Great Britain is one of the most interesting and elegant countries in all of Europe. Located in the British Isles. For many, Great Britain and England are one and the same. But that's not the case at all.
Great Britain was founded in 1801 and consists of four countries. Each of the four countries that make up the United State owns a certain territory.
As for England, it has the largest area - the island of Great Britain, some small islands, archipelagos and the northeastern part. She also has the beautiful Shetland Islands.
There are countless attractions throughout the UK, in this article we will tell you about the castles in the UK, because this is what the country is so famous for.
Many rich people from different cities like to settle not in ordinary private houses, but in royal castles, as this is very traditional in English.
Windsor Castle
This is one of the most popular and largest castles. It is located in the small town of Windsor and bears the same name. The castle in the UK is the official residence of the English monarchs.
This ancient palace has a very large andinteresting story. It was built during the conquest of England, when William the Conqueror ruled.
Most of the Norman rulers liked to spend the night in the nearby castle, which was located on the territory of Old Windsor, a few kilometers from Windsor.
The palace reached its heyday under Queen Victoria, when it became a kind of symbol of the monarchy in Britain. Since he held this title, almost every next ruler tried to finish building something inside or outside of him.
Later the castle began to perform a defensive function, and this happened until the middle of the seventeenth century. In those years, the kings completely forgot about him. Only in the nineteenth century did the revival of Windsor Castle begin.
Edinburgh Castle
This fortress is located in the heart of Edinburgh on Castle Hill. The palace is considered the main attraction of the capital of Scotland, and annually it is visited by more than a million travelers and citizens.
As for history, it is believed that people lived in this place already in the ninth century BC. The temple also houses the Crown of Scotland and the Scone Stone. This stone is considered legendary as almost all Scottish kings were crowned on it.
From the history of the Skoon Stone, it is known that at the end of the thirteenth century it was taken to England and inserted into the throne, on which the coronation of rulers took place, then it was taken to Britain before the reign of Elizabeth II. She later decided to issue a decree that the stone be returned to herhome to Edinburgh Castle.
Balmoral Castle
The estate is quite large, located in Scotland. English rulers usually rest here in the summer. The castle is not public, as it belongs to Elizabeth II. Many attractions are owned by the English crown.
A lot of animals live here. Among them are partridges, a large number of deer and ponies.
This place is known to all true Englishmen, because it is historical and has served as a residence since the middle of the nineteenth century. Initially, it was bought by Queen Victoria, but before her, King Robert II had some possessions here. It can be said that there were enough owners of the estate.
Queen Victoria died at the beginning of the twentieth century, and the monarchs continued to visit here for some time. Usually in summer and autumn. This tradition has been preserved to this day. Officials like to visit the castle of Great Britain, but only the Ballroom is open for this. The gardens open in the spring when the Queen is away from the estate.
Cardiff Castle
This castle is located in the heart of the small city of Cardiff (the capital of Wales), which is home to about three hundred thousand people. It is believed that on the hill on which the castle is located, even the ancient Romans began to build their structures. Even now you can see some of the architectural style of those years.
When William the Conqueror came to this land,here began the construction of the castle in the Norman style. Since the estate has a long history, it had many owners and each managed to bring something extremely new to the architecture. Thanks to this, we can admire it in modern times.
It is believed that the Marquis of Bute put the most effort into this structure. He hired an architect named William Burges to do some remodeling of the premises. It turned out that the marquis radically changed the interior decoration of the rooms. Moreover, each part of the palace became different from the other. Everything was done in a special way. By right, this palace can be called one of the most interesting castles in Great Britain.
Inverary Castle
It is believed that Scottish castles are the most mysterious and beautiful in the UK. This one is the brightest representative of medieval architecture.
The palace is located among the most picturesque mountains of Scotland - in the western part of the country. It is considered quite young, as it was built in the nineteenth century.
This place is very popular for walking. Every day, many citizens and tourists come here to enjoy the mountain atmosphere and feel the spirit of the Middle Ages.
Now the building belongs to one of the most influential and we althy clans in Scotland - the Campbell clan. And so it is almost impossible to go inside. This is only available to officials and a small circle of people. Visitors have always been struck by the sophistication of the eighteenth-century furniture, as well as the luxury of the interior of the palace.
Dovercastle
This palace is located in a very picturesque place in the United Kingdom in the south-eastern part of England, in the famous town of Dover. It was once nicknamed the "Key of England". It is believed that the first steps towards the construction were made during the time of the ancient Romans. They installed two lighthouses here, which later became part of Dover Castle.
Throughout its existence, this castle in the UK performed defensive and strategic functions. He was an "active participant" in World War II. The inner part was a kind of bomb shelter, as well as an infirmary. By the way, it was from here that the famous Dunker operation was commanded. Part of the information about the castle rooms in the UK is classified.
Elton Hall Castle
This castle is located in the small village of Elton, belonging to the county of Cambridgeshire. It used to be inherited in the Prodi family. It is made as a whole complex, and it includes buildings from different centuries, starting from the fifteenth.
Besides this, a sufficient number of gardens are located on the large territory of the palace. There are many greenhouses and hedges here.
The building has impressive stained glass windows and rich interior decoration. There is an impressive library inside this castle.
Duffield Palace
The beautiful Duffield Castle is located on the territory of Derbyshere. Included in the number of ancient monuments. It was started to be builtancient Romans. It is located within the city and in modern times is considered a city park.
Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle is located in the eastern part of Kent and still performs a strategic and defensive function. He protects the South East of England.
The castle has been rebuilt many times and was originally made by the Norman conquerors.
Conclusion
There are quite a lot of interesting castles in the UK that we didn't mention in the text, however, all of the listed ones are the most popular. If you're in the UK, be sure to visit at least one of them.
