Dover Castle
★★★★☆
Dover Castle has been described as the Key to England due to its defensive significance throughout history.
Dover Castle is one of the largest castles in England. From a height of 120 meters, it looks over the English Channel at the crossing's narrowest point.
The castle features massive defenses, topped with medieval walls, towers, and networks of tunnels beneath.
King Henry the Second began building the castle in the 12th century.
Over the next 800 years, its buildings, defenses, and tunnels were modified to address the evolving warfare needs right into the era of nuclear weapons.
This site may have been fortified even before the Romans invaded the British Isles.
Still standing at the site, a lighthouse built by the Romans soon after their conquest. It is claimed to be Britain's oldest standing building.
Most of the castle we see today was established by Henry the Second. He spent lavishly creating the most advanced castle design in Europe at Dover.
Dover Castle - beautiful landscape
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Dover Castle resisted determined sieges in 1216 and 1217 when King John fought against a coalition of English barons and Prince Louis, heir to the French throne.
It remained important under the Tudors, with Henry the Eight building artillery forts in Dover and Elizabeth the First exploiting the castle's position during the war with Spain.
The castle played a critical strategic role during the Napoleonic Wars and, later, during the First World War.
In the Second World War, two new levels of tunnels were built.
Dover Castle - tunnels
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Dover Castle was used as naval headquarters and played a central part in Operation Dynamo, with the evacuation of British and Allied troops from Dunkirk.
The Great Tower's interior offers a genuine re-creation of a royal medieval world.
Dover Castle - kings dining room
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The King's Chamber is staged to look as it would have during the reign of Henry the Second.
Dover Castle is more than just a building. Its strategic position has made it one of the most valuable defensive fortresses in the country's history.