Places to go > North Wales > Castell Dinas Bran < 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 ................................................. _________________________________

Castell Dinas Bran Nr Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales, UK.

Perched high above the Dee Valley on a hill that lies northeast of Llangollen in the north Wales borderlands, Castell Dinas Bran, or 'Crow Castle' as it is sometimes called, is a wonderful sight.

The Welsh fortress was built in the 13th century, although it is uncertain whether it was the work of the ruler of northern Powys, Prince Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor (who also founded nearby Valle Crucis Abbey) or his son. The strategic value of the site had been recognised much earlier when an Iron Age fort occupied the hilltop. Yet the castle was only occupied by the Welsh Princes for a few decades. Despite the spectacular advantage of its location, it was besieged and destroyed by Edward I's army, and afterwards fell into disrepair.

It was never restored and today little remains of the castle ruins. The romantic beauty of the forlorn site captured the artistic imaginations of Wordsworth and Turner, and the panoramic views over the valley are compelling, making the arduous trek up the hill well worth the effort. There is a path that leads up to the castle from Llangollen Wharf.

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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