Popular castles in England

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 10:26

TOP 10 castles in England
TOP 5 castles in Wales

England is a land of green plains, picturesque villages and gloomy medieval castles. Some of these strongholds found the famous William the Conqueror, while others established themselves as the main defensive forts of the bloody War of the Roses. What are the most popular castles in England?

Of course, one cannot ignore the world-famous Tower of London - the symbol of the whole of Great Britain. Founded by William the Conqueror, this 900-year-old fortress is located in the heart of London. Once the Tower became famous as the most sinister prison in the entire country - it was here that the tragic heroines of English history - Anne Boleyn and Lady Jane Gray - ended their days. Now, behind these powerful walls, there is a treasury of royal regalia.

Another castle is famous all over the world and is also closely related to the British crown - Windsor Castle. Despite the fact that Queen Elizabeth II and her numerous relatives often stay at this castle, it is still open for tourist visits. Of particular interest to visitors is the regular changing of the guard, consisting of the Queen's personal guards. And the notorious King Henry VIII is buried in the luxurious Gothic chapel of St. George.

However, there are many other curious castles in England. Their names may not be so well known, but each has a unique history. For example, it is worth visiting Nottingham Castle, which is closely associated with the legend of the noble robber Robin Hood. This ancient fortress really served as a royal hunting residence for a long time, and now it houses a stunning museum of fine and decorative arts.

Another legend is associated with another ancient castle - Winchester. It was built in 1067, but only its huge Great Hall, considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, has survived to this day. An even more unique "relic" is kept here - the wooden Round Table of King Arthur.

Particularly noteworthy are the castles of North Wales, built around the same time by King Edward I. These powerful 13th century fortresses are considered a masterpiece of medieval military architecture.

Now many of these ancient castles are open for tourist visits. Some of them have survived only partially, while others, on the contrary, are equipped with the most modern technologies and amenities and are even suitable for living. By the way, in some castles there are even ghosts, for example, one of the towers of the huge Warwick Castle is widely known as the "Tower of Ghosts".

TOP 10 castles in England

Warwick castle

The history of this huge fortress goes back over a thousand years. Built during the reign of William the Conqueror, Warwick Castle changed many powerful owners.

Since 1088, the castle has been the seat of the Earls of Warwicks. The most prominent member of this ancient aristocratic family is Richard Neville, known as the "Doer of Kings." In the turbulent times of the War of the Roses, he first brought the young Edward IV to power, and then, when the young king refused to be his puppet, the Earl of Warwick went over to the side of his political opponents. King Edward was even a prisoner of his former mentor for some time, but he was kept like a king - just in this castle.

However, not all prisoners of Warwick Castle were so lucky. Back in the middle of the XIV century, the thick towers of Caesar and Gaius, crowned with jagged peaks, were erected. On the lower tier of Caesar's tower, there was a gloomy dungeon in which the French prisoners during the Hundred Years War and many other prisoners were kept. Now in this tower a rather gloomy museum is open, where you can "admire" the ancient instruments of torture.

By the way, at about the same time - in the middle of the XIV century - another tower appeared, Watergate. It also has a frightening history - this tower is widely known as the Tower of Ghosts. It is believed that the spirit of one of the owners of the castle, Baron Fulk Greville, wanders here. This most educated man of his time was one of the statesmen at the court of Queen Elizabeth. He suffered a sad fate - already in his declining years, he was meanly stabbed to death by his own servant.

And Baron Fulk Greville did a lot for Warwick Castle. For several years, he turned a gloomy fortress into a pretty country estate, while the castle has not lost its unique ancient military fortifications. At the same time, luxurious gardens with spacious alleys were laid out around the castle.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Warwick Castle was luxuriously furnished in accordance with the era, and a new neo-Gothic chapel was also consecrated. Artificial waterfalls, graceful park decorations and a greenhouse appeared in the gardens.

Now Warwick Castle is an architectural monument and is included in the list of protected sites by UNESCO. The park hosts colorful medieval festivals, knightly tournaments and shows with the participation of eagles and other birds of prey. While visiting the castle, you can even participate in catching ghosts in the infamous Watergate Tower. And in 2005, the "highlight of the program" appeared in the park of Warwick Castle - a trebuchet carefully created according to medieval canons - a throwing machine, the weight of which exceeds 20 tons. It is activated every day.

