Places to go > North Wales > Caernarfon Castle < Castles & Forts < Things to do

Castles & Forts: Beaumaris Castle, Wales Caernarfon Castle, Wales Caerphilly Castle, Wales Cardiff Castle, Wales Carew Castle, Wales Carreg Cennen Castle, Wales Carrickfergus Castle, N. Ireland Castell Coch, Wales Castell Dinas Bran, Wales Chirk Castle, Wales Cilgerran Castle, Wales Conwy Castle, Wales Denbigh Castle, Wales Dinefwr Castle, Wales Dundrum Castle, N. Ireland Dunluce Castle, N. Ireland Dunseverick Castle, N. Ireland Dunster Castle, England Enniskillen Castle, N. Ireland Harlech Castle, Wales Kidwelly Castle, Wales Pembroke Castle, Wales Powis Castle, Wales Raglan Castle, Wales Rhuddlan Castle, Wales Tretower Castle & Court, Wales ................................................. _________________________________

North Wales attractions: Anglesey Sea Zoo Beaumaris Castle Bodnant Garden Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber Caernarfon Castle Capel Garmon Burial Chamber Castell Dinas Bran Chirk Castle Conwy Castle Denbigh Castle Erddig Hall Ffestiniog Railway Harlech Castle National Portrait Gallery, Wales Penrhyn Castle Plas Newydd, Anglesey Plas Newydd, Llangollen Rhuddlan Castle Segontium Roman Fort Snowdon Mountain Railway Tre'r Ceiri Hillfort Valle Crucis Abbey Welsh Mountain Zoo ................................................. _________________________________

Caernarfon Castle Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 2AY, Wales, UK. Tel. 44 (0)1286 677617

The largest of Edward I's 'Iron Ring' of fortresses, spectacular Caernarfon Castle overlooks the Menai Strait on the north coast of Wales.

The castle was begun in 1283 under the supervision of Master James of St George on a site that had previously been a Roman fort, and later a Norman motte and bailey. The mighty structure was intended to be a royal palace as well as a military stronghold, and Edward I symbolically chose it as the birthplace of his son, the first English Prince of Wales, in 1284. The design reflects an Eastern Roman influence, with polygonal towers and a huge curtain wall decorated with different coloured bands copied from the walls of Constantinople.

The King's Gate to the north provided an entrance to the castle from the town, while the main living quarters lay within the magnificent Eagle Tower. Although the castle was never completed, it withstood two sieges by Owain Glyndwr in 1403 and 1404, and also held up against sieges of the Civil War in 17th century. Today Caernarfon Castle is a World Heritage Site and still dominates the town, offering fantastic views over the Menai Strait from its battlements. The castle houses a number of exhibitions, including the Museum of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, and was also the venue of the investiture of Prince Charles in 1969.

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UK Castles & Forts in our Castles tour section:

Beaumaris Castle
Caernarfon Castle
Caerphilly Castle
Cardiff Castle
Carew Castle
Carreg Cennen Castle
Carrickfergus Castle
Castell Coch
Castell Dinas Bran
Chirk Castle
Cilgerran Castle
Conwy Castle
Denbigh Castle
Dinefwr Castle
Dundrum Castle
Dunluce Castle
Dunseverick Castle
Dunster Castle
Enniskillen Castle,
Harlech Castle,
Kidwelly Castle
Pembroke Castle
Powis Castle
Raglan Castle
Rhuddlan Castle
Tretower Castle
Edinburgh Castle

Other Wales travel related links:

Wales hotel
Wales tour
Cottage holiday in Wales
Wales hostel