One of the towns with the longest names in England is located on the island of Anglesey in Wales. With a name stretching to 58 characters, reading it in full can leave many breathless.
“Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogogoch” is the name of this town, and it is also the longest place name in Europe, featuring four consecutive “L” letters.
Welcome sign when arriving at the town with the longest name in Europe.
In fact, Bussiness Insider even remarked that “this name looks like what appears on the screen when a typist falls asleep at their keyboard.”
Indeed, while the name is “breath-taking to read”, few know that around the year 1860, a local tailor intentionally created this name as a “gimmick” to attract tourists.
The peaceful small town in Wales that became famous in the 19th century for its unique name.
In terms of meaning, the name actually includes several interesting landmarks in the town. Specifically, it references St. Mary’s Church located in the white hazel tree hollow in the White Hazel valley, and St. Tysilio’s Church near the red cave.
However, for convenience in transactions and daily activities, people often shorten it to “Llanfairpwll” or abbreviate it to “Llanfair PG”.
With a name ‘as long as a river’, this place leaves many tourists breathless when trying to pronounce it.
The small town currently has a population of about 3,100 residents, of which 70% speak Welsh – a language considered to be on the brink of extinction, as only about 19% of the population of Wales uses it.
It cannot be denied that the “advertising gimmick” from the 19th century still holds its effectiveness today. Many curious tourists have sought ways to visit, boosting local tourism. It is estimated that the town attracts about 200,000 visitors each year.
A peaceful corner in Llanfair PG
The name “as long as a river” is even printed on the welcome sign at the entrance of the town as a unique symbol, appearing on the train station sign, on souvenirs, postal stamps, and more.
Llanfairpwll is currently ranked second in the world for the length of a place name. The top spot is held by a location in New Zealand, also famous for its lengthy name of 85 characters.
This is the hill known as “Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimau–ngahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, but is commonly referred to by locals as “Taumata.”
It is known that this name is derived from the Maori language, roughly translated as “The hill where Taumata, the man climbs the mountain, clears the land, and plays the flute for his lover.”
A hill in New Zealand with the longest name in the world, consisting of 85 characters.
This place is recognized by the Guinness World Records as having the longest name in the world. Meanwhile, the locals take pride in their ability to pronounce this name fluently.
