The Welsh castle voted one of the most beautiful in Europe
A castle in Wales has been voted one of the most beautiful in Europe.
Travel magazine Condé Nast Traveller has released a new list of the 26 most stunning castles in Europe, and Conwy Castle was chosen – the sole representative from Wales.
The stunning Welsh fortress was included alongside castles across Europe, including Lithuania, Spain, Romania, Denmark, Scotland, France, Slovenia, Germany, Ireland and Italy.
The 21-tower medieval fortress in Conwy, is undoubtedly one of most beautiful castles you’re going to find on the entire continent, according to the respected travel publication.
It’s surrounded by high fortified walls which stretch for three-quarters of a mile, and you can walk a complete circuit around its battlements.
Of the castle, the travel publication said: ‘The Welsh town of Conwy is defined by its 21-tower medieval fortress, which features a gorgeous castle surrounded by fortified walls stretching three-quarters of a mile.
‘The structure was commissioned by King Edward I back in the 13th century, which makes its well-preserved state all the more impressive. Visitors are welcome to visit the castle and walk a complete circle around battlements, including venturing up the towers via spiral staircases.’
It was a given that at least one castle in Wales was going to make the list of this prestigious poll given we have more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe.
According to Cadw, which works to protect the historic buildings and heritage sites of Wales: ‘Conwy Castle is regarded as one of the most magnificent medieval fortresses in Europe. The castle, and its 1.3km ring of town walls, have World Heritage status.
‘This remarkable fortress was built in an astonishing four-year period, between 1283 and 1287, and remains incredibly well-preserved today: it contains the most intact set of medieval royal apartments in Wales. If you have a head for heights, climb one of the castle’s eight tremendous towers for breathtaking views of the harbour and the narrow streets of Conwy below.’
Of course, Wales’ history has left a landscape scattered with Iron Age hill forts, Roman ruins and castles from Medieval Welsh princes and English kings. With over 600 castles, wherever you go in Wales you won’t be too far from a historic site.
Go and discover the rich history on your doorstep.
Find out more via CADW
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Beautiful as it looks, and a vital piece of our tourist industry, let’s not forget it’s a symbol of our humiliation, subjugation and colonisation.
Yma o hyd.
Although I’m happy that something built out of conquest has now become an asset, those castles in Wales such as Conwy, in which there are an astounding 600, built, were at the end of the day used as weapons of war, annexation and subjugation. An interesting fact. The very first castle in Britain was built by the Normans in Chepstow, Monmouth circa 1067, this shortly after the battle of Hastings in 1066 where Richard the Lionheart thrashed the English in battle. They took far longer to subdue us. And the idea an Englishman’s home is his castle a tad ironic… Read more »
William the Conqueror beat Harold at the Battle if Hastings in 1066, not Richard the Lionheart. Plus what is now Western France was part of England at the time, so you could argue William was English himself, even though he spoke French and was of Danish Viking decent. Hence the regional name Normandy and Norman’s. The north men
Sorry wrong person
Richard the Lionheart wasn’t around in 1066 for the Battle of Hastings.You are thinking of King Harold (Godwinson) the Saxon ruler and his nemesis William the Conqueror.The Lionheart’s era of the Crusades and the subsequent rule of King John was over a century later.
Love the line “the structure was commissioned by King Edward I”. Was it, perchance, funded by the National Lottery? Put the designer photographs and glossy narrative to one side and think about the purpose of these castles. Whenever I see them I admire the architecture but I then imagine the horror that went on within those walls – the imprisonment of our people, their torture, etc. The joys of imperialism and colonialism, eh!
These castles were used to subjugate our ancestors or maybe by our ancestors to subjugate someone else’s ancestors its impossible to know because but the point is I’m very upset because I’m a little welsh princess with rice paper skin.
Oh for god’s sake. It was 600 years ago! You don’t visit Bath and say “It’s nice, but I can’t enjoy it because it’s a symbol of the Celts oppression by the Romans”!
I like Conwy (quite an imposing edifice and a great explore, along with Beaumaris), but Harlech is also quite a a stunner and takes the lead for me if you can imagine back to the sea lapping at the foot of the cliff with the sun going down over the peninsular and Criccieth just across the water