When Frank Lloyd Wright toured here in 1956, he turned to Amabel Williams-Ellis, the wife of the visionary who had designed this charming and whimsical place. Not one to hand out compliments, the egotistical Wright exclaimed to her, "Why, I do believe you married an architect!"

And Wright, by then a world-renowned building designer, knew what he was talking about: Comprised of colorful and fun buildings, statues, fountains and 70 acres of gorgeous gardens and forest in a unique, seaside setting in northwest Wales, Portmeirion was designed by the creative architect Clough Williams-Ellis (1883-1978). He purchased the property - described by him as "a neglected wilderness" - in 1925 for less than 5,000 pounds. He then spent the next 15 years working on it, then - after more than 10 years of disruption due to World War II - fine-tuned details in the second phase from 1954-1976. The last building, the Tollgate, was built during his 93rd year.

Believing it to be the perfect place to fulfill his boyhood dream - to build a utopia, an ideal village on a romantic coastal site - he changed the name from Aber Ia, meaning glacial estuary in Welsh, to Portmeirion: Port because of its coastal location, and meirion, which is Welsh for merioneth, the county.

Williams-Ellis and his family (he had two daughters and a son who was killed during World War II) lived nearby in Plas Brondanw, an estate he inherited. Much of it was destroyed by fire in 1951, causing him to lose many valuable architectural papers and family documents. Fortunately some had been copied by a historian, and several major architectural drawings were safe in London, but the loss was devastating. The house was rebuilt in two years and that's where he died in 1978, a month shy of his 95th birthday.

Popular Portmeirion pottery, decorated with flora and fruits, launched in 1960 by Williams-Ellis' artist daughter Susan Williams-Ellis, continues to be sold worldwide. A gift shop in the village sells discounted pieces.

One of the first things Williams-Ellis did in Portmeirion was to restore and expand an old beach house, built around 1850, converting it into the 14-room Hotel Portmeirion, which officially opened in 1926. After a fire destroyed it in 1981, it was reopened in 1988. Famous guests have included George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells. The Prince of Wales (Edward VIII, later known as the Duke of Windsor), stayed in The Peacock Suite when he visited Wales for his investiture in 1936.

Other notable visitors to the town have included Noel Coward, who wrote "Blithe Spirit" during six days in 1941, Ernest Hemingway, Beatles' manager Brian Epstein (a regular guest) and George Harrison, who celebrated his 50th birthday here.

For his Portmeirion project, Williams-Ellis, an environmentalist who was knighted in 1971 in recognition for his contributions to architecture and the environment, salvaged some buildings from demolition sites. He described the village as "a home for fallen buildings" and an "architectural mongrel." It is a mixture of styles, including Italianate, arts and crafts, and Georgian. His motto was, "Cherish the past, adorn the present, construct for the future."

And the creative genius, the preacher's kid who had attended Cambridge, seemed a bit eccentric in his endeavor to salvage old architectural items. For example, in 1965, when he decided to tear down an unsightly, 35-year-old tennis court and build in its place a central piazza, he could not remember where, 30 years earlier, he had stored the large Ionic columns that he wanted to use in the design. Eventually his tenant farmer located them under a pile of manure, and they were dug up and used. But reportedly for several months, no one got very close to admire them due to the awful aroma.

Then there's the Angel cottage - one of the first built, in 1926 - so-named because Williams-Ellis had an angel carving that he wanted to utilize. And the crown atop the town hall is an upside-down copper cauldron, used for boiling pigs!

There's even a dog cemetery on the property, established by the eccentric Mrs. Adelaide Haig, who resided from 1870 until 1917 in the mansion that later became the Hotel Portmeirion. Said to prefer dogs instead of human friends, she would take in strays and read sermons to her cherished canine creatures in the elegant Mirror Room. (Rumor has it that one cat is buried in the cemetery, snuck in during the dead of night.)

Today, off-the-beaten-path Portmeirion - which appears to be a magical Mediterranean village - is a popular tourist attraction and site of numerous weddings, including those of celebrities. The estate is owned by the Ymddiriedolaeth Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation, a registered charity managed by Portmeirion Limited, established by Williams-Ellis in 1925 and today run by one of his nine grandchildren.

And many of the uniquely designed, pastel-colored buildings, built or relocated here during the mid- and late 1920s, include the Italianate style (Bell Tower, Watch House, Government House) and the arts and crafts (Angel, Neptune, Toll House), as well as Georgian (Gate House, Bridge House, Belvedere, Chantry Row, Unicorn, Round House, Telford's Tower), built or moved here during the 1950s and 1960s. Some have been converted to self-catering cottages, ideal for vacationing families.

There's also the 11-room Castell Deudraeth, which Williams-Ellis bought from a relative in 1931, where we stayed, a 10-minute stroll from the village. Opened in May 2001, it was originally an 18th century cottage, later enlarged into a 19th century mansion. Its history includes housing a prep school and apartments. Awarded by several major travel magazines as one of Britain's most unique hotels, it's named for the original Castell Deudraeth built nearby circa 1175 by Gruffydd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd, king of North Wales. It was razed circa 1869 by Sir William Fothergill Cook, "lest the ruins should become known and attract visitors to the place."

Several popular films and British television shows have been filmed in Portmeirion, among them the series "Cold Feet" and "The Prisoner" (1967-68), which has retained a cult following (a remake is in the works). Some 12 million viewers tuned in each episode, putting this village on the map and boosting the number of annual visitors tenfold.

We drove here by rental car, and the day we visited it rained. But, with the cheerful pastel buildings reflected in the wet pavement, and with strolling visitors along the cobblestone paths holding opened, colorful umbrellas, it gave it even more of a charming, magical feel.

IF YOU GO

For information on directions, opening times, entrance fees, discount coupons and restaurants and accommodations, visit www.portmeirion-village.com or www.portmeirion.com.

The Clough Williams-Ellis estate Plas Brondanw: www.brondanw.org.

VisitWales: www.visitwales.com.

VisitBritain: For free maps, brochures, vacation planning advice and a wide selection of passes and transport tickets, contact VisitBritain: www.visitbritain.com, 800-462-2748.

© Copley News Service