Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, South Wales Nov 20, 2023

Castell Coch, Welsh for "Red Castle", is perched on a wooded hill in Cardiff, Wales. Built on the ruins of the old fortification, the renowned architect William Burges redesigned the castle between 1875 and 1879. The castle is a symphony of opulence, featuring lavish interiors adorned with intricate carvings, vibrant stained-glass and sumptuous furnishings. Its external features and high Victorian interiors stand as an example of the brilliance of its designer. Melding together remnants of the mediaeval fortress with 19th-century innovations, its design achieves a synthesis that is hailed as a highlight of the Gothic Revival in Britain. The surrounding beech forest contributes to the fairytale-like background, and it contains geological features of limestone, sandstone and rare plant species such as the butterfly orchid, bird"s-nest orchid and dog"s mercury. These woods are recognised and protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

© Billy Stock/Alamy

palette

Today in History

Nov 20, 2024Pont de pierre, Bordeaux, France
Nov 20, 2025Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct 30, 2024Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy
Jul 5, 2024Daintree Rainforest and Noah Beach, Queensland, Australia
Dec 7, 2025A pine forest in Alsace, France
Jul 11, 2025Tokyo at sunrise, Japan
May 25, 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Feb 22, 2025Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Feb 10, 2025Art Installation of umbrellas, London, England
Aug 14, 2024Thorny devil, Australia
Apr 8, 2026Seattle, Washington, United States
Jun 10, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Nov 7, 2024Vancouver Coastal Sea wolves
Dec 28, 2025Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
Oct 26, 2024Gespensterwald, Niehagen, Germany
Apr 10, 2024Burrowing owl chicks, Wyoming, USA
Aug 1, 2025Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland
Apr 21, 2025Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States
Jul 31, 2024Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
Oct 7, 2023Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
Apr 27, 2025Coastal redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Mar 10, 2025Lion, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
Jan 6, 2024A male chaffinch in a crab apple tree
Jan 30, 2026St. Michaels Mount in Marazion, Cornwall, England
Oct 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Feb 2, 2026Alpine marmots, Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria
Apr 6, 2024Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan
Feb 4, 2024Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
Jul 16, 2025Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
Sep 29, 2024West Cornwall Covered Bridge, Connecticut, USA
Apr 15, 2025Castillo de La Calahorra, Granada, Spain