Meet Shakespeare

On April 23, 1616, Shakespeare died in Stratford. It is here that Shakespeare grew up, went to school, married, and became father to three children. It is also here that some of his greatest works were allegedly written. "Shakespeare Steps", a brand-new self-guided tour, invites visitors to discover the poet's world.

Many theories and very few facts surround Shakespeare’s life, including his appearance. For centuries, portraits of the Bard have been discovered and discounted. Pictured here, the most recently discovered portrait purportedly painted during his lifetime was unveiled in Mainz, Germany in February 2014.

As a tribute to Shakespeare celebrations will be held on April 23 and 24 and include performances and parades. Shakespeare draws more than six million visitors each year to an otherwise sleepy town. During this 400th anniversary year, it is expected that attractions like Midsummer Madness at Mary Arden's Farm will entice many more.

Shakespeare was born in this house on Henley Street on or around April 23, 1564, and baptized on April 26. The son of Mary Arden and the glove maker John Shakespeare and eldest of five surviving children, it is here he probably first learned to read and write.

Shakespeare never attended university. It is likely that he received his only formal education at King Edward VI School, though no record exists. Shakespeare would have attended this schoolhouse from around 1571, learning Latin and Greek and participating in drama. After major renovations, Shakespeare's Schoolrom and Guildhouse will open to the public on April 23.

Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582 after she became pregnant with their first daughter. He was 18 and she 26, and they remained married until his death 34 years later. The picturesque farmhouse where young Shakespeare courted his future bride Anne is now known as Anne Hathaway's Cottage & Gardens and is open to the public.

New Place, the family home purchased by Shakespeare in 1597, was torn down in the 18th century. The garden remained. It is believed that he wrote his later plays here, including The Tempest and Henry VIII. The site opened to the public in 2016 after a major transformation.

The first theatre in Stratford dedicated to Shakespeare was built on the River Avon in 1879, but burned down in 1926. On that site you can now see plays in the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres. The spaces have been transformed, so that audiences now sit in rounded galleries that bring viewers and performers closer together - just as in Shakespeare’s time.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is probably one of the world's most famous theatre companies. Notable actors have appeared in RSC productions, including Ben Kingsley, Colin Firth, Judi Dench and Tilda Swinton. All year round, they perform productions of Shakespeare's plays and plays by other notable playwrights.

Shakespeare was baptized and buried in Holy Trinity Church, the oldest building in Stratford and one of the most visited churches in England. Inside you can see the graves of William Shakespeare, his wife Anne Hathaway and other family members.

The epitaph on Shakespeare’s grave is a curse. It was common in his day to attempt to dissuade grave robbers like this: "Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear / To dig the dust enclosed here. / Blessed be the man that spares these stones, / And cursed be he that moves my bones." Above the graves is the Shakespeare Memorial. It is considered to be one of the most accurate likenesses of him.