History
A Historic city
As Europe’s youngest capital city Cardiff only became a capital in 1955 but has in fact been home to various settlements since at least 600 BC, when the Celts arrived from Europe. The Romans built a fort here in 75AD,and here began the real story of the city.
But it was in the 1800s that Cardiff – long dependent on coal and iron – really came into its own. With soaring global demand for South Wales coal, massive new marshalling yards were built on the docks and Cardiff was soon at the forefront of the industry.
Tiger Bay, as it was known, became the busiest port in the world for a time, and remained the globe’s most important coal port for many years. By 1905, when it officially became a city, Cardiff was the world's major coal exporter. In fact, the world's first million-pound deal was made in the Coal Exchange – now a concert venue in Cardiff Bay.
The early years of the 20th Century were not so kind, however, and in 1987 the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation was formed to spearhead regeneration in the area. Today, enormous investment, both public and private, has transformed Cardiff Bay into a thriving centre of business and culture.
In the 20th century, the City Hall was built, along with the National Museum of Wales and the Welsh Office. In 1955, Cardiff was at last made the official capital of Wales, and in 1999 became home to the independent Welsh Assembly.
The city has produced a long and varied list of famous faces, including singers Shirley Bassey and Charlotte Church, songwriter Ivor Novello, actor Ioan Gruffudd, BBC journalist John Humphrys, author Roald Dahl and Olympic athlete Colin Jackson.
In recent years, it has also become known to millions as the home of the new Doctor Who, and its Torchwood spin-off. Both series are filmed in Cardiff, and the ‘Doctor Who Up Close’ exhibition in Cardiff Bay is now one of the capital’s leading attractions.