Places to go > South Wales > Castell Coch < 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 ................................................. _________________________________

South Wales attractions: Aberglasney Gardens Big Pit National Mining Musem Blaenafon Ironworks Brecon Mountain Railway Caerleon Roman Fortress Caerphilly Castle Cardiff Castle Carew Castle Carreg Cennen Castle Castell Coch Dinefwr Castle Dolaucothi Gold Mine Kidwelly Castle Museum of Welsh Life National Botanic Garden of Wales Pembroke Castle Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber Raglan Castle Rhondda Heritage Park Roman Legionary Museum St David's Cathedral Tintern Abbey ................................................. _________________________________

Castell Coch Cardiff, Glamorgan, CF15 7JS, Wales, UK. Tel. 44 (0)2920 810101

Castell Coch is a magnificent red-brick fairytale castle that sits on a wooded hillside in the Taff Valley, seven miles north of Cardiff in south Wales.

Meaning 'Red Castle', the fanciful creation dates from the late 19th century, when the third Marquis of Bute commissioned architect William Burges to build a new and exquisitely designed Victorian gothic castle on the medieval foundations of an earlier structure. Sadly, Burges - who was also responsible for the dramatic remodelling of Cardiff Castle - never lived to see his masterpiece completed, dying ten years before the work was finished.

The Marquis was one of the wealthiest men in the world, and no expense was spared in the construction of the extravagant castle. The exterior design is a reconstruction of the original medieval building (which was destroyed during the Welsh uprising, and afterwards fell into ruin), with three drum towers arranged around a circular central courtyard. There is even a fully functioning portcullis and drawbridge. Conical turrets poke through the trees, and lying within the medieval walls are dazzling interiors, lavishly decorated with Victorian furnishings and exquisite carvings and murals.

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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