Norwich Castle - One of Norwich�s most famous buildings

One of the city's most famous buildings, built by the Normans as a Royal Palace 900 years ago.

Norwich Castle Keep was a wooden (later stone) fortification, surrounded by deep defensive dry ditches. The stone keep was just one part of the castle complex. There was also a fortified bridge (still standing but refaced and with a 19^th century inner brick arch), a large drawbridge pit, a 36m deep well, stone gatehouses, workshops, industrial areas, stables and grazing meadows.

Within the keep, to the north side, was the Great Hall. This was where the day's business, feasts and entertaining took place. The royal quarters, to the south, comprised a large parlour, bedrooms and a private chapel.

Used as a prison from the 14^th century, Norwich Castle became a museum in 1894.

Today, Norwich Castle holds impressive exhibits of fine art, archaeology and natural history. This includes the largest collection of paintings by the unique Norwich School of Artists, the world's largest collection of ceramic teapots and the largest collection of provincial civic regalia in the UK.