About
The railway station at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch — the longest place name in Europe at 58 characters — is the only place in the world where the full name appears in its officially correct form, on the original platform sign. The name was extended from 20 to 58 characters in the 1860s as a promotional stunt to attract rail passengers; it worked then and it still works now, drawing curious visitors from around the world for the photograph. Allow 15 minutes, pop into the tourist shop for postcards and tea towels, and either get back on the road or stay to explore the village and the nearby Plas Newydd National Trust property.
Suitable for
Accessibility
Getting there & parking
Frequently asked questions
What does the full name mean?
The full name translates roughly as: 'Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of the white hazel near to the rapid whirlpool and the church of Saint Tysilio of the red cave'. It was extended in the 1860s as a marketing stunt.
Can I practice pronouncing it?
The village has a phonetic pronunciation guide on display near the station. In rough English phonetics: Hlan-vire-pooll-gwin-gill-go-ger-u-hwirn-drob-ooll-llan-tuh-silio-go-go-goch.
Is there anything else to see nearby?
Plas Newydd National Trust property is about 2 miles south on the A4080 — a Georgian country house with a Rex Whistler mural and gardens looking over the Menai Strait toward Snowdonia.
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