The long-awaited reopening of Norwich Castle's medieval keep after a multi-million pound revamp will take place next summer, it has been confirmed.
Work on a major £15m redevelopment of the keep, called Royal Palace Reborn, started in the summer of 2020.
And, after four years of work, visitors will be able to walk into the keep once again next summer.
They will be able to see how the National Heritage Lottery money-funded project has made the Grade I-listed structure look as it did in its 12th-century heyday.
Construction of the castle was begun by William the Conqueror and completed by his son Henry I in 1121 – making it one of the most spectacular palaces in medieval Europe at the time.
The original medieval floors and room spaces are being reinstated and fully furnished, bringing alive the sights and sounds of the palace of the Norman kings.
Through a partnership with the British Museum, the new permanent Gallery of Medieval Life will showcase exceptional artefacts of the period – from the Norman Conquest to the reign of Henry VIII.
It will display more than 1,000 treasures of international importance, with more than 50 on long-term loan from the British Museum.
Museum bosses say, alongside original artefacts and architecture, visitors will be able to take part in immersive experiences throughout the keep.
Audio-visual projections in the Great Hall will draw on the drama and imagination of medieval art to bring the walls alive, while virtual reality headsets in the basement’s digital zone will allow users to explore a recreation of Norman Norwich.
Other changes include a new glass bridge and lift, which will mean everybody can get access to all floors of the castle, including the battlements.
When revamp work on the castle started, the ambition was for the new-look museum to open in 2023.
READ MORE: See the spectacular views from the top of the crane at Norwich Castle
But Covid and delays in getting materials needed pushed back the opening date to next summer.
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