Today it's Colchester's turn — the first capital of England. 🤗 A bit Roman, a bit gladiatorial, and altogether pretty fascinating. The town sits in Essex, about an hour by train from London, making it the perfect day trip escape from the capital's madness. 🚄
Its story begins with Emperor Claudius, who arrived on the territory of what is now the town centre, stayed for just 16 days, and decided the place deserved a city. He named it Camulodunum. 🧱 A fortress was built on the highest point, and for a while the new city became the capital of the newly formed Roman province of Britain. 🙆♂️
My must-see stop was the castle, where I got to know the town's history in detail. 👌 It's Norman, dating back to the second half of the eleventh century, and the most impressive part is that it's been preserved almost intact — the largest example of its kind in all of Europe, since it was built on the foundations of a Roman temple. 🤌 So you're literally standing on two eras at once.
It's definitely a destination that won't disappoint you! ⭐️
