Heritage Explorer
117 historic sites across Wales — including four UNESCO World Heritage castles, prehistoric monuments and some of the finest medieval fortresses in Europe.
Find Cadw sites near youExplore by location
From north Wales castles to south Wales abbeys, Cadw sites are spread the length and breadth of the country. Search by location to discover what's nearby.
Search by location →Some of the finest medieval castles and historic monuments in Wales, cared for by Cadw.
The last and largest of Edward I's Welsh castles, Beaumaris is regarded as the most technically perfect concentric castle in Britain and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the most imposing medieval fortresses in Europe, Caernarfon Castle was built by Edward I to dominate north Wales and served as the setting for the investiture of the Prince of Wales.
The largest castle in Wales, Caerphilly is a masterpiece of 13th-century military architecture with extensive water defences, concentric walls and a famously leaning tower.
One of the great Gothic ruins of Wales, Tintern Abbey stands beside the River Wye and inspired Wordsworth's celebrated poem; its soaring arches and serene setting remain among Wales's finest sights.
Built by Edward I between 1283 and 1289, Conwy Castle sits on a rocky promontory above the walled town of Conwy and is one of the finest surviving examples of late 13th-century military architecture.
The most ambitious late medieval castle in Wales, Raglan blends military and domestic architecture in an impressive complex of towers, great hall and a moated great tower.
A Victorian Gothic fantasy built over the ruins of a 13th-century castle, Castell Coch was designed by William Burges for the Marquess of Bute and features extraordinary painted interiors.
The oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain, Chepstow Castle guards a strategic crossing of the River Wye on the border between England and Wales.
See all 117 Cadw properties on the Land & Legacy map, alongside places cared for by the UK's other heritage organisations.
Open the map →Enter a start and end point and the route planner lists the historic places within a few miles of the road, in the order you reach them.
Plan a route →Our free weekly newsletter covers castles, manor houses, gardens and estates across Britain. A few remarkable places, chosen and checked, every week.
Read Hidden Britain →Log your visits, build a wishlist and track how much your Cadw membership saves you across the year.
Create a free account →Cadw is the Welsh Government's historic environment service, responsible for protecting and promoting the built heritage of Wales. The name means "to keep" in Welsh, and the organisation manages over 130 sites spanning thousands of years of history — from Neolithic burial chambers and Iron Age hillforts to Norman castles and Victorian follies.
A Cadw membership provides free unlimited access to all managed sites, including four UNESCO World Heritage castles in north Wales. Cadw members also benefit from a programme of events, behind-the-scenes access days and a regular member magazine.
Each of the UK's five heritage organisations has its own territory, focus and character. Cadw is unique in being dedicated solely to Wales — here's how it fits alongside the others.
Cadw is the Welsh Government's historic environment service, responsible for protecting, conserving and promoting the built heritage of Wales. It manages over 130 historic sites across Wales, from prehistoric standing stones and Iron Age hillforts to Norman castles and Tudor mansions.
Land & Legacy features 117 Cadw sites across Wales, spanning thousands of years of Welsh history from prehistoric monuments to medieval castles and Victorian follies.
Cadw membership gives free unlimited entry to over 130 historic sites across Wales including UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Caernarfon Castle and Beaumaris Castle. Given that entry to a major site like Caernarfon costs around £13 per adult, membership pays for itself very quickly.
Four of Edward I's castles in north Wales — Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech — are inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the "Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd." All four are managed by Cadw and accessible with a Cadw membership.
