Monuments to visit Caerphilly (Caerffili)

Dominating an impressive 12-hectare site, this castle is the most imposing in the country and the second largest in Britain, after Windsor. It is the perfect example of a medieval castle: crenellated towers, drawbridge, keeps... Built on the remains of a Roman fort and the ruins of a Norman fort, the castle was erected in the ^13th century by the Anglo-Norman lord Gilbert de Clare for defensive purposes: to protect himself from Llywelyn the Great. However, Llywelyn the Great succeeded in destroying a large part of the castle, and the English quickly rebuilt it.

In the small village of Tongwynlais stands the neo-Gothic style Coch Castle with its pointed roofs. In the middle of the woods, Castell Coch is the result of a whim of the architect William Burges who transformed the ruins of a 13th century building into a magical castle worthy of Walt Disney's most beautiful films.

Castell Coch was the summer residence of the wealthy Bute family, who also owned Cardiff Castle. The massive towers with their conical roofs house exuberant apartments, decorated with decor inspired by nature, legends and mythology.