Colchester Castle, Norman castle and museum in Colchester, England
Colchester Castle is a Norman fortress in the town of the same name, built with walls constructed from Roman bricks and featuring a large rectangular keep. The interior now houses a museum displaying exhibitions related to local history and archaeological finds.
The castle was built in 1076 on the ruins of a Roman temple and was designed to control the town following the Norman Conquest. Over the centuries, it served as a royal fortress, prison, and later as a private residence.
The castle displays the layering of Roman and Norman history, as its foundations rest upon an ancient temple. Visitors can read this overlap of eras in the architecture itself and see how different cultures built at the same location.
The site has multiple levels accessible by stairs and some by elevators, which means visitors with varying mobility can explore at different paces. It is advisable to allow adequate time to view the exhibitions thoroughly and understand the structure of the building.
Visitors can operate a working replica of a Roman ballista mounted on the castle's east side. This hands-on experience with ancient military technology offers a chance to understand the practical foundations of medieval defense strategies.
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