Colchester claims to be the oldest recorded town in Britain — it is Camulodunum, the first Roman city established in Britain after the invasion of 43 AD, and is mentioned in Pliny's writings. The Romans built a large temple here, the foundations of which lie beneath the Norman castle, itself the largest Norman keep in Europe. The Colchester Castle houses an excellent museum covering the town's Roman and medieval history, and the Roman walls and the great Balkerne Gate still circle the old town. Just south of the centre lies the only known Roman chariot-racing circus in Britain, discovered as recently as 2004.
The Victorian water tower nicknamed Jumbo is a striking piece of industrial architecture visible from much of the town. Colchester is also known as a garrison town — British forces have been based here since the Roman period, and the barracks remain active. The town centre has seen better days in places, but the historic core around the castle and the Dutch Quarter (settled by Flemish weavers in the 16th century) is worth exploring, along with St Botolph's Priory, the golden curve of the Firstsite gallery, and the active Mercury Theatre.