In the northern region of Wales, there is a village with a name that stretches to 58 letters, making it the longest place name in Europe. To pronounce this name in full requires a strong lung capacity, hence some have translated it to “Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch”.
This village, also known as Llanfairpwll or Llanfair PG, is located on the coast of the Isle of Anglesey in northwest Wales, across the Menai Strait from mainland Wales.
The Menai Suspension Bridge, completed in 1826, connects the Isle of Anglesey to Wales and is one of the earliest modern suspension bridges in the world.
When translated from Welsh to English, the lengthy name of this village means “St. Mary’s church in the hollow of the white hazel near to a rapid whirlpool and the church of St. Tysilio by the red cave”.
With a population of about 3,000 residents, approximately 70% of whom speak Welsh, the language is at risk of disappearing as its usage dwindles. In Welsh, the village’s mouthful of a name actually contains 51 letters, as “ch” and “ll” are considered single letters in the language.
Despite being a small village, it has gained considerable fame and is a popular tourist destination in Wales, attracting visitors each year eager to catch a glimpse of its challenging-to-say name.
The village’s train station is a major attraction, restored to its Victorian-era charm. Visitors can take photos with the station sign bearing the village name, explore the nearby visitor center, or have their passports stamped at local shops.
In a Chinese naming contest held by VisitBritain in 2015, the village’s Mandarin translation as “健肺村” (Healthy Lung Village) received the most votes (15,177), reflecting the strong lung capacity required to pronounce its name.
On September 8, 2015, Channel 4 weather presenter Liam Dutton fluently pronounced the village’s name without hesitation during a national weather forecast, astonishing viewers and causing the clip to go viral online.
Dutton, during an interview with Wales Online, shared that he was not nervous while saying the name. With 13 years of experience in broadcast meteorology, he feels comfortable and at ease while on air, despite the potential for stumbling over words in the industry.
Initially named Pwllgwyngyll in medieval times, meaning “pool near a white hazel wood,” the village acquired various names over the years before adopting the current 58-letter super long name in 1869.
Legend has it that the name incorporates multiple local place names, but the story behind it remains largely unknown. According to Welsh grammarian, scholar, and poet Sir John Morris-Jones, a clever tailor from the village conceived the elongated name in 1869 as a promotional stunt for the village’s train station.
The tailor aimed for the name to become the longest station name in the UK, drawing tourists and much-needed revenue to the village. However, Sir Morris-Jones never revealed the tailor’s identity before his passing.
Speaking of lengthy place names, there are other names even longer than this village’s. The world’s longest place name with 168 English letters belongs to the capital of Thailand, Bangkok. Despite being a bustling international city with millions of visitors yearly, most are unaware of its extensive name, knowing it simply as Bangkok.
According to the Guinness World Records, Bangkok’s official name is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.