The Castle, along with the Cathedral, it’s enclosures and Palace Green make up a UNESCO world heritage site. The Castle sits, rather precariously, wobbly almost, on an easily defendable spot, in a meander of the River Wear and is home to University College, Durham (more commonly known as Castle to students); it was gifted to the University by Bishop Van Mildert who also gifts his name to a couple of shops and another one of Durham’s colleges. The Castle is a residential castle (not like many in Europe nowadays, shame…) with the highest body of the castle being occupied by some lucky finalists…
As it does house students during term time; visiting and tours are quite tight to schedule and only certain areas of the castle are open at certain times.