The keep at the center of Cardiff Castle, completed around 1135
Our last stop in Wales was the Welsh capital of Cardiff. For what it’s worth, Wales never actually had a capital until 1955, when the UK government formally designated Cardiff, its largest city, as such. Other cities vied for influence and primacy over the centuries, but none ever officially had the distinction.
Wine from Chateau du Seuil in Bordeaux, owned since 1988 by a Welsh couple. Our server was proud to point out the Welsh dragon at the top of the label.
And even after 1955 it would take another 44 years until Cardiff actually functioned like a capital city. Only in 1999 would a Welsh parliament be seated in a newly built parliament building in Cardiff Bay.
Our short stop here gave us a bit of time to refuel — getting some laundry done and running other errands. But we also squeezed in a couple sights, including a visit and a tour of Cardiff Castle. We also took a water taxi down the river Taff to Cardiff Bay, where 2,700 acres of derelict docklands have been turned into one of Europe’s biggest waterfront development projects.
Many things in Cardiff have “Bute” in their names because of the over-sized role in the city’s development of the Marquesses of Bute, a noble family from Scotland. In the early 19th century John Crichton-Stuart, the 2rd Marquess of Bute, built the Cardiff dockyards and invested massively in the local coal and iron industries.
When he died at age 54, his 6-month old son became the 3rd Marquess, the owner of Cardiff Castle, and the richest person in the world. He turned part of the castle into a Victorian Gothic revival mansion. We enjoyed a great tour of the house, absolutely filled with personal references and all sorts of quirkiness.
We began our Cardiff visit by returning our rental car at the airport, where we were ever so happy to catch a train into the city
The portion of the castle turned into a lavish Victorian mansion
The reception room in the mansion
A smoking room in the castle, jam-packed with references to “time” in a pretty cool way
Jim arrives at the top of the castle keep
The view of two palaces — the erstwhile home of the Marquess of Bute and the current home of the Wales Rugby Union
Bucolic paths in Bute Park
Modern repairs after extensive bombing in World War II leave Cardiff’s Llandaff Cathedral with a controversial mix of old and new
The cemetery behind the cathedral
Welsh flags adorn the city center
Taking a spin on the Ferris wheel at Cardiff Bay. The clock tower, known as Little Ben is part of the 1897 headquarters of the Bute Dock Company. To the right is the 1999 Welsh Parliament.
Spinning above Cardiff Bay
Old and new
Animals keep an eye on you from just inside the outer walls of Bute Park