Dover Castle

Dover Castle is a medieval fortification set high on the chalk cliffs above the English Channel, featuring thick stone walls, a large central keep, and multiple rings of defense. The complex spreads across a wide area and includes underground tunnels, barracks, and the remains of a Roman lighthouse within its walls.

The fortification was built in the 11th century on the foundations of earlier Roman and Saxon defenses. During the siege of 1216, it withstood French forces and was subsequently reinforced with massive new walls to prevent similar attacks in the future.

Locals still refer to the site as the Key to England, a name earned through centuries of watching over the narrow strait separating Britain from the continent. The fortification served not just as a military base but as a symbolic guardian of the island's independence.

The site sits on a hill above the town of Dover and can be reached by a climbing access road or on foot from the center. Visitors should plan several hours to explore both the surface areas and the underground tunnels.

The underground tunnels from the Second World War served as the command center for the evacuation of Dunkirk in May 1940. From here, Vice-Admiral Bertram Ramsay coordinated Operation Dynamo, which rescued more than 300,000 allied soldiers across the Channel.

Location: Dover

Inception: 1179

Architectural style: medieval architecture

Operator: English Heritage

Part of: Regional Seats of Government, Dover Palmerston Forts, Anti-Aircraft Operations Rooms

Website: https://english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle

GPS coordinates: 51.12827,1.32350

Latest update: December 12, 2025 06:48