General Information
Cardiff has been the capital of Wales since 1955. The city itself has a population of approximately 346,000, with other nearby locations of approximately 479,000, making it the 11th largest city in the United Kingdom. The river Taff flows through it, which flows into the sea here.
Cardiff has two centers. The first is the center of the city with Victorian and Edwardian streets and gardens. It includes a neo-Gothic castle and neoclassical town buildings, as well as shopping malls and a 19th-century covered market.
Today, the city is already mainly engaged in trade and administration of the country, and its appearance is gradually changing as plans for its restoration are implemented.
History
Cardiff Castle (Castell Caerdydd) stands on the site of a Roman fortress, the remains of which are separated from the newer parts by a strip of red stone.
A fortress was built among the Roman ruins in the 12th century. Over the next 700 years, the castle was gradually handed over to various powerful families, until in 1766 it ended up in the hands of John Stuart, Count of Bute. His great-grandson hired the "eccentric genius" architect William Burges, who created a grand mansion between 1876 and 1881, decorated with many medieval elements and romantic details.
