Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in

Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd Презентацию подготовила ученица 9 «Б» класса МБОУ СОШ № 7 ст. Константиновская Жилинская Валерия Руководитель: Тебоева К. Б.

• The Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site located in Gwynedd, Wales. It includes the castles of Beaumaris and Harlech and the castles and town walls of Caernarfon and Conwy. UNESCO considers the sites to be the "finest examples of late 13 th century and early 14 th century military architecture in Europe".

• The fortifications were built by Edward I after his invasion of North Wales in 1282. Edward defeated the local Welsh princes in a major campaign and set about permanently colonising the area. He created new fortified towns, protected by castles, in which English immigrants could settle and administer the territories. The project was hugely expensive and stretched royal resources to the limit.

MILITARY ARCHITECTURE • The Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd incorporated a range of military features developed during the late 13 th century. As a consequence, for much of the 20 th century, historians regarded these sites as the evolutionary pinnacle of scientific military architecture. D. J. Cathcart King described them as the "zenith of English castlebuilding", and Sidney Toy considered them to be "some of the most powerful castles of any age or country".

PALATIAL ARCHITECTURE AND SYMBOLISM • Architectural research in the late 20 th and early 21 st centuries focused less on the military aspects of the fortifications, however, and more on their roles as luxurious palaces and symbols of royal power. Each of the castles was designed to be suitable to support the royal court, should it visit. In the late 13 th century, this meant having several sets of private chambers, discreet service facilities and security arrangements, producing, in effect, a royal palace in miniature.

CAERNARFON CASTLE WAS INTENDED TO FUNCTION AS A ROYAL PALACE, AND TO USE BYZANTINE OR ROMAN IMAGERY TO BOLSTER EDWARD'S LEGITIMACY

SAVOY INFLUENCE • The Edwardian sites have strong architectural links to castles and town walls built in the kingdom of Savoy in North Italy during the same period. The resemblance between the two sets of buildings was first noted by historian Arnold Taylor in the 1950 s. Similarities include the semi-circular door arches, window styles, corbelled towers, the positioning of putlog holes, tall circular towers and crenellations with pinnacles found in Edward's works in North Wales; in Savoy these can be seen in constructions such as the defences of Saillon, La Bâtiaz and Chillon Castles. Many of these similarities have been considered to be the result of the influence of the Savoy architect Master James of St George, employed by Edward I, and who brought other Savoyard architects with him to North Wales.

WALLS AND TOWERS OF SAILLON AND THE CORBELLED FEATURES OF LA B TIAZ CASTLE

BEAUMARIS, CONWY, CAERNARFON AND HARLECH CASTLES, ALONG WITH THE FORTIFICATIONS SURROUNDING THE TOWNS OF CONWY AND CAERNARFON HAVE BEEN COLLECTIVELY DECLARED A WORLD HERITAGE SITE. At the time, their designs were ground breaking and their structural magnificence remains as imposing as ever.

HARLECH CASTLE Harlech Castle was built by Edward precisely for the purpose of surveying those hills. Raised by a rock above a sea cliff, its views are as unbeatable as the castle was shaped to be.

CONWY CASTLE • For the true Royal touch, head to Conwy Castle, where two fortified gateways, eight enormous towers, a great hall, private chambers, a kitchen fit for a King and more are protected by the rock fortifications.

Замок Конуи (Conwy Castle)

BEAUMARIS CASTLE Beaumaris Castle was never finished by the King, its classic walls-within -walls plan left uncompleted as the Scots moved in. You’d never know it, though – the grounds seem as pristinely planned as a flawless invasion, tall towers locked within symmetrical walls.

Замок Бомарис (Beaumaris Castle)

CAERNARFON CASTLE • Where Beaumaris is flanked by fields, the impenetrable Caernarfon Castle’s position, overlooking the River Seiont, was once the home of a Norman Motte. Caernarfon Castle is one of the biggest castle of Europe. It is the greatest construction of king Edward the First. Its colour coordinated stones and polygonal towers might just make it one of the finest castles on earth, and it was also the place where the first English Prince of Wales was born in 1284. No wonder the current Prince of Wales’ investiture was held there almost 700 years later.

Замок Карнарвон англ. Caernarfon Castle вал. Castell Caernarfon

WALLED TOWNS • Both Caernarfon and Conwy were fortified walled towns with imposing gatehouses and towers for protection and to ensure a garrison of English soldiers could be called upon if or when some quelling of rebellious activity was required. • Fortunately, those days are long gone and with the passing of time, these demonstrations of English might and military power are now great symbols of Welsh pride and perfect for a day out.

BIBLIOGRAPHY • 1) www. worldheritagesite. org • 2) http: //masterok. livejournal. com • 3) https: //anotherheader. wordpress. com

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