Colchester is unofficially known as the oldest city in England. Already in 50 AD a Roman colony was established here. The city has many interesting monuments, mainly from the Middle Ages and the early modern era.
In 50 AD, Emperor Claudius founded the Claudia Victricensis colony for his veterans on the site of a former Celtic settlement. It developed into a city that functioned until the Romans withdrew from Britain. The Roman defensive walls and the remains of the Roman theater and temple have survived to our times, and can be seen in the Gosbecks Archaeological Park.
During the Norman invasions, a castle was erected on the site of the destroyed Roman-British temple. Today, its walls house the Castle Museum with a large collection of items from excavations within the Roman city. Colchester Castle Park is a popular walking area nearby. A gothic gate belonging to the former Benedictine abbey of St. John and the ruins of the Augustinian monastery.
The city developed in the Middle Ages as a center for the production of woolen fabrics. In the second half of the 16th century, weavers from Flanders were brought and they brought with them new production techniques. A reminder of them is the Dutch Quarter with houses from the Tudor period.
On the outskirts of the city is the Colchester Zoo which is one of the main attractions. About 260 species of birds from all over the world live here, and you can move around the area on foot or by tourist train.