Winchester castle

Winchester Castle is located in the old district of the city of the same name. It was built back in 1067 - right after the Norman conquest. Once it enjoyed special prestige - the royal court often stayed here. However, during the dictatorship of Oliver Cromwell in the middle of the 17th century, almost all of Winchester Castle was destroyed. Only its Great Hall has survived to this day, where the most curious historical museum is now located.

The building itself deserves special attention - it is a huge Gothic hall of the 13th century, one of the few of its kind that has survived to this day. Its wooden coffered ceilings are supported by slender, graceful columns, and fragments of ancient paintings can be seen on the walls.

However, the main attraction of Winchester Castle is a unique artifact called King Arthur's Round Table. Despite the fact that the very existence of this person in history has been questioned by scientists, millions of tourists visit the castle to touch the legend. The table itself - only the upper part of it has survived - has a really round shape and is made of wood. It even has the names of King Arthur and his famous knights - Sir Galahad, Lancelot and many others written on it. However, examination proved that the table was made in the XIII century, and painted based on the legend of King Arthur already in the time of Henry VIII. However, this does not change the value of this exhibit.

Also, the Main Hall of Winchester Castle is decorated with antique stained glass windows and a bronze statue of Queen Victoria, made in 1887 to celebrate the golden anniversary of the reign of this distinguished person.

The picturesque ruins of the fortress wall and the main tower of the medieval fortress have been preserved in the territory around the castle.

Rochester Castle

The picturesque ruins of Rochester Castle have been a source of inspiration for the renowned artist William Turner and the great writer Charles Dickens. And once this powerful medieval fortress became a pretext for a bloody civil war between the English king and his barons …

The first Rochester Castle was built immediately after the Norman Conquest and belonged to Bishop Odo, half-brother of William the Conqueror. But the next Rochester Castle appeared in the middle of the XII century. The castle's splendid keep - the tallest in all of England - was built around 1140.

However, in the XIII century, this powerful fortress became a bone of contention between its owner - the Archbishop of Canterbury and King John Lackland, who wished to single-handedly own this important strategic object. A civil war, known as the First Baronial War, broke out, during which the king managed to break the resistance of the castle in a prolonged siege.

The subsequent numerous wars and sieges negatively affected the state of Rochester Castle - already in the 14th century it was decided not to restore it anymore, and in the 17th century its picturesque ruins began to attract the first "tourists". The ennobling of the territory of Rochester Castle took place already in the 19th century.

Nowadays, many defensive structures have survived from Rochester Castle: a fortress wall, several thick towers and a huge donjon, the height of which reaches 38 meters. According to historical records, Rochester Castle, where the king of England often lived, was distinguished by its rich interior and antique tapestries. The king lived on the upper tier of the keep, there were also small chapels. On the lower floors were the rooms of the castle commandant and the royal retinue, and the cellars served as warehouses and dungeons.

Lincoln castle

The monumental Lincoln Castle has long served as a state prison. This powerful Norman fortress was built in 1068 on the foundations of former Saxon and even Roman fortifications. By the way, Lincoln Castle is unusual in that it stands on two hills at once - the territory of this castle is so huge.

Lincoln Castle belonged to the old noble family of Lancaster, a prominent representative of which Henry IV Bolingbroke became king of England in 1399. From that moment until the middle of the 19th century, the castle personally belonged to the English kings, but they no longer lived here, transforming this ancient citadel into a prison.

Now Lincoln Castle is open for tourist visits, while most of its medieval buildings have been preserved. Particularly prominent are the walls of 1115, the partially collapsed Lucy Tower of 1141 and the thick crenellated tower of Cobb Hall, most likely added at the beginning of the 13th century. Tourists are invited to climb the walls and towers of the castle and walk around the perimeter.

Among the more modern buildings on the territory of Lincoln Castle are the prison buildings of the 18th and 19th centuries and the Victorian courthouse. At the same time, the prisons were arranged very curiously - they even included a chapel, which prisoners were allowed to visit. Moreover, every sitting on the benches in this church was completely obstructed, that is, the prisoners could not only talk, but even see their "cellmate".

Lincoln Castle is also famous for the fact that the rarest copy of the Magna Carta is kept here - the first medieval document guaranteeing the protection of the rights of the noble population of England.

Dover castle

Dover Castle is the largest castle in all of England. For a long time, it was the most important strategic point of the entire country - after all, it was located right on the Pas-de-Calais, separating England from France.

