Caernarfon Castle is a massive medieval fortress located in Caernarfon, northwest Wales. Built by King Edward I of England beginning in 1283, it was part of his “iron ring” of castles designed to establish English control over Wales. Unlike many purely military castles, Caernarfon was also intended to impress; its polygonal towers, banded stonework, and imposing walls were inspired in part by the fortified cities of the Byzantine Empire. The castle sits strategically on the banks of the River Se