The capital of Wales, a modern, vibrant city and home to major sport in the country, Cardiff is a city of wonder and excitement. It is also steeped in history and has seen many changes in the 100 years it has officially existed.
Whether you are in search of top-class shopping, a cultural experience like no other, some international sporting action, or just the chance to relax in some of the best cafes, bars and restaurants in the country, Cardiff has it all.
History
The first people to settle in the site we now know as Cardiff were the Romans, who set up a fort on the site of Cardiff Castle in about AD60.
They recognised the strategic importance of a site lying at the centre of three river systems, the Taff, the Ely and the Rhymney, which allowed them to control all movement from the sea and giving them power over a large area. The Romans abandoned their fort in about AD350-375 at the end of Roman rule in Britain but they were eventually replaced by the Vikings and the Normans who also knew a good place to settle when they saw one.
Cardiff's splendid castle dates from the 11th century, when the Normans conquered Glamorgan, and was begun by William the Conqueror in 1081. The castle was originally built in wood. In the 12th century, Robert Consol, Duke of
In 15th century, town was destroyed by Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh army and the castle lay in ruin until Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, restored the defences and castle buildings in 1423. Much of the rest of the castle and walls dates to the 19th century, when the third Marquis of Bute employed William Burges to restore, refurbish and rebuild it.
In spite of its links with the famous three rivers, it was the arrival of a canal which instigated Cardiff's transformation. In the late 19th Century, the 2nd Marquess of Bute built the Glamorganshire canal, which linked Merthyr Tydfil with Cardiff and the docks.
This vital link allowed Cardiff to become the biggest coal exporting port in the world, reaching a peak in 1913, with more than 10 million tons going through the port.
This prosperity brough settlers, workers and visitors from around the world arrived in Cardiff and it soon developed way beyond its historic boundaries. This multicultural mix established the character of the city and that spirit of tolerance and hospitality remains today.
When the coal industry went into decline and Cardiff suffered an economic downturn as bad as any in Wales, the area around the docks became run down and derelict. But Cardiff Bay has recently been transformed into a thriving waterside development. Other developments such as the Millennium Stadium and the redevelopment of the shopping district has helped make Cardiff a major European city and thriving centre for tourism, commerce and home to a vibrant and growing population.