Castles in
Wales
The high density of medieval castles in Wales makes this country to be one
of the top destinations for those who love to explore castles.
There are many well known castles in Wales that are tourist hubs like the
Caerphilly Castle, Conwy Castle or the Caernarfon Castle.
But on this site we hope we’ll cover many other lesser known Welsh castles
too; castles that although aren’t as popular as the aforementioned ones are still charming and
played their role in Welsh history.
You’ll be able to browse the castles on this site using the menu on the
right or by following the links from this page to the most popular Welsh castles. If you wish
to know more about Wales and its castles, a very good and informative site can be found at
www.castlewales.com
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Wales Map
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Famous Welsh Castles
Caerphilly
Castle
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Conwy
Castle
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Caernarfon
Castle
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List of Castles in Wales
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Penrhyn Castle
Penrhyn Castle is a gigantic neo-Norman fantasy castle built between 1820 and 1837
for Lord Penrhyn from his fortunes made in slate mining and Jamaican sugar. Its
treasures include elaborate carvings, paintings in several galleries, mock Norman
furniture and a one-tonne slate bed installed for Queen Victoria. The building is
surrounded by 18.5 hectares of gardens.
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Harlech Castle
The grey sandstone Harlech Castle was built in 1283 on a rocky craig, or crag, near
the centre of Gwynedd . It is known as the pinnacle of castle-building in Britain
and was part of Edward I's "iron ring" of castles surrounding the coastal fringes
of Snowdonia intended to prevent the region from attack.
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Cardiff Castle In the middle of the cosmopolitan city of
Cardiff sits Cardiff Castle, an eccentric display of gothic revival architecture
and medieval design. There is evidence the site was occupied by the Romans in the
1st century AD, but the ruins date back to the 11th century. The castle that stands
today was built for the third marquis of Bute in the 1870s and features an
impressive Victorian mansion and clock tower.
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Caernarfon Castle
The most famous
medieval fortress in Wales, Caernarfon was fortified by the Normans in 1090. The
present castle was built between 1283 and 1330 as a symbol of English dominance
over the Welsh and is the most intimidating of Edward I's castles.
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Caerphilly
Castle
Wales's biggest and most powerful castle, Caerphilly
covers 1.2 hectares and is a World Heritage site. Built between 1268 and the
early 1300s, it is the first truly concentric castle in Britain and, being
surrounded by lakes, it was almost impenetrable. By the 18th century the lakes
were dry and houses had been built on nearby land. The castle was rebuilt by
the Bute family and the lakes were refilled in the 1950s.
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