Dolbadarn Castle, Medieval castle near Llanberis, Wales
The stone fortress sits atop a rocky hill between two lakes, featuring a 50-foot round tower that overlooks the Llanberis Pass through Eryri National Park.
Prince Llywelyn the Great constructed Dolbadarn Castle between 1220 and 1240 to guard the strategic mountain pass connecting Caernarfon to the Conwy Valley.
The castle structure demonstrates Welsh military architecture with its unmortared slate walls and round keep, different from contemporary English fortifications of that period.
Visitors can access the castle daily from 10 AM to 4 PM throughout the year, with free entry and a paid parking area located across the road.
The round tower of Dolbadarn acted as a prison where Owain Goch ap Gruffydd was held captive for over twenty years by his brother, Llywelyn ap Gruffydd.
Location: Llanberis
Inception: 1220
Elevation above the sea: 136.8 m
Made from material: slate
Website: https://cadw.gov.wales/visit/places-to-visit/dolbadarn-castle
GPS coordinates: 53.11658,-4.11420
Latest update: May 22, 2025 21:03
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