Machynlleth
The rugged slate stone town of Machynlleth once the rebel capital of Wales is a strong magnet for alternative thinking, though today it largely concerns ecology and art.
During the strive for Welsh independence of the late 13th Century, the rebel leader; Owain Glyndwr made Machynlleth his centre. A welsh lord and descendant from welsh royalty, Owain Glyndwr lead a bold rebellion against the English strongholds and laid siege to many of the castles built by Edward I and the early Norman overlords. In 1400 he declared himself Prince of Wales in Machynlleth and held parliament here, the first ever parliament in Wales.
The Owain Glyndwr centre, a distinctive slate stone building and rare example of a late medieval town house, stands on the site of Glyndwr’s first parliament, inside is an exhibition on the Welsh rebellion and its leader and life in the middle ages. Machynlleth is also home to the Museum of Modern Art, in a former Methodist hall, with a collection of 20th Century works from local artists and home of Machynlleth's annual Arts Festival.
Just outside the town is one of Wales’ newest and most popular attractions; the Centre for Alternative Technology. Wind powered telephone boxes, recyclable loos, organic gardening and a gravity powered railway - this is an exhibition and living experiment in finding ecologically friendly sources of power. The C.A.T. is an interestingly quirky, informative and educational attraction that manages to be modern and family friendly.
