Caernarfon Castle
About
Castell Caernarfon is the reason Y Maes has a castle at the bottom of it. Cadw, which runs it, says Edward I and his military architect Master James of St George built the castle, the town walls and a quay at the same time, a project that took 47 years. The polygonal towers and banded stone were meant to echo imperial Rome and the walls of Constantinople, and the Welsh tale of Macsen Wledig, who dreamed of a great fort at a river mouth. Be precise about the World Heritage status: UNESCO inscribed the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd in 1986 as one property in four parts, and Caernarfon's part is the castle and its town walls together. The Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum is in two of the towers and is included in the ticket. Cadw notes the upper floors of the King's Gate and its lift are currently closed, and the terrain is graded strenuous, with uneven steps and steep, windy towers.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Half of Caernarfon's part of the 1986 UNESCO inscription, with the town walls
- ✓Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum included in the ticket
- ✓45-minute custodian tours at 11:00 and 15:00, £5 extra, on listed dates
- ✓About 100 metres from Y Maes
Tips
- →Book online to save 5 per cent, per Cadw; online tickets are non-refundable. You can also pay on arrival.
- →Last admission is 30 minutes before closing; closed 24 to 26 December and 1 January.
- →Cadw's line about Friday to Sunday opening from 1 September is about the castle's pop-up cafe, not the castle; the King's Gate cafe is closed.
- →Dogs: assistance dogs only from April to October; dogs on short leads on ground floor levels from 1 November to 28 February, per Cadw.
Best Season
Accessibility
Cadw grades the terrain Level 4, strenuous: historic steps are uneven and the towers steep. A portable induction loop is available. The King's Gate lift is out of use while the upper floors are closed; Cadw asks visitors who might need evacuation help to contact the castle in advance (01286 677617).
More Heritage Activities
Caernarfon Town Walls
The medieval circuit round the old town, free to walk round but closed on top for safety.
Segontium Roman Fort
The foundations of the Roman fort that gave Caernarfon its name; check Cadw's access dates first.
Welsh Highland Railway from Caernarfon
Steam to Beddgelert or Porthmadog from the station under the castle walls.