Discover Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
And no, it is not a typo!
All About Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
I could not imagine being a child in elementary school, learning how to write letters, and having to write out my full address, with Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch on the envelope. Would it even fit?
You would think that someone butt-wrote the Welsh town name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, wouldn’t you?
However, This is no accident. This is exactly what the town’s community wanted all along! Located in Anglesey in the north of Wales, a local tailor suggested to have the town’s name changed into the world’s longest town name to get people to turn their attention and go to their village by having the longest town name in Europe — quite a smart move considering people today are informavores.
But the only issue with this train of thought is that they did not have social media or the internet to broadcast this news a century ago! That’s right, they changed their town name from “Llanfairpwll” into an extended version in the 1880’s. Their previous town name was around 4,000 years old! No wonder they thought of changing their town name. The extended version is Welsh for,
“St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the red cave.”
This long name isn’t just something they came up with to get out-of-town folk tongues twisted. It actually describes their exact location. At the time, their town held the title of the longest town name, but all that changed because of Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu took their place as an 85 letter-long town name in New Zealand. However, they still hold the title of the longest name in Europe.
Now I know what you’re thinking. “Do people or the locals have to pronounce this horridly long name every time they refer to it?” Fortunately, they do not have to as they can call the town “Llanfairpwll”, “Llanfairpwllgwyngyll” or “Llanfair PG” if you want the shortest and easiest version. So, if you plan on visiting, there is no need to actually pronounce “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch” correctly.
II. Top 3 Attractions of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Unfortunately, Llanfairpwll is not exactly a tourist’s dream destination. But there are a few things you can do and places you can visit to have a fun time. According to TripAdvisor as of 2020, the top 3 attractions in Llanfairpwll are:
3. Llanfairpwll Railway Station
Their train station sign bears the town’s long name — a place worthy of a photo shoot for that social media feed of yours, right? This sign welcomes train riders into the town by reminding them of the town’s lengthy and difficult to pronounce name.
2. Oriel Ger-Y-Fenai (Gallery & Picture Framing)
This attraction has a gallery exhibiting the art works of North Wales artists. They also have a picture framing service. If you’re one to frame your painting and art works with the best quality there is, then you might want to consider bringing it to Oriel Ger-Y-Fenai during your visit at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
This gallery also holds monthly exhibitions of the local artists’ work to show that art still thrives even amidst the pandemic. To see their art works, hop on the train and may your way to Oriel Ger Y Fenai, Holyhead Road, Llanfairpwll, Ynys Mon, LL61 5YQ. If you want to check out what is in store for you first, check out their exhibits and gallery on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OrielGeryfenaiGallery/.
1. Plas Newydd House and Garden
Located at Plas Newydd, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey, LL61 6DQ, Plas Newydd is the huge mansion where you can explore through it. Sort of like a museum full of paintings and antiques. Aside from the manor, there is a 40-acre garden thriving with a wide range of plants and trees (i.e. rhododendrons, magnolias, Japanese maples, etc.) that only live with the mild conditions in Llanfairpwll, and red squirrels who were nearly extinct in the 19th century.
Beside it is a 129-acre woodland and parkland for people to explore by following a trail. The place even has a café (Plas Café and The Old Dairy shop) that serves soups, salads, sandwiches, cakes, bakes, snacks, and hot and cold drinks for a you to have a happy tummy and enlightened spirit whilst or after exploring the mansion and strolling through the garden.
You may think that this place is some regular old attraction that aims to make some cash but, boy, are you wrong. The Plas Newydd House and Garden aims to stop climate change by having a carbon net zero by 2030 by expanding more land for wide life habitats and construct green corridors in nearby establishments, to take care of the animals by taking care of their habitats, and preserving art and heritage collections to keep their stories alive and history in check.
III. Fun Facts About Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Here are a few fun facts about Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch which should be credited to that tailor who thought it would attract people into the town — and it even seeped into mass media and pop culture.
- Furry Animals named their debut E.P. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgoger-ychwyndrobwllantysil-iogogogochynygofod (in space).
- The song ‘Red Cave’ by Yeasayer is based on Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. The chorus is even a rough translation of the town’s name (i.e. Mary’s house in the hollow of the White hazel rapid whirlpool and the church of hurricane).
- The town was featured in movies like ‘Barbarella’ as Dildano’s (played by David Hemmings) secret password, and ‘The Road to Hong Kong’ when Peter Seller was seemingly talking nonsense.
- Actress Naomi Watts briefly lived in Llanfairpwyll with her grandfather. She can even pronounce Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch perfectly.
- The first ever meeting of the Women’s Institute in Europe was held in Llanfairpwyll.
IV. The Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Pronounciation Challenge
Thanks to Liam Dutton who perfectly pronounced this 58-letter town name in a weather newscast at Channel 4 in 2015, people are not only intrigued on where and why there is such a place, people are also trying to properly pronounce it as well. He totally flexed! If you think you can dominate at this challenge, here is Dutton’s weather newscast of where he properly pronounces “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch”:
V. Main Takeaways (Summary)
Now, let us summarize what we now know about Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, and evaluate if you’re ready to travel to the place that got your tongue tied.
General Facts about Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
- Is located in Anglesey in the north of Wales
- A tailor suggested to have this town’s name changed into the world’s longest town name to attract visitors and tourists.
- The longest town name in Europe.
- Had a name change in the 1880’s from “Llanfairpwll” into Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
- Its translation to English is, “St. Mary’s Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio near the red cave” which describes where it is located.
- Its nicknames are “Llanfairpwll”, “Llanfairpwllgwyngyll” or “Llanfair PG.”
Top Attractions at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
- the town’s long name on the train station sign.
- Oriel Ger-Y-Fenai (Gallery & Picture Framing) where you can find art works of local artists at their gallery or their monthly exhibitions. You can also get your picture or traditional art framed.
A few fun facts about Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch before you go:
- Furry Animals named their debut E.P. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgoger-ychwyndrobwllantysil-iogogogochynygofod (in space).
- The song ‘Red Cave’ by Yeasayer is based on Llanfairpwyll.
- The town was featured in movies like ‘Barbarella’ and ‘The Road to Hong Kong’.
- Actress Naomi Watts briefly lived in Llanfairpwyll with her grandfather, and she can pronounce the town’s full name perfectly.
- The first ever meeting of the Women’s Institute in Europe was held in Llanfairpwyll.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch pronunciation can be heard and mimicked with Liam Dutton’s viral YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHxO0UdpoxM.
And you are now officially a certified know-it-all on Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch of Anglesey, Wales! For your next challenge, learning how to pronounce and spell Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu! But that’s for another article for another time.
Reference TripAdvisor (2020). Retrieved on August 24, 2020 from https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Attractions-g1925973-Activities-Llanfairpwllgwyngyll_Anglesey_North_Wales_Wales.html.
