In the North Welsh town of Llandudno, a series of quirky statues create a sculpture trail commemorating Alice in Wonderland.
Back in the Victorian era, Llandudno was a popular seaside resort and among its best-known vacationers was Henry George Liddell and his family, most notably his second daughter Alice, who would spend their summer holidays in the town. As it goes without saying, Alice Liddell served as a major inspiration behind Wonderland.
Created in 1990 by the Llandudno Civic Society to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Llandudno’s sculpture trail is composed of statues of such iconic characters as the White Rabbit, the Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and, of course, Alice herself.
In addition to the statues, there are more references to Alice throughout the town, as well as historic buildings with ties to the real Alice. Though the Liddell family’s holiday home, Penmorfa, has not survived, you can still stay at St George’s Hotel, a luxurious hotel that once accommodated them.
Separate from the sculpture trail, there is also an older White Rabbit statue erected in 1933. Interestingly, the plaque accompanying it boldly claims that the town inspired Lewis Carroll, but there is no evidence that he ever even visited Llandudno (despite his copious diaries).
