- Type
- Castle
- Origins
- 1283 · 13th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Wales, United Kingdom
- Commissioned by
- James of Saint George, John de Bonvillars
- Architect
- James of Saint George
- Coordinates
- 53.2802°, -3.8256°
History
The castle was built in the 1280s for Edward I during his conquest of Wales, with the Savoyard master mason James of St George in charge. At the same time the town was ringed with walls and dozens of towers, making Conwy a fortified colony of English settlers. In the winter of 1294–1295, during Madog ap Llywelyn's revolt, the king himself was cut off here by the Welsh. In 1401 cousins of Owain Glyndŵr seized the castle by a trick on Good Friday while the garrison was at church. After the Civil War it was partly dismantled, and since 1986 it has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Edward's other castles in Gwynedd.
What to see
The interiors are roofless, but the full circuit of walls and all eight round towers survive, and you can climb their spiral stairs. The Chapel Tower still holds its small medieval chapel, and the battlements give views over the Conwy estuary and the mountains of Snowdonia. Don't miss a walk along the town walls, which survive almost in their entirety.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q756830
Popularity: articles about this site in 40 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).