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 an English-speaking country. Apart from its name it is similar to other nearby villages.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (llan-vire-pooll-guin-gill-go-ger-u-queern-drob-ooll-llandus-ilio-gogo-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".
The name was coined as a publicity gimmick in the 1860s by concatenating 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. It was the longest place name in an English-speaking country, but has been challenged by Llanfynydd (which unofficially changed its name to something longer) and a train stop elsewhere in Wales, but neither of these has received official recognition.
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.
- Bryn Celli Ddu. Daily 10am–4pm. A burial chamber from about 2000 BC on the site of a Neolithic henge from about 3000 BC. Free.
- 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.
- Plas Newydd Country House and Gardens, A4080 (south-west of the town, +44 1248 714795. Opening hours vary seasonally. National Trust owned. Home of the Marquess of Anglesey that was built in the 18th century.
- 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.
- St Mary's Church. The town's eponymous church.
Bryn Celli Ddu. Daily 10am–4pm. A burial chamber from about 2000 BC on the site of a Neolithic henge from about 3000 BC. Free.
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.
Plas Newydd Country House and Gardens, A4080 (south-west of the town, +44 1248 714795. Opening hours vary seasonally. National Trust owned. Home of the Marquess of Anglesey that was built in the 18th century.
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.
St Mary's Church. The town's eponymous church.
- Anglesey Walking Holidays, 3 Penrallt, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5LP, +44 1248 713611. Tailor made walking and cycling holidays on the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path, Snowdonia, Wales Coast Path (North Section) and Offa's Dyke - packages include accommodation, luggage transfers, maps, routes.
Anglesey Walking Holidays, 3 Penrallt, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5LP, +44 1248 713611. Tailor made walking and cycling holidays on the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path, Snowdonia, Wales Coast Path (North Section) and Offa's Dyke - packages include accommodation, luggage transfers, maps, routes.
There are many hand craft shops in Llanfairpwll, including Pringles (near the train station). Loads of hand crafted goods.
- The Marquis Restaurant, Holyhead Road, +44 1248 713340.
- The Penrhos Arms, Holyhead Road.
The Marquis Restaurant, Holyhead Road, +44 1248 713340.
The Penrhos Arms, Holyhead Road.
- The Penrhos Arms is a pub opposite the train station.
The Penrhos Arms is a pub opposite the train station.
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