Description of the attraction
Carnarvon is an old town in Wales, located on the shores of the Menai Strait, which separates the Wales coast from the Isle of Anglesey. The first people settled here before our era. Before the arrival of the Romans, the Ordovician tribe lived on these lands. The Romans built a fort here, which after their departure from Britain turned into ruins. The Normans build a castle here, around which the city was born.
In 1955, Carnarvon ran for elections for the capital of Wales, but lost to Cardiff. In 1911, the investiture (inauguration) of Edward, Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VIII, took place here. This marked the beginning of the tradition, and in 1969, Prince Charles' investiture was also held in Carnarvon.
The city is famous first of all for its castle. Carnarvon Castle is one of the largest castles in Europe, the greatest construction of King Edward I, who bound the whole of Wales with an "iron ring" of castles and fortresses. This ring also includes such famous castles as Beaumaris, Harlech and Conwy. The Norman castle, built on the ruins of an ancient Roman fort, did not last long - in 1115 the Welsh forced the Normans out of their territory, and the Welsh ruler, Prince Llywelyn the Great, settled here. King Edward succeeded in subduing Wales, and in 1283 he gave the order to build a new castle here. According to some reports, the cost of construction work was equal to the entire annual budget of the then English kingdom - about 22,000 pounds sterling. The castle was built under the supervision of Master James of St. George, an experienced architect and military engineer. The former Norman castle forms the eastern, higher part of Carnarvon, the western part is slightly lower. A distinctive feature of the castle is nine multifaceted towers, each with its own name: Black Tower, Northeast Tower, Granary Tower, Well Tower, Eagle Tower, Queen's Tower, Governor's Tower, as well as the Queen's Gate and the King's Gate. Additional galleries for archers were made in the fortress walls at different heights. The appearance of the castle resembles the walls of Constantinople, which was supposed to symbolize the inviolability of Edward's royal power. The castle was never fully completed - the gates were not completed, the fortifications were not built, dividing the courtyard of the castle into east and west. The walls and towers have survived to this day in excellent condition, but almost nothing has remained from the inner castle buildings.
Many legends are associated with Carnarvon Castle, the most famous is why the eldest prince in the royal family bears the title of Prince of Wales. Edward I subdued all of Wales. The Welsh nobility agreed to acknowledge his power over themselves on one condition: if the king gives them a ruler, who must be of a noble family, be born in Wales and not speak a word of English. To which the king brought his infant son to the audience - he is a royal family and he is noble; he was born in Carnarvon - Wales and does not speak a word of English.
