill several royal residences were opened
up to tourists.
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