Croeso i Caerdydd (Welcome to Cardiff) might be the first thing you hear when you get to Cardiff, the Welsh capital with its unique attractions.
Cardiff made a city in 1905 and capital in 1955 is the most popular travel destination of Wales with more than 12 million visitors each year.
Cardiff Castle © flickr/ezioman
Two theories exist on about where the name Cardiff or Caerdydd comes from. Both theories agree that “caer” means “fort” or “castle” but although “dydd” means “day” in modern Welsh, it is not quite clear what it means in this context. It is believed that “dydd” or “diff” either is a corruption of “Taff” and means the “fort or castle on the river Taff” or is linked to Aulus Didius Gallus, a former Roman governor in the Region, and means “The Fort of Didius”.
Due to the fact that Cardiff lies at the centre of the three river systems of Taff, Ely and Rhymney, the first residents could easily control trade and movement along these rivers and had the power over a large area. The Romans took advantage of this location too and set up a fort on the site of Cardiff Castle about 55-60AD. Besides the Romans also the Vikings and Normans came to Cardiff and in 1091 Robert Fitzhamon started work on the castle keep which still today is the heart of the city.
Castle Gate © flickr/Crystian Cruz
The castle originally built of wood was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. In the 15th century the Welsh army of Owain Glyndŵr destroyed the town and the castle. In 1423 Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, restored the castle and also erected the octagonal tower, now known as Beauchamp’s Tower. In the 19th century the castle and walls were restored by William Burges who was employed by the third Marquis of Bute.
The Glamorganshire Canal linking Merthyr Tydfil with Cardiff and the Cardiff docks was built in the late 19th century and it then was possible to take advantage of the huge coal reserves in the area. Cardiff became the biggest coal exporting port in the world reaching its peak in 1913, with more than 10 million tons going through it. As the port grew the population of Cardiff also grew and sailors and workers from across the world settled there and helped create the multi-cultural character of Cardiff.
If you want to learn more about Cardiff and Wales you should visit the National Museum Cardiff housing the national archaeology, art, geology and natural history collections of Wales as well as one of Europe’s finest art collections, including one of the best collections of Impressionist works.
The Norwegian Church is one of the landmark buildings of Cardiff Bay’s waterfront and children’s author Roald Dahl was christened there. The former church for Norwegian sailors today is used for cultural events. Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre tells visitors about how the city’s docklands had been transformed into Cardiff Bay which is now a centre for culture and entertainment.
St Fagans National History Museum stands on the grounds of St Fangans Castle and is one of the world’s best open-air museums. Visitors here can see more 40 original historical buildings from different parts of Wales.
Millennium Stadium © flickr/gordonplant
In 2004 Wales Millennium Centre opened and has become one of the world’s most important arts and cultural destinations. It is not only a centre for performing arts but also a cultural landmark. Another modern sight is the Millennium Stadium of Cardiff. Used for major sporting and cultural events it is one of the UK’s top stadiums.
Cardiff also offers splendid shopping facilities. In the city you do not only find the designer brands and high street names but also individual and independent shops in either Edwardian and Victorian arcades or modern shopping centres. In the city you also find the best international restaurants of Wales and the UK and a huge choice of pubs, bars and nightclubs.
And if you want to take some food home you can easily get it on one of the UK’s best farmers’ markets with a great choice of organic, fair-trade and local products.
You can easily reach Cardiff from anywhere in the UK and it is only two hours away from London by car or rail.
The city itself can easily be explored by foot, but you can also take a bus or hire a bike.
