CAERNARVON CASTLE

Caernarvon Castle is a medieval royal fortress located in Gwynedd, North Wales. It was in this castle that King Edward I was born in 14th century, and to honor the place where Caernarvon Castle was located, Edward was given the title "the Prince of Wales", giving birth to the permanent title of the first born son of the British sovereign which survived up to the present time. When he became King, Edward I began replacing the building with the current stone structure.

The castle was partly abandoned in the 19th century due to its high cost of renovation but in 1911, the castle was used during the investiture of the eldest son and successor of King George V, Prince David as the Prince of Wales. It was there also where the current Prince of Wales, Prince Charles was invested in 1969 at the age of 21. Caernavon Castle is part of the World Heritage's site of UNESCO.

Caernarvon Castle's design was partly influenced by a desire to make the structure impressive as a symbol of the new English rule in Wales. It became the center of government in the northern part of the country. The Edwardian castle's layout was mostly dictated by the lay of the land, although the inclusion of the previous castle's motte played a part.

There were two main entrances, one leading from the tow (the King's Gate) and one allowing direct access to the castle without having to proceed through the town (the Queen's Gate). Their form was typical of the time – a passage between two flanking towers.