Cardiff Castle
At first glance, Cardiff's city centre seems an unlikely place to find
a castle. However, in the midst of this urbanization, Cardiff's ancient
past is grandly displayed in the form of a fine castle. Originally built
as a fort in the first century AD by the Romans, the castle has had many
owners and roles. The Normans built a wooden keep inside the castle in
1000 AD on top of a huge mound surrounded by a moat. A newer stone keep
now stands in its place. In the late 1800s, the Third Marquess of Bute
and his renowned architect William Burges made some improvements to the
castle. The design of the improvements were a mixture of Gothic and Greek
designs. The marvelous Clock Tower with its colorful artwork contrasts
dramatically with earlier stonework at the castle. Overall this striking
city-centre castle encapsulates three periods of history - Roman, Medieval
and Victorian.
Techniquest
Techniquest
is the UK's leading Science Discovery Centre. Here you can discover
the excitement of science in a new style of hands-on environment that
is neither museum nor funfair but has the best of both and caters to inquisitive
minds of all ages. Techniquest is a great family outing with over
150 interactive exhibits, a Planetarium, Discovery Room and Science Theatre.
There are also many restaurants and cafes in the Cardiff Bay
redevelopment area of which Techniquest is a part. Relax, enjoy the view,
soak up the atmosphere and watch the world go by.
Website: Techniquest
Llandaff Cathedral
Llandaff Cathedral lies just outside the centre of Cardiff. Unlike
most Welsh churches, Llandaff is named not after a saint, but after the
area in which it is located. Situated on one of the oldest Christian sites
in the British Isles, the cathedral was begun in the l2th century.
However, the first Christian edifice to occupy the site may have been founded
in 560 by St. Teilo bishop of South Wales who died around the year
580. The survival of Llandaff is a miracle indeed. Cromwell's soldiers,
with their customary disregard for the sacred, once turned it into an
alehouse and in World War II it suffered severe bomb damage. Today, visitors can
only marvel at what has remained and been restored. St Teilo is buried here.
Cardiff Civic Centre
One
of the world's great civic centers, Cardiff’s Civic Centre houses the Law
Counts, Government Offices, Alexandra Gardens, City Hall, Cardiff University
and the National Museum of Wales. The buildings are of white
Portland stone and are classically designed with ornate sculptures standing
amidst broad avenues and parkland. From early spring to late autumn beds
of summer flowers come alive with daffodils, cherry blossom and tulips.
Website: Cardiff Civic Centre
Museum of Welsh Life
The Museum of Welsh Life is one of Europe's foremost open-air museums and
presents the life and culture of Wales in 100 acres of parkland. It is now
Wales’ most popular heritage attraction. The Museum shows how the people of
Wales lived, worked and spent their leisure time over the last five hundred
years. It has given generations of visitors an appreciation of Welsh history
and tradition. The Museum stands in the grounds of the magnificent St Fagans
Castle, a late 16th century manor house generously donated to the people of
Wales by the Earl of Plymouth.
National Museum and Gallery of Wales
This treasure house of Wales is located in the heart of Cardiff's civic
centre and is one of Wales' foremost tourist attractions. The courtyard
galleries provide a splendid setting for the Museum's impressive art
collections containing works by some of the world's most famous artists.
Its Impressionist and Post-lmpressionist paintings - including Renoir's 'La
Parisienne' (The Blue Lady) - are renowned worldwide. The new Glanely
Gallery is a hands-on interactive area with state of the art equipment to
help you examine items from the Museum's collections that are normally
hidden away. The "Evolution of Wales" exhibition takes visitors on a
spectacular 4600 million year journey tracing the development of Wales
and the world from the very beginning of time. There are displays of
Bronze Age gold, early Christian monuments, Celtic treasures, silver
coins and medals, ceramics, fossils and minerals, archaeological finds and
even dinosaur skeletons.
Website: Museum of Welsh Life
Millennium Stadium
Situated among the shops in Cardiff city centre, the Millennium
Stadium or Cardiff Arms Park as it is known throughout the rugby world is the
home of both the national side and one of the world's great rugby clubs.
The Stadium is a glittering jewel in the crown of Cardiff. Built at a cost of
over £100 million, the stadium has one of the few retractable roof in
Europe and it can seat over 70,000 spectators. This is the home of Welsh
rugby, Wales' national sport and a game loved the width and breadth of the
country. If you can get to see a game at this stadium then do, for the
atmosphere will stir even the most hardened sceptic.
Website: Millennium Stadium
Castle Coch
Some five miles to the north of Cardiff Castle stands the extraordinary
Castell Coch or 'Red Castle'. Castle Coch is a fairytale timeless
construction in the woods and embodies a glorious dream of the Middle
Ages. Its round towers and turrets peep unexpectedly through the trees
in the hills north of Cardiff. This enchanting little castle is a
combination of Victorian Gothic fantasy and was created by the brilliantly
eccentric architect William Burges for the third Lord Bute, a fellow lover
of the medieval and reputedly the richest man in the world. The wonderful
vaulted ceiling of the drawing room is thronged with birds and its walls
are painted with Aesop's fables. Lady Bute’s bedroom offers interesting
contrasts in style and comfort. Rarely used and still perfectly preserved,
this Victorian extravaganza must be seen to be believed!
Shopping in Cardiff
Shopping in Cardiff is excellent, an experience enhanced by the city's
delightful canopied Victorian and Edwardian arcades. There is also a
Victorian indoor market. This cosmopolitan city also boasts a wide
choice of theatres and restaurants.
Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre
Besides offering an insight into the history of the Cardiff Docklands,
the futuristic tube-shaped centre illustrates the future plans for the
area's regeneration into one of Europe's most exciting waterfront
developments. Here, you’ll find souvenirs, stamps and postcards for sale.
There is a multiple-screen video presentation of local events and
festivals, as well as several "to-scale" balsawood models showing
how the Cardiff Bay area will look upon completion.
Website: Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre
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