It is not Germany’s Bavaria or France’s Loire but surprisingly Wales in the United Kingdom! Reason? Its history as a contested territory.
Travel restrictions have been eased across the continent and tourists are thronging monuments this August summer. Visiting the mighty strongholds with vibrant stories of victory, bravery, and valor is an exciting experience. Wales has just about every type: concentric castles with moated defenses, castles with gigantic well-fortified gatehouses, castles that make every possible use of natural defenses, and castles designed to be beautiful luxurious residences.
The warring Normans, native Welsh, and English all constructed epic fortresses in an explosion of castle building in the 13th and 14th centuries. The sheer volume of these citadels matches the variety. Each one with its own unique story, reminiscent of a fairytale or an epic novel.
Read these stories at National Geographic. To read more on castles in Britain and their interpretation in heritage discourse, click here.