Cardiff Castle

As we stand before the grand entrance of Cardiff Castle, we are not merely looking at a building, but at a chronological palimpsest—a site where layers of history have been written, erased, and rewritten over two thousand years.…

Standing proudly on its artificial mound, or motte, the Norman Keep is perhaps the most iconic structure within the castle walls. Built in the late 11th century, likely by Robert Fitzhamon, the Lord of Glamorgan, this 12-sided…

As we move toward the outer perimeter of the castle, we must pay close attention to the base of the walls. It was during the late 19th-century renovations that the 3rd Marquess of Bute's workmen discovered the original Roman…

We now approach the most spectacular part of the site: the Castle Apartments. This range of buildings, largely dating from the 15th century but transformed in the late 1800s, was the residence of the Bute family. …

Let us delve deeper into two of the most significant rooms in the apartments. The Winter Smoking Room, located at the base of the Clock Tower, is an explosion of medieval imagery. …

As a professor, I find the Library and the Marquess’s Study to be perhaps the most revealing rooms in the entire castle. The 3rd Marquess of Bute was a man of deep intellect, a polyglot who reportedly spoke over twenty languages…

One of the most surprising and delightful features of Cardiff Castle is the Rooftop Garden. Tucked away atop the residential quarters, this space is often missed by visitors who don't explore the interior. …

Dominating the southwest corner of the castle is the magnificent Clock Tower. Completed in 1873, it is perhaps the most recognizable part of the Bute skyline. …

Our final stop within the castle walls brings us to a much more somber and recent chapter of history. Within the thick outer walls of the castle are a series of deep underground tunnels. …

As we stand back in the open courtyard of Cardiff Castle, I hope you feel the weight of the two thousand years of history that surround us. We have journeyed from the initial Roman conquest through the medieval power struggles of…