Caernarfon
On the northern coastline of Wales overlooking the Menai Straits is the historic walled town of Caernarfon with its impressive harbour and Victoria Dock.
The ancient royal town of Caernarfon, county town of Gwynedd, is the perfect starting place for a tour of the Llyn Peninsula and Snowdonia. One of Wales' oldest towns, it has been inhabited without a break since pre-Roman times. The centre of the town is the Maes, a square - featuring busy Saturday markets - in which stands a statue of David Lloyd George.
Caernarfon Castle, the venue for many royal tours of Wales, is possibly the most famous and impressive of Wales's castles. Begun in 1283 by Edward I 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.
The castle was constructed not only as a military stronghold but also as a seat of government and royal palace. Its symbolic status was emphasized when Edward made sure that his son, the first English Prince of Wales, was born here in 1284. In 1969, the castle gained worldwide fame as the setting for the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.
The castle has much to interest the visitor; the King's Gate has been described as the mightiest in the land; the Eagle Tower now houses an exhibition and audio-visual programme; the Queen's Tower is the home of the Regimental Museum of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, Wales's oldest regiment; the North East Tower houses the Prince of Wales' exhibition, and the Chamberlain Tower has an exhibition on the castles of Edward I. The Eagle Tower's ground floor hosts a Prospects of Caernarfon Exhibition.
The Roman fort of Segontium overlooking the town is one of the most famous in Britain. It was the most westerly legionary fort of the Roman Empire and was occupied from AD 77 for nearly 300 years, the museum exhibition includes excavated finds and displays. The Slate Quay is one of Caernarfon's most photographed sites - the harbour is always busy, at Victoria Dock there is a maritime museum, the focal point of which is the ex-dredger Seiont II.
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