The first fortified structures on this site appeared in the 40s of the 1st century AD. Then the Romans settled here, shortly before that invaded England. From that era, one ancient Roman lighthouse has survived, now transformed into a church bell tower.

Dover Castle itself appeared immediately after the Norman conquest, while it acquired its modern shape at the end of the 12th century, during the reign of Henry II Plantagenet. Dover Castle was surprisingly not damaged during the first English Revolution - the rebels recaptured it from the Royalists without firing a shot.

On the eve of the war with Napoleon, Dover Castle was additionally fortified in accordance with the latest advances in military engineering. At the same time, its famous tunnels were laid, which were used during the Napoleonic Wars as barracks. About 2,000 soldiers were kept underground. Subsequently, the tunnels of Dover Castle played an important role in the next century, during the Second World War. Then the underground corridors of Dover Castle served as a bomb shelter, hospital and even a command post - it was from here that the leadership of the famous Allied landing in Normandy came.

The interior of Dover Castle is open to tourists. In the main tower of the castle, medieval interiors have been preserved, while in other rooms there are interesting exhibitions dedicated to the eventful history of the castle. Tourists are even invited to descend into the famous tunnels, but it is worth noting that some rooms of the underground part of the castle are still classified.

Another attraction of Dover Castle is its ancient chapel, consecrated in honor of the Virgin Mary. It is considered the rarest surviving example of religious architecture from the Anglo-Saxon period. The chapel was built back in 1000 years and is distinguished by the austerity of the exterior and thick walls. An even more ancient lighthouse built by the Romans serves as a bell tower.

Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle rises above the tiny town of the same name. This powerful fortress was built by one of the associates of William the Conqueror, but its modern appearance is the result of a large-scale reconstruction that took place in the 18th-19th centuries. Therefore, many of the architectural elements of the castle belong to the more modern neo-Gothic style. However, some parts of the fortress wall and several powerful crenellated towers have been preserved since the Middle Ages.

Among the owners of the castle of Arundel, it is worth noting Adelyse of Louvain, the wife of King Henry I of England. After the death of her crowned husband, the young widow married a second time and received the huge castle of Arundel as a dowry. The former queen herself was considered one of the most educated women of the 12th century - she was engaged in literary and religious activities.

In 1580, Arundel Castle became the main residence of the powerful dukes of Norfolk from the old aristocratic Howard family. Many members of this family have established themselves during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. They also bear the title of Earl of Arundel, which is one of the oldest in the whole of Great Britain.

Arundel Castle was badly damaged during the 17th century English Revolution. A full restoration of the castle took place only in 1846, when Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, visited Arundel. The castle was completely transformed - from an old dilapidated medieval fortress, an elegant noble mansion with modern amenities and exquisite Victorian-style interiors has grown. This is how Arundel Castle still appears today.

The rooms where the royal couple lived are considered the personal property of the permanent owners of the castle - the Howards. However, antique Victorian furniture, including the Queen Victoria bed, are on display in the museum halls. The grounds of the Arundel Castle are also open for tourist visits, and medieval festivals, knightly tournaments and bird shows are held in the inner courtyard of the castle.

Another important attraction of Arundel Castle is its chapel, built in the XIV century, that is, before the castle passed to the Howards. Then the castle belonged to the FitzAlans, distant descendants of Queen Adelise of Louvain. The FitzAlan Chapel is unique in that it is divided into two parts: in one the services are similar to the Catholic canon, and in the other - to the Anglican. The small church itself is made in the perpendicular Gothic style and is crowned with a triangular spire.

Arundel Castle is easy to get to - a couple of tens of kilometers from the city are the large seaports of Southampton and Portsmouth.

Berkeley Castle

The pretty Berkeley Castle has been in the same family for centuries. Like many other English castles, it was built immediately after the Norman Conquest and served as a strategically important defensive fort on the border with Wales.

Berkeley Castle is interesting because there are no ancient military fortifications on its territory, and there is not even a fortress wall. All this was destroyed during the revolution of the 17th century. However, the owners managed to preserve the castle itself. Some buildings were restored already in the 20th century, but they serve exclusively a decorative function.

The architectural ensemble of Berkeley Castle itself consists of a picturesque but dilapidated donjon of the 12th century and later living quarters built in the 14th century.

