Down town: UK capital cities

• 5 Stars

1. Cardiff

Essential facts

• The latest figures, given in 2017, put the population of Cardiff at 362,756.
• Cardiff is the UK’s youngest capital city.
• In March 2004, Cardiff was named the world’s first Fair Trade capital city, based on its growing support and continued dedication for the scheme.
• The name Cardiff is thought to come from the Welsh word for caer which mean ‘fort’.
• Cardiff made its money from coal or ‘black diamonds’. At one time, it was the busiest coal harbour in the world, sending cargoes all round the globe.
• The author, Roald Dahl, was born in Cardiff. His parents came to Cardiff from Norway. Roald was christened in the black and white Norwegian church on the Millennium Waterfront.
• The Principality Stadium (Millennium Stadium) can hold 74,000 spectators and has a retractable roof that contains 8000 tonnes of steel. It is estimated to have cost £110 million to build.
• At Lavernock Point near Cardiff, the Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi sent the first radio wave signal to the nearby island of Flat Holm in the Bristol Channel. The historic message said ’ Are you ready?’.
• The Taff Trail that follows the course of the River Taff takes walkers and cyclists from Cardiff Bay to the market town of Brecon in the Brecon Beacons. It is a distance of 88 kilometres.
• Three rivers now run through the city of Cardiff, the River Taff, the River Ely and the River Rhymney.