Forgotten Welsh abbey where princes are buried and is one of the best stargazing spots in Wales

This forgotten abbey in rural Wales serves as the final resting place for Welsh royalty

Did you know a forgotten abbey in rural Wales serves as the final resting place for Welsh royalty? Strata Florida Abbey (Ystrad Fflw in Welsh) near Tregaron is a significant spot in Wales where history, royalty, and spirituality collide.

Founded in 1201 by white-robed Cistercian monks, this sacred space was once one of medieval Wales's most important religious and cultural centres. It's also the final resting place of several Welsh princes, including the legendary Llywelyn the Great, who famously held a council here to secure his son Dafydd's claim as the rightful heir to the Welsh throne.

Once a powerful pilgrimage site, Strata Florida was second only to St David's Cathedral in importance to Welsh culture and faith. Fast forward to today, and the Abbey's impressive ruins are still a place of pilgrimage for anyone seeking spirituality in serene surroundings.

But what makes this place even more remarkable? Strata Florida is also a stargazer's paradise, with some of the darkest skies in Wales offering an unspoiled view of the stars—just as those ancient Welsh kings and monks might have seen them. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here

Here's everything you need to know about this special Abbey.

The history of Strata Florida

The Strata Florida Trust has a wealth of information and resources to explain the site's historical and religious significance. The Abbey was founded to be a great institution serving the native people of Wales and Western Christianity through its membership of the pan-European Cistercian Order of Monasteries.

Several descendants of Lord Rhys have been buried at this Abbey, including 11 princes of the Welsh royal house of Dinefwr of Deheubarth during the 12th and 13th centuries.

The weathered graves of the Welsh princes lie outside the church, and the simple headstones and grave slabs are thought to mark the graves of two of Lord Rhys's sons.

Visitors to the site can still sense the importance of this site among the ruins. The beautifully carved west doorway into the Abbey still stands desolate and offers a timeless view down the nave to where the high altar once stood.

You can still see some of the incredibly decorated tiles that would have covered the church floors and some intricate carvings around the site.

This impressive Abbey has a long and varied historical timeline. It was founded in 1164 and then re-founded by the powerful prince of south-western Wales, Lord Rhys of Deheubarth.

The Strata Florida Trust notes that the Abbey seems to have been deliberately founded in a landscape already full of sacred significance from the times of the earliest permanent settlers on the land.

Then, after the end of the Abbey, during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries in 1539, the land and buildings of the Abbey came into the hands of the secular gentry and farmers.

All of this has left a vast archaeological legacy of remains of this 4000-year-long story in the historic landscapes, which tell a story of persistence among the mountains of Wales.

Following its dissolution in 1539, the site of Strata Florida Abbey was left to deteriorate and to be forgotten despite its prominence in Welsh history and politics.

It was not until the 1880s that civil engineer and architect Stephen Williams excavated the site of the former Abbey. What was revealed by the excavations is now in Cadw's expert care.

Today, it has a variety of ruins that visitors can explore. The only substantive structure remaining of the monastery is the main entrance archway. The Great West Door to the Abbey Church has low walls marking the extent of the church and its six subsidiary chapels.

Visiting Strata Florida

There is no charge to visit the site, and visitors can go on a self-guided walk around St Mary’s Church and churchyard to see the memorial to the poet Dafydd ap Gwilym or follow footpaths into the ancient Abbey woodland and mountain sheep pastures to the south and east, or along the river to the west.

The Strata Florida Trust also encourages visitors to engage with the site and offers a variety of talks, community workshops, and guided walks. There's also a new community-use space at the site that will host activities and events.

You can also learn more about the former Cistercian abbey, where generations of Welsh princes are buried on a Celtic pilgrimage walk with Guided Pilgrimage, a not-for-profit travel company providing pilgrimage experiences in Wales.

This special pilgrimage walk begins and ends at Coed Dolgoed car park in between Pontrhydfendigaid and Strata, Florida. Whilst hiking, you'll pass through farmlands, ancient forests and spiritual sites.

On this walk, you'll also hear the stories of these monks woven into the land and learn more about the importance of Strata Florida as the birthplace of a cohesive 'Wales' nation and what makes this an important place in Welsh heritage.

Founder of Guided Pilgrimage Christine Smith thinks that despite the ruinous nature of the site, visitors should still come and explore Strata Florida.

Speaking on the Travel Goals Podcast, she said: "The remains are not massive, but they are heartfelt. You know, you can see here that the ruins themselves have a lovely sense of place. And it's not overrun, you can come here and have some peace and a fantastic setting."

Stargazing in Strata Florida

Ceredigion’s naturally dark skies are ideal for stargazing, and autumn, winter, and spring are the best times of year to enjoy gazing up at the cosmos.

Strata Florida is a sacred stargazing spot among Welsh Royalty, located on the Cambrian Mountains Astro Trail.

Stargazers can look through the carved west doorway of the Abbey into the ruined remains of the nave to where the high altar once stood. This historic archway also provides a good foreground object for keen astrophotographers.

If you need somewhere to stay overnight, Strata Florida is just a few miles away from the market town of Tregaron, which is an excellent base for stargazing breaks due to its proximity to several stargazing hotspots.

Try the boutique Y Talbot Hotel for a restful night after gazing at the cosmos.

How to get to Strata Florida

The easiest way to reach Strata Florida is to drive to the site 1km from the nearest village. Parking is free at the site. The closest railway station is in Aberystwyth, 15 miles away from Pontrhydfendigaid.

There are buses from Aberystwyth railway station to Pontrhydfendigaid throughout the day, and the journey takes approximately 45 minutes. There is also a taxi rank at the railway station if you prefer.

For further information on transport within the county, visit Travelline or download the Traveline Cymru app.