Berkeley Castle is one of the oldest castles, where its owners still live. However, only a small part of the castle is private property; most of the ancient halls are open to tourists. It has preserved medieval interiors with high wooden ceilings and walls adorned with tapestries, trellises and paintings. Some of the halls were already equipped in the 20th century, and here you can see unusual decor elements in the Art Nouveau or Art Nouveau style.

In the castle of Berkeley, there is also a dark prison cell with a dungeon, which enjoys an ill fame. It is believed that it was here that King Edward II, who was overthrown in 1327 by his wife Isabella of France, was killed.

Berkeley Castle is surrounded by a graceful park and garden terraces, built already under Elizabeth I at the end of the 16th century. Colorful medieval festivals and many other events take place here.

Nottingham castle

Nottingham Castle has long been included in folklore - it was here and in the surrounding Sherwood Forest that the famous legendary hero Robin Hood hunted.

The castle itself was built immediately after the Norman conquest in 1067 and was additionally fortified after a hundred years. Nottingham Castle has a rich history, but there are practically no medieval structures left on its territory.

Originally, Nottingham Castle served as an important defensive fort controlling the Trent River. However, it was soon chosen by the English nobility and began to use it as a hunting residence. Kings often stayed here with their entourage, who came to hunt in the huge Sherwood forest.
According to the novel "Ivanhoe" by the great Walter Scott, the legendary Robin Hood was a contemporary of two brothers - the English kings Richard the Lionheart and John the Landless. Thus, Nottingham Castle is truly "connected" with the famous legend. In 1194, the brothers clashed among themselves just under Nottingham Castle when the younger John revolted against Richard while he was making a crusade to the Holy Land.
And soon the walls of Nottingham Castle saw another armed conflict between relatives - in the middle of the XIV century, the young King Edward III had to take power by force from his mother Isabella of France, who became regent after the deposition and possible murder of her husband, Edward II.
Under King Edward III, Nottingham Castle was transformed into a luxurious royal residence. One of its last inhabitants was Queen Joanna, wife of Henry IV Bolingbroke, sung by William Shakespeare. Henry VIII also stayed here, but already in the 16th century the castle was in a deplorable state. It was completely destroyed during the revolution in the next century.

The modern Nottingham Castle was erected in 1674-1679 on a medieval foundation in the style of the Mannerist era (the transition period between the Renaissance and the Baroque). Unfortunately, in 1832, this elegant mansion was burned down by rebellious peasants. The castle was partially rebuilt at the end of the 19th century, at the same time a spacious gallery appeared on the second floor. Some of the architectural features of Nottingham Castle are borrowed from the famous Louvre.

Now Nottingham Castle houses the Art Museum. Its rich collections include medieval alabaster carvings, antique ceramics, folk costume and lace, and watercolors. A separate room is used as an art gallery displaying works by artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.

And on the territory of Nottingham Castle there are costume reconstructions of the legend of Robin Hood and a fun beer festival.

Durham Castle

The pretty Durham Castle forms a single architectural ensemble with the magnificent Durham Cathedral. Both of these medieval buildings are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Durham Castle was built at the end of the 11th century - immediately after the Norman conquest. Initially, it served as a strategically important defensive point - the castle was located near the border with the warlike Scots. Subsequently, this powerful fort turned into the residence of the city's bishops.

Durham Castle is famous for its huge ceremonial hall, which is 30 meters long and 14 meters high. It was built in the XIV century and has survived to this day in almost authentic form.

Durham Castle also has two amazing chapels. The oldest of them was built in 1078, most likely at the same time as the castle itself. Another, the Tunstall Chapel, appeared in 1540. It has preserved the original furnishings of that era with furniture and church utensils from the 16th-17th centuries.

It is curious that since 1837, the city university has been located in Durham Castle. The sumptuous grand hall has been converted into a dining room, while the dungeon, the main tower of the castle, is home to student bedrooms. Many ancient premises that have survived from the Middle Ages are used for educational purposes, so Durham University is a kind of real-life Hogwarts, a school of magic from the famous tale of Harry Potter.

Now Durham Castle and its chapels are open to tourists, but only as part of a special excursion group. The green grounds connect Durham Castle with another cultural monument - Durham Cathedral, which is a rare example of Romano-Norman architecture.

Bodiam Castle

The monumental Bodiam Castle is located in the tiny town of the same name, just a couple of tens of kilometers from the English Channel. This powerful fortress was built in 1385 at the height of the Hundred Years War to protect the coast from the French invasion, however, modern historians and architects doubt the reliability of this fortification. Most likely, these thick walls and powerful crenellated towers were intended to intimidate the opponent with their imposing appearance.

