Castell Coch means "red castle" in Welsh. It was built in the 19th century on the ruins of medieval fortifications. The 13th century castle was located on a hill in what is now a suburb of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. Castell Coch, built by the architect William Burgess, looks like a typical medieval castle as we imagine it to be, with strong walls, round towers, a lowering lattice and a drawbridge.
The first fortifications were built on this site by the Welsh chieftain Ivor Bach. At the end of the 13th century the castle passed to the de Clare family. The castle was a strategically important site, as it dominated the surrounding plains and guarded the passage to the Taff Valley, so it was rebuilt in stone: citadel, towers, walls and gate tower. There are few records of the castle's early history. There are virtually no surviving documents about the castle's early history, but historians agree that Castell Coch was heavily destroyed during the Welsh revolt in the early 14th century. The castle was then was left unused and gradually reduced to ruins.
In 1871, the Marquis of Bute ordered the castle grounds to be cleared of weeds and stones and gave the architect William Burgess to prepare a design for the restoration of the of the castle. Prior to this, the Marquis and Burgess had spent three years restoring Cardiff Castle. Now they were faced with the task of creating another awe-inspiring architectural masterpiece, a dream castle that would combine the wealth and opulence of the Gothic with the magic of an ancient fairy tale. Burgess designed the towers the towers would have cone-shaped roofs, which is questionable in terms of from the point of view of historical accuracy. Burges cited dubious sources for confirmation, but most likely this was done to make the building more picturesque and spectacular. Work began in August 1875. Three towers, almost identical in base but different in height. The interiors of the castle rooms rival the finery and opulence of the interiors of Cardiff Castle. The great hall, drawing-room, lord's bedroom and lady's bedroom are strikingly of decoration. Of special note is the fireplace by Thomas Nichols, "The Spinners of Destiny", which adorns the castle drawing room.
The chateau was hardly used for living - immediately after the construction was finished the Marquis lost interest in it. But because the chateau really looks very spectacular, it is often filmed in historical and adventure films. In particular, scenes from the film about Robin Hood were shot here.
