Alexander A

What’s to see in Conwy Castle

A short article on the history of Conwy castle

One of the most popular places to visit in Wales with a Great British Heritage Pass, the dark-stoned fortress of Conwy Castle is part of a World Heritage Site offering a wealth of awe-inspiring sites to see. Strategically built on a natural rock formation and boasting such austere and dramatic backdrops as Snowdonia and the Conwy Estuary, this dark and foreboding castle is as threatening as it is magnificent.

Commanding an authority which is hard to match, Conwy along with the castles of Harlech, Beaumaris and Caernarfon is included in the World Heritage Site ‘Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd’.  Designed by Edward I’s ‘master builder’ James of St George, Conwy also comprises of one of the monarch’s ‘Iron Rings:’ 5 castles built by Edward to defend his captured territory from continuous Welsh uprisings. As a result the Conwy Castle is a visual force to be reckoned with; standing as a looming symbol of English dominance and gall.

Conwy’s lofty positioning – seemingly growing out of the rock on which it was built – gave it natural military might and a defiant presence. With 8 imposing battlements, a drawbridge, portcullis and a towering curtain wall, Conwy Castle is a feast for the eyes.

Construction began in 1283, and remarkable considering the amount of garrison the castle has witnessed over the years is the fact that Conwy is one of the best preserved medieval castles in Europe. Built to keep out the Welsh, today everybody is welcome. Visitors can walk on the original castle walls - and climb the defensive towers and battlements to take in spectacular views of surrounding Snowdonia and the blue waters of the Conwy Estuary.

Connecting James of St George’s medieval masterpiece to the main peninsula is another great architect’s engineering feat. Designed by Thomas Telford, Conwy Suspension Bridge gracefully arches the River Conwy, and provides an ideal platform to take in the magnificent Conwy Castle and surrounding breath-taking views. Visitors can walk this pioneering bridge which was one of the first in the world, as well as explore the newly restored toll house.

The town of Conwy itself is also well worth a ramble. The simple streets and ancient town walls are only occasionally interrupted by modern interventions, evoking a strong sense of medieval Britain totally unique to Conwy.

North Wales offers a host of heritage sites well worth a visit. On top of the other castles in the Iron Ring and Conwy Suspension Bridge, there is the enchanting Bodnant Garden, fascinating Plas Mawr and the enlightening country house of Erddig.  A Great British Heritage Pass entitles you to entry into all these popular British tourist attractions, saving you considerable money and time.

Article Tags: Conwy Castle

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR