Edward I built Conwy during his conquest of Wales, with the master mason James of St. George overseeing the work. Phase one, in 1283 and 1284, covered the outer curtain walls and towers, and phase two, in 1284 to 1286, the interior buildings. The text says the castle was complete by 1287, while the infobox gives 1283 to 1289. It cost about 15,000 pounds together with the town walls.
The plan is rectangular, with an Inner Ward and an Outer Ward divided by a cross-wall. Eight large towers, four per side, each stand about 70 feet (21 m) high and have watchtower turrets. Two barbicans protect the entrances. The Great Hall stands on the south side of the Outer Ward above exposed cellars.
UNESCO inscribed the castle in 1986 as part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd. Cadw manages it, and the article gives 186,897 visitors in 2010.
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