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Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (Llanfair PG for short) is a small, quiet town on the island of Anglesey off the northwest coast of North Wales, famous for having the longest place name in Europe. Apart from its name, it is similar to other nearby villages.

Understand[edit]

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (llan-vire-pooll-gwin-gill-gore-ger-ih-queern-drorb-ooll-llandy-silio-gore-gore-goch), usually shortened to Llanfair-pwll or Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, is a Welsh word that translates roughly as "St Mary's Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel near a Rapid Whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the Red Cave".

St Mary's Church, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll

The name was coined as a publicity gimmick in the 1860s by linking the names of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll ("St Mary's church in the hollow of the white hazel"), the nearby hamlet of Llantysilio Gogogoch ("the church of St Tysilio of the red cave"), and the chwyrn drobwll ("rapid whirlpool") between them.

Locals refer to the village as Llanfair, or as Llanfair PG (pronounced roughly "Hlan-var Pee Gee"), to distinguish it from other places in Wales called "Llanfair(something)". Although typed as 58 characters, it is only 50 letters, because in Welsh ll ng and ch are treated as single letters.

The village is divided into two sections. The upper village has mostly older residences, while the lower village has newer commercial buildings and the train station.

Get in[edit]

By train[edit]

1 Llanfairpwll railway station is a request stop on the main line between Holyhead, where ferries from Ireland berth, and Bangor, just across the Menai Strait on the Welsh mainland.

By car[edit]

The main route is the A55, also known as the North Wales Expressway, which skirts the town. This is the main route from the Welsh mainland across the Britannia Bridge in one direction and from Holyhead in the other. A secondary route is the A5 from Bangor, which crosses the Menai Suspension Bridge to the town of Menai Bridge and thence to Llanfair.

Get around[edit]

Walking is recommended.

Map
Map of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll

See[edit]

  • 1 Bryn Celli Ddu (take the A4080 past Plas Newydd Country House and turn right where Bryn Celli Ddu is signposted on the road to Llanddaniel Fab). Daily 10AM–4PM. A burial chamber from about 2000 BC on the site of a Neolithic henge from about 3000 BC.
  • 2 Marquess of Anglesey's Column, Parc Twr, LL61 5NJ. A 27-metre (89-ft) Doric column. It is best viewed from afar, for example from the Menai Suspension bridge. It is no longer possible to enter or climb the monument, due to its poor and unsafe condition. Marquess of Anglesey's Column (Q17742135) on Wikidata Marquess of Anglesey's Column on Wikipedia
  • 3 Plas Newydd Country House and Gardens, A4080 (south-west of the town), +44 1248 714795, . Opening hours vary seasonally. Owned by the National Trust. Home of the Marquess of Anglesey that was built in the 18th century. Plas Newydd (Q7201721) on Wikidata Plas Newydd (Anglesey) on Wikipedia
  • 4 Rail Station platform sign. The main attraction in town is easy to find: it's the town's name spelled out on a long sign at the train station. The name is also used on several nearby signs within town, although Llanfairpwllgwyngyll is used on some signs there and on road signs leading to it.
  • 5 St Mary's Church. The town's eponymous church. St Mary's Church (Q23826230) on Wikidata St Mary's Church, Llanfairpwllgwyngyll on Wikipedia

Do[edit]

Buy[edit]

There are many hand craft shops in Llanfairpwll, including Pringles (near the train station). Loads of hand crafted goods.

Eat[edit]

  • The Marquis Restaurant, Holyhead Rd, +44 1248 713340.
  • The Penrhos Arms, Holyhead Rd.

Drink[edit]

  • The Penrhos Arms is a pub opposite the train station.

Sleep[edit]

Hotel[edit]

  • 2 Gwesty Carreg Bran Hotel, Church Lane, LL61 5YH, +44 1248 719134.

B&B[edit]

Go next[edit]

The other villages of Anglesey offer similar small-town Welsh character and remote seaside landscapes, including lovely beaches and rugged cliffs.

  • Beaumaris – 7 miles to the north-east
  • Brynsiencyn – 5 miles to the south-west, has the Anglesey Sea Zoo, Wales' largest marine aquarium
  • Llangefni – 12 miles away towards the centre of Anglesey
  • Menai Bridge – a town less than 2 miles away, where a bridge crosses to the mainland
Routes through Llanfairpwllgwyngyll
Follows to Holyhead  W  E  Menai BridgeBangor
HolyheadLlangefni  W  E  BangorLlandudno


This city travel guide to Llanfairpwllgwyngyll is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.