Cardiff Travel Guide - History

In the mid-9th century, Viking invaders made an assault on the Welsh coast, taking control for the next three centuries, when conquering Normans took control, building Cardiff Castle.

During the Middle Ages, Cardiff remained a small city, relying heavily on its production of coal and other heavy industry. In 1542, the Act of Union was passed, changing the local political structure and making English the official language. Wales was the site of an important battle during the English Civil War: the Battle of St Fagans which occurred in 1648.

The opening of a railway simplified the transportation of Merthyr’s coal and iron ore to the Cardiff docks. Concurrently, the Marques of Bute, who was an influential local figure, assisted in the expansion of the city by developing large areas of land.

In 1905, Cardiff was elevated to city status by King Edward VII, at a time when the city was the largest exporter of coal in the world. The coal industry declined later in the 20th century, but Cardiff managed to maintain its importance by becoming an administrative centre, with the Bute family transferring their significant financial holdings to the city council.

Following the establishment of Cardiff as a capital in the 1950s, the Welsh Assembly was set up some 40 years later, providing the Welsh people the opportunity for self-governance. A concerted effort to maintain the Welsh language has helped ensure its continuation and today you’ll see Welsh on all road signage and the language being taught alongside English in all schools throughout the country.

Cardiff continues to grow in popularity and tourism provides a significant proportion of local revenues as visitors are drawn by the area’s natural beauty, its well-developed tourism infrastructure and renovated areas such as Cardiff Bay.