Bodiam Castle is a regular square, bordered by four round towers, each of which consists of three floors. There is no separate main tower - donjon - which is quite rare for medieval military architecture. The location of the castle is curious - it is surrounded by an artificial moat, dug during its construction at the end of the XIV century. There is an amazing feeling as if Bodiam Castle rises in the middle of the lake.

Unfortunately, the interior of Bodiam Castle has not survived - most likely, they were destroyed immediately after the English Revolution at the end of the 17th century. And the fortress itself was preserved thanks to a rather eccentric person: in 1829, the castle was acquired by the "crazy" Jack Fuller, who became famous for his inadequate antics, because of which he was even taken out of Parliament. This funny brawler took the value of his acquisition seriously and contributed to the restoration of the castle.

The ennobled picturesque ruins of Bodiam Castle began to attract thousands of tourists. And now the castle is open to the public, and in the immediate vicinity there is a cozy pub.

TOP 5 castles in Wales

Carnarvon Castle

Carnarvon Castle is one of the four castles of King Edward I, built at the end of the 13th century after the conquest of Wales. Now it is one of the most popular castles in Great Britain.

The famous William the Conqueror could not maintain his rule over Wales, and it took the English kings more than two hundred years to gain a foothold in this region. The last independent ruler of Wales is Llywelyn III ap Gruffydd, who was killed by the army of King Edward I in 1282. A year later, the English king, wishing to strengthen his position, ordered the construction of several powerful defensive forts at once.

Carnarvon Castle occupies a huge territory, while it was never completed. Construction work was carried out mainly during the reign of King Edward I at the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. The castle is considered a masterpiece of medieval military architecture. It consists of nine powerful towers, the oldest of which is the Eagle Tower. At its top, there are three more smaller turrets, each of which was previously crowned with a statue of an eagle. It is believed that this tower was erected in the first year of the construction of Carnarvon Castle.

Edward I planned to equip his residence here, but the luxurious chambers of the king and queen were never completed. However, it was in Carnarvon that the king's son was born - the future King Edward II and the first heir to the English throne, who received the title of Prince of Wales.

Now the Carnarvon Castle is open for tourist visits, but the interior of this huge fortress has not survived. However, the monumental walls and towers of the castle make an unforgettable impression. Curiously, the towers of Carnarvon Castle are not typical of English architecture - they are polygonal rather than circular. This is due to the fact that King Edward I wanted so much to strengthen his power in the region that he erected a castle that vaguely resembles the mighty Constantinople - such a structure of towers is more common in the East.

Conwy Castle

The powerful Conwy Castle, like Carnarvon, was built in 1283-1289 by King Edward I shortly after the conquest of Wales. During the Middle Ages, the castle took part in numerous military conflicts.

For the first time, Conwy Castle was sieged a couple of years after its construction - in December 1294, the Welsh rebelled against King Edward I and laid siege to him at Conwy Castle. The king held out for two months until reinforcements arrived. In this monumental citadel, people of royal blood often stayed - Edward I, his son, the first prince of Wales Edward, and in 1399 King Richard II took refuge in Conwy Castle, fleeing the persecution of his cousin, the future usurper Henry IV.

After the devastating English Revolution of the 17th century, Conwy Castle lost its strategic importance, but in the 18th-19th centuries, its picturesque ruins were chosen by the artists of the Romantic era, including the great William Turner. And in the middle of the 19th century, Conwy's popularity grew even more, as the first bridge appeared, connecting the castle with a large sea city and the resort of Llandudno.

Now Conwy Castle is open for tourist visits, but the interior of its interior has not been restored. The castle is surrounded by a long - more than a kilometer - fortress wall, consisting of eight thick towers and even more monumental entrance gates. Each tower is about 20 meters high. It is known that earlier there were rich royal chambers, several kitchens and breweries, and the tower's dungeon served as a prison for a long time.

Beaumaris Castle

Beaumaris Castle is another of the castles in Wales, built by King Edward I shortly after the conquest of the region. At the same time, the construction of Beaumaris Castle began relatively late - only in 1295 after an unsuccessful attempt at an uprising by the Welsh.

