ADVERTISEMENT After a five-year, £27.5 million transformation, Norwich Castle Keep – one of Europe’s most important Norman palaces – is reopening to the public.
Towering above the city skyline, the keep was built by William the Conqueror and completed by his son, King Henry I, in 1121. For centuries, it has loomed as a symbol of Norman power.
Now, the Grade I-listed fortress has been reimagined as “The People’s Palace” with all five of its floors – from the basement to the battlements – open to visitors for the first time in its history.
It’s also now the UK’s most accessible castle, thanks to a state-of-the-art lift that allows wheelchair and pushchair access all the way to the rooftop.
Steven Miller, director of the Norfolk Museums Service says: “So Norwich Castle is the largest Norman keep ever built. It’s one of the most spectacular and beautiful 12th Century secular buildings from the whole of Europe. And we really wanted it to be enjoyed and available to the greatest number of people that might want to visit.”
She adds: “Hopefully, it will be taking its place on the premier league of castles in the UK and perhaps even Europe.”
Visitors can now step into meticulously recreated Norman royal chambers, complete with authentic furnishings, interactive displays, and immersive audio-visual laser projections in the Great Hall telling the story of the castle.
The project also features a partnership with the British Museum, bringing over 900 medieval artefacts – including 50 long-term loans – to the new Gallery of Medieval Life.
Naomi Speakman, the Late Medieval Europe Curator at the British Museum, was attracted to the project by the idea of showing medieval artefacts in a genuine medieval building and believes it makes the objects on display resonate more with visitors when they are viewed in context.
“Norwich was hugely important in the Middle Ages. It was popularly known as England’s second city. And that’s not just because of its size, but also its fantastic wealth as well. The wool trade and the wealth brought in by merchants meant that Norwich was a place that was financially flourishing. So it was extremely important during this period of time,” she explains.
Norwich Castle reopened to visitors on 13 August 2025. Check out the video above for footage of the restoration and interviews.
