World City Guide

Key Attractions

Cardiff Castle (Castell Caerdydd)
Founded in Roman times and developed into a stronghold by the Normans, the ruins of the Norman keep remain. However, the present castle owes its appeal to the Victorian eccentricities of the third Marquis of Bute (1848-1900). Under his direction, architect William Burges (1827-1881) added neo-Gothic towers and ornate interiors with murals, stained glass windows and decorative carving. The castle also houses two military museums and has extensive grounds, incorporated into Bute Park.

Castle Street
Tel: (029) 2087 8100.
Website: www.cardiff.gov.uk/castle
Admission charge.

Millennium Stadium (Stadiwm y Milleniwm)
Located on the hallowed turf of the former Cardiff Arms Park, the 72,500-capacity Millennium Stadium is one of the most modern sports venues in Europe. Plans for the complex include a Rugby Hall of Fame, a Welsh Rugby Union Museum and a riverside walkway accessible by boat. Guided tours are available, taking visitors to the pitch, dressing rooms, royal box and other areas.

Westgate Street
Tel: (029) 2082 2228.
Website: www.millenniumstadium.co.uk
Admission charge.

Llandaff Cathedral (Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf)
Located 3km (2 miles) from the city centre, in a quiet conservation area, Llandaff Cathedral was founded by St Teilo, in the sixth century, although work began on the present building in 1107. The edifice’s full name is The Cathedral and Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Dyfrig, Teilo and Euddogwy. In 1734, the first of several restorations got underway, the last of which was just after World War II, as a result of German bombing badly damaging the nave. The cathedral nowadays is a mix of styles from all these periods. In the sanctuary is St Teilo’s Tomb, which, before the Reformation, made the church one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Wales.

Cardiff Road, Llandaff
Tel: (029) 2056 4554.
Website: www.llandaffcathedral.org.uk
Free admission.

Cathays Park (Parc Cathays)
This impressive, tree-lined area of monumental, white Portland stone buildings reflects the wealth coal and steel industries brought to the city in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Highlights include Cardiff University, the Law Courts, City Hall, Alexandra Gardens and the National Museum and Gallery. This museum and gallery boasts an extensive collection of art and archaeology, including a fine collection of Impressionist paintings, Bronze Age treasures and Celtic artefacts. The Evolution of Wales exhibition traces the natural history of Wales over 4,600 million years.

City Centre
Tel: (029) 2068 4000 (Cardiff County Council Highways and Parks).
Free admission.

National Museum and Gallery (Amgueddfa ac Oriel Genedlaethol)
Tel: (029) 2039 7951.
Website: www.nmgw.ac.uk
Free admission; charge for some temporary exhibitions.

Cardiff Bay (Bae Caerdydd)
Cardiff Bay juxtaposes outstanding modern architecture, 19th-century dockland heritage and the natural assets of the waterfront to create a striking environment. The Cardiff Bay Barrage (tel: (029) 2087 7900), open to the public since June 2001, created a new freshwater lake and 12km (7.5 miles) of waterfront with parks, entertainment complexes, shops, bars and restaurants. Some of the completed schemes include the St David’s Hotel & Spa, Mermaid Quay shopping and leisure centre and the Atlantic Wharf leisure complex. Boat tours around the Bay and out to the Barrage are available, operated by Cardiff Cats (tel: (029) 2048 8842).

Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru (Wales Millennium Centre), the brand new home of the Welsh National Opera and other major Welsh arts organizations, opened with great fanfare in November 2004 (see Culture).

Other interesting buildings in the area date back to Cardiff’s heyday in the last century, and include the redbrick Pierhead Building, which houses an exhibition about the Welsh National Assembly, and the striking Norwegian Church Arts Centre, where author Roald Dahl was christened. Nearby is Techniquest, the UK’s largest interactive science discovery centre. An unusual and interesting attraction, operated by the Churches of Wales, is the Goleulong 2000 Lightship, which is the centre for the Bay Chaplaincy and incorporates a chapel. The public can tour the ship, visit the café or come in and pray or chat with someone on the team.

Another must is the Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre – locals call it the ‘Tube’, as it resembles a giant futuristic telescope. Designed by William Alsop, the centre combines a steel frame with plywood panels beneath a waterproof skin. The glass end of the tube offers a panoramic view across the bay. It is a popular meeting, conference and presentation venue and provides detailed information on Cardiff Bay.

Cardiff Bay
Tel: (029) 2046 3833.
Website: www.cardiffbay.co.uk
Free admission.

Norwegian Church Arts Centre
Harbour Drive
Tel: (029) 2045 4899 or (0870) 013 1812 (box office).
Website: www.arts4cardiff.co.uk/eng/membersDetail.php/cid=53
Free admission; performance prices vary.

Techniquest
Stuart Street
Tel: (029) 2047 5475.
Website: www.tquest.org.uk
Admission charge.

Goleulong 2000 Lightship
Harbour Drive
Tel: (029) 2048 7609.
Website: www.lightship2000.org.uk
Free admission.

Museum of Welsh Life (Amgueddfa Werin Cymru)
This museum is set in 42 hectares (104 acres) of parkland, in the village of St Fagans, west of the city centre. It has sufficient scope to keep visitors occupied for a full day and, like the National Museum, there is no charge for admission. The Elizabethan mansion, St Fagans Castle, is under refurbishment in the style of a late-Victorian Welsh mansion. An extensive collection of historic Welsh buildings, including a 19th-century farmyard, pottery, tannery and a Victorian schoolroom, have been brought from all over Wales and rebuilt in the extensive grounds. There is also a recreated Iron-age Celtic village on the site.

St Fagans Castle
Tel: (029) 2057 3500.
Website: www.nmgw.ac.uk
Free admission.