Cathays Park

Cardiff City Hall at Cathays Park

Cathays Park is a civic area in central Cardiff, Wales, consisting of a number of early 20th century buildings and a central park area, Alexandra Gardens. It includes Edwardian buildings such as the Temple of Peace, City Hall, the National Museum and Gallery of Wales and several buildings belonging to the Cardiff University campus. It also includes Cardiff Crown Court, the administrative headquarters of the Welsh Assembly Government, and the more modern Cardiff Central Police Station. The area falls within the Cathays electoral ward.

The present day character of the area owes much to the Marquess of Bute, an extremely successful and wealthy businessman. He acquired much of the lands in Cathays through investment and by inheritance through his marriage to Charlotte Windsor in 1766. In 1898, the local council bought 59 acres of land from the 3rd Marquess of Bute in order to erect a new town hall. As part of the sale, the 3rd Marquis of Bute placed strict conditions on how the land was to be developed. The area was to be used for civic, cultural and educational purposes, and the avenues were to be preserved.

Cathays Park consists of three garden areas, which are high quality formal parks forming green spaces between a number of impressive buildings. All of the spaces are within Conservation Areas and many of the surrounding buildings are listed. The open spaces are very important to the image of the city. Several important buildings overlook these well kept spaces. Each of the three gardens has its own very different character and each retains its original layout. Given their location,large numbers of people visit and pass through and they are popular venues for lunchtime breaks

Alexandra Gardens: located at the heart of the civic centre, and consists of 2.5 hectares of beautifully-maintained flower beds and grass. The Welsh National War Memorial stands at the centre of the Gardens.

Gorsedd Gardens: situated in front of the National Museum, this peaceful garden was named after a ceremonial set of stones laid here to commemorate National Eisteddfod in 1899.

Friary Gardens: constructed in honour of the 3rd Marquess of Bute, it contains topiaries, a statue sitting upon a stone pedestal blazoned with a coat of arms, and clipped hedges around the perimeter.

List of Gardens

• