Why There's an 'Italian' Village in Wales
Tucked away on the coast of northern Wales is the town of Portmeirion, an eye-catching village with a colorful, whimsical design. How did such a place—which looks like it belongs in Italy, rather than Britain—come to exist? Portmeirion was constructed over the course of several decades by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, an eccentric British architect. Williams-Ellis's vision for an Italianate town eventually led Portmeirion to became a home for lost building parts—bricks from a demolished castle, for instance, were used to create the town's clock tower. But the most striking aspect of Portmeirion is the way it integrates nature into its colorful architecture. Nearly every single building has been modified to complement the nearby terrain.
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