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Dolbadarn Castle was built around 1220 by the Welsh prince, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llwelyn the Great) as part of a series of defences around the ancient kingdom of Gwynedd. It guarded the Llanberis Pass, a strategic pathway to Snowdonia and also an area of valuable livestock pastures.
It famously served as the prison of Owain ap Gruffudd, who was locked up for 20 years by his younger brother, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Llwelyn the Last) in a family power struggle. The castle was ultimately captured by English forces, with parts of it used in the construction of Caernarfon Castle, as King Edward I seized control of North Wales.
Wales (Cymru in the Welsh language) is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The major cities are Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Bangor. The city of St. Davids is the smallest city in the UK with a population around 2000. Wales itself has a population of around 3 million. The Welsh language is spoken by around 20% of the population.