Dolbadarn Castle

Caernarfon, United Kingdom

Dolbadarn Castle is a fortification built by the Welsh prince Llywelyn the Great during the early 13th century, at the base of the Llanberis Pass, in northern Wales. The castle was important both militarily and as a symbol of Llywelyn's power and authority. The castle features a large stone keep, which historian Richard Avent considers the finest surviving example of a Welsh round tower. In 1284 Dolbadarn was taken by Edward I, who removed some of its timbers to build his new castle at Caernarfon.

The remaining parts of the castle continued to be used as a manor house into the 14th century. By the 18th century, however, Dolbadarn Castle was ruined and uninhabited. From the 1760s onwards, however, it became a popular topic for painters interested in the then fashionable landscape styles of the Sublime and the Picturesque. J. M. W. Turner's 1800 work Dolbadarn Castle depicted the back-lit castle looming over the landscape and became particularly famous, but the paintings of the castle by Richard Wilson and Paul Sandby also represent important artistic works of the period.

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Address

Caernarfon, United Kingdom
See all sites in Caernarfon

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

rachel ridley (7 months ago)
Lovely short walk through woods to this attractive old castle. Part of the tower, and outside walls are all that remain but the tower is accessible via steep spiral steps and offers superb views from the top. To make it even better, it's free to visit.
Martin Goodman (8 months ago)
Amazing little castle in an atmospheric location at the foot of Llanberis Pass in Snowdonia. This is one of the original Welsh castles built by the Princes of Wales in the early 1200s before the area was conquered by Edward I in the 1280s. Although only the cylindrical keep remains, visitors can climb the narrow stairs to the top of the tower for views of the surrounding countryside. Entrance to the path leading up to the castle is opposite Parc Padarn Car Park.
Liam Cooch (8 months ago)
Fantastic little piece of history. 10 minutes walk from the main car park in Llanberis, just across the road from the Snowdon Mountain Railway Station. You can enter the woodland walkway from this car park and the trails take you straight to the castle ruins. Two information boards at the site give you a detailed history of the castle, well worth a read. It’s free entry & open all day. Other reviews have stated it closes at 4pm but I was there beyond 5pm & it remained open. Amazing views of the nearby lakes & surrounding areas.
Lyra (11 months ago)
Only a very short walk from the car park at the bottom although it's a bit steep. It's well worth going up to the castle. There's incredible views over the quarry and you can climb the steps to the top of the castle for an even better view.
Ciprian Palaghean (14 months ago)
I really liked the fact that it is not so touristic...and there is no major recent intervention in its structure. Yet it is very clean, made me the most time travel in the past (different from the feeling experienced among other castles visited). It is free to visit, and there is 5 minutes of a nice forest walk from the main street. It is not very well signed, so you can easily miss it !
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