Wales officially has more castles per square mile than any other country in the world – a whopping 427 of them. The largest stronghold is Caerphilly (pictured), a 1268 behemoth that’s the second largest castle in the UK, behind only Windsor.
Britain’s oldest fortress is Chepstow Castle, also in Wales. Chepstow also boasts the oldest castle doors in Europe, dating back to the 1190s.
🏰 Why Does Wales Have So Many Castles?
Wales’s turbulent medieval history — with native Welsh princes resisting outside forces like the Normans and later English kings — meant that fortifications were built and fought over across centuries. After the Norman invasion of England, Norman lords pushed into Wales and constructed strongholds; later, King Edward I of England built a series of powerful castles in the late 13th century to consolidate English rule after conquering Welsh territories.
Four of the most remarkable medieval castles in Wales, Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech make up a part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd”. These four castles are considered to be among the finest examples of late 13th and early 14th century military architecture in Europe
You will find many of the 427 Welsh castles are open to the public, with visitor centres, exhibitions, and walking tours that help to bring medieval history to life for you. The castles in Wales vary from magnificent nearly intact fortresses that are complete with battlements and towers (like Conwy and Caernarfon) to stunning ruins which are set in dramatic landscapes (like Criccieth and Castell y Bere). Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, takes responsibility for caring for a great many of these sites.
