Cardiff Castle steeped in History
The history of Cardiff Castle is one shrouded in much mystery, for it would appear that this fascinating building is not exactly what it seems. A curious mixture of Norman keep and Victorian gothic revival manor house, there are few buildings as eclectic as this in Wales, and it is certainly well worth a visit.
It is believed that the Romans built a fort on the site as long ago as AD55, and location of the keep high on a hill certainly lends itself to the strategic qualities that such a place would have required, and that the Norman keep itself was built around the year 1091.
Like many of its contemporary buildings – Wales is, after all, a country of many castles – it went through some turbulent days and not much of the original building is left, but it is perhaps the mansion – built in the 1860's and largely a remodelling of the castle itself – that arouses the most interest.
In those days the region was under the ownership of the very wealthy Marquess of Bute, and in commissioning a spectacular Gothic Revival manor with a quite splendid and incredibly ornate clock tower he built one of the most startling and memorable buildings of the era and region.