Beaumaris Castle is distinguished by a rather unusual structure - unlike other fortresses and citadels typical of the Middle Ages, it lacks the main tower - the donjon. The castle is made in a concentric form, rare for that time - it is surrounded by two rings of the fortress wall at once. By the way, another distinctive feature of Beaumaris Castle is that it was built not on a hill, but on a low-lying surface, moreover, its protective moat has direct access to the Irish Sea, that is, ships could stop directly at the castle walls. Therefore, the area received such a funny name, which literally translates as "beautiful swamp".

Like many other castles of King Edward I, Beaumaris Castle was never finished due to the high cost of its construction. However, even not brought to the end, this fortress boggles the imagination. Now, in its appearance, the inner ring of fortifications is especially prominent, consisting of six powerful towers and two even thicker gates. At the same time, the towers remained unfinished - according to the plans of Edward I, they were supposed to consist of three floors and be habitable.

Despite the fact that Beaumaris Castle remained unfinished, and the interior was destroyed over the past centuries, it is a unique example of medieval military architecture and is under the protection of UNESCO. Beaumaris Castle is open for tourist visits, but only during the warmer months.

By the way, King Edward I also built the fourth castle for the defense of Wales - Harlech, also distinguished by a concentric layout. It is believed that this small fortress served as the prototype for the more perfect Beaumaris Castle.

Kairfilly Castle

The huge Cairfilly Castle is considered the forerunner of the famous ring of fortifications built in Wales by King Edward I. Among other things, this castle is considered a masterpiece of medieval military architecture. The plan for its construction is really unusual - it is the first concentric castle in the territory of modern Great Britain. Moreover, this citadel is surrounded by huge artificial lakes, in the middle of which there are powerful dams, additionally fortified with small turrets. All this creates the appearance of an impregnable fortress on the island.

Cairfilly Castle itself was built by Gilbert de Clair in 1268 to strengthen English influence in Wales. Subsequently, Kairfilli Castle belonged to the noble family of the Dispensers, who fell into disgrace after the overthrow of King Edward II in 1327. For some time, the castle was owned by the famous Richard Neville, "the king's leader" and the protagonist of the War of the Roses, and then his political opponent - Jasper Tudor, uncle of the future King Henry VII.

Cairfilli Castle was badly damaged during the 17th century English Revolution. A devastating civil war and natural disasters - landslides or floods - caused the southeastern tower to tilt dangerously. However, this "leaning tower" is still standing.

In the middle of the 18th century, Cairfilli Castle - like the other large Welsh castle of Cardiff - passed to the Earls of Bute, who ennobled the territory. Now the castle is open for tourist visits. It has an amazingly preserved interior of the medieval Great Hall. It is also worth noting the monumental eastern gate, flanked by two thick towers with graceful windows. Most likely, the rooms of the castle commandant were located on the upper floors of the towers.

Cardiff Castle

The capital of Wales is Cardiff, famous for its amazing castle. Its history goes back almost two thousand years. The first fortified fort on this site was built by the Romans in the 1st century AD. Separate fragments of the 3rd century fortress wall have survived to this day.

The Norman fortified citadel appeared already at the end of the 11th century - between 1080 and 1090. Subsequently, the castle was owned by noble families, often related by blood or marriage ties with English kings. One of Cardiff's most prominent residents is Richard Neville, the famed "doer of kings" and an important figure in the War of the Roses. And then the fortress went to his main enemy - Jasper Tudor, uncle of the future King Henry VII.

In the middle of the 18th century, Cardiff Castle passed to the eminent Earls of Bute. From that moment on, a massive modernization of the territory began and the construction of new, more modern buildings. A luxurious neo-Gothic mansion, designed by the famous architect William Burgess, appeared in 1868. It was complemented by a graceful clock tower and many other curious structures, which contrasted slightly with the powerful medieval walls.

Now Cardiff Castle is open to tourists. The architectural ensemble of the castle is an amazing sight - the ancient Roman walls were recreated anew, the monumental donjon has been preserved from the middle of the 12th century, and at the end of the 13th century the high crenellated Black Tower was erected. The more sophisticated South Gate was added in the 15th century, and the rest of the buildings appeared already under Butes and were made in the neo-Gothic style popular at that time.

It is worth noting the unusually furnished interiors of the castle. The Arabian Hall is especially luxurious, its high ceiling is decorated in the Moorish style, while other rooms are designed in the more familiar neo-Gothic style. All are richly decorated with Victorian furnishings and adorned with murals, carvings and gilding.