Stepping through Caernarfon Castle’s imposing Kings Gate, it’s easy to see why this colossal structure has inspired world building imaginations that have given us the breathtaking on-screen visuals of Westeros and Middle Earth.
But this World Heritage Site is no CGI fantasy, its reality.
Reach out and place your hands on the rock and mortar and you feel centuries of history flowing through you. Drink in the atmosphere this majestic space creates. It is simply breathtaking.
And now, thanks to CADW’s £5 million King’s Gate Project, it’s possible to experience even more of the past.
The recently completed extension incorporates ingenious structural reinforcements the original builders would have been proud of, which seamlessly allow the past to flow into the present. Finally, the jewel in the crown, a sweeping rooftop deck complete with dramatic views of Caernarfon and the River Seiont beyond.
As you roam the ramparts and spiralling staircases, numerous exhibitions scattered throughout the castle reveal its rich history. One memorable room converts the castle’s regal cast of characters into life-size chess pieces.
Not content with tried and tested displays, CADW took a bold step further in 2022 with the ‘Hands that Built the Castle’ art installation.
Comprising several giant sculpted hands of stone, wood, and bronze these and other wonderfully observed artworks such as glass floors, stained glassed windows, even the repeated hand motifs holding up the drainpipes, add a modern layer of architecture complimenting the castle’s upgrade perfectly.
Visitors are invited to engage with each artwork and build their own vision of Caernarfon’s enduring story, from humble medieval origins to the unique legacy and significance it holds in Welsh culture today.
A tale for the ages with a cast of kings at its zenith but, as the King’s Gate Project constantly reminds, built on the shoulders of its incalculable masons, carpenters and labourers and every hammer strike and chiselled blow delivered by their hands.
* The first permanent fortifications at Caernarfon date back to the 11th century. The typical motte and bailey castle was upgraded to a stone structure in 1283 by Edward 1st of England. Edward’s construction was on as grand scale, establishing the castle and town of Caernarfon as the administrative centre of North Wales.
https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/castell-caernarfon
