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The Great Britain Guide

Castles · North Wales

Dolbadarn Castle

♿ Wheelchair: limited

Dolbadarn Castle — a Grade I-listed castle in wales-north, United Kingdom.

Castell Dolbadarn - Welsh built castle near Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales 10

Llywelyn2000 — CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
1.5 h–3 h
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

Dolbadarn Castle is a Grade I-listed building in wales-north, United Kingdom. Grade I status is conferred by Historic England (or Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland or NIEA equivalents) on buildings of exceptional national interest. See the linked Wikipedia article for full historical and architectural details.

Photo gallery

Heritage listing

http://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/listedbuilding/FullReport?lang=en&id=21854

From Cadw under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Dolbadarn Castle (English: dol-BAD-an; Welsh: Castell Dolbadarn; Welsh pronunciation: [kastɛɬ dɔl'badarn]) 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 castle was used as a manor house for some years, before falling into ruin. In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was a popular destination for painters interested in Sublime and Picturesque landscapes. It is now owned by Cadw and managed as a tourist attraction, and is protected as a grade I listed building.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

Architecture

Dolbadarn Castle comprises a courtyard, surrounded by several towers and a round keep. The castle is built from purple and green slate stone, mainly constructed in a dry stone fashion without mortar, except the keep. Of the castle buildings, only the keep remains at any significant height. The keep today is 46 feet (14 m) high and is modelled on early 13th-century English round towers built in the south of the Welsh Marches. As with other Welsh-constructed towers, the entrance is on the first story, not at ground level; it may originally have been protected by a porch. While the castle's flooring has long since disappeared, its interior staircase to the upper story may still be climbed.…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
53.1166, -4.1142
District
Gwynedd
Parish
Llanberis
Postcode
LL55 4UB
Parliamentary constituency
Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Established
1220
Official site
cadw.gov.wales

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Dolbadarn Castle?
Dolbadarn Castle is in North Wales, United Kingdom (postcode LL55 4UB), in the parish of Llanberis.
Is Dolbadarn Castle a listed building?
Dolbadarn Castle is officially recognised as Grade I listed.
Does Dolbadarn Castle charge admission?
Dolbadarn Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
How do I get to Dolbadarn Castle?
Drivers can navigate to postcode LL55 4UB. It sits within the Dwyfor Meirionnydd parliamentary constituency.