CAERNARFON

 This, for me, is probably the most beautiful of all the Welsh Castles.

The castle's majestic persona is no architectural accident: it was designed to echo the walls of Constantinople, the imperial power of Rome and the dream castle, 'the fairest that ever man saw', of Welsh myth and legend.

Caernarfon is architecturally one of the most impressive of all of the castles in Wales. It's defensive capabilities were not as overt or as powerful as those of Edward I's other castles such as Harlech and Beaumaris (which indicate the pinnacle of castle building and defences in Britain), but Caernarfon was instead intended as a seat of power - and as a symbol of English dominance over the subdued Welsh.

Caernarfon is located at the southern end of the Menai Strait between north Wales and Anglesey, 8 miles south west of Bangor. During Edward I's invasions of Wales, this was strategically an excellent place to build a castle; Anglesey was referred to as the garden of Wales, providing agriculturally rich land close to the poorer land on north Wales. The Menai Strait also allowed speedy access between the north Welsh coast and the western coast, and was therefore important for Edward to control for supplying outposts such as Harlech and Aberystwyth.

As with all of the castles of Edward's Iron Ring, Caernarfon was built on the shoreline. Edward also built a town, destroying the original Welsh settlement beforehand. 

The castle succeeded first a Roman fort, and then a Norman motte and bailey - built by Hugh of Avranches around 1090. This motte was incorporated into the Edwardian castle, but was destroyed around 1870 . The Welsh retook the original motte in 1115 and retained control until Edward's invasion and colonization in 1283. The site's previous history also demonstrates the strategic importance of the site.

Standing at the mouth of the Seiont river, the fortress (with its unique polygonal towers, intimidating battlements and colour banded masonry) dominates the walled town also founded by Edward I. Caernarfon's symbolic status was emphasized when Edward made sure that his son, the first English Prince of Wales, was born here in 1284. As an adult, Prince Edward (later Edward II) never returned to its walls, and by the mid 14th century it had become little more than a depot for the armament of the other north Wales castles.

Even so, it continued to be maintained and garrisoned, and successfully withstood sieges by the forces of Owain Glyndwr in 1403 and 1404. During the Civil War, Caernarfon finally surrendered to Parliamentary forces in 1646. Centuries of neglect were halted by repairs undertaken in the late 19th century and, in 1911, it was the scene of the Investiture of Prince Edward (later Edward VIII) as Prince of Wales.In 1969, the castle gained worldwide fame as the setting for the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.

Caernarfon is also home to the remains of the Segontium Roman fort from 78 AD. - proof that the Romans recognised the strategic value of this part of North Wales, a full 1200 years before Edward I built his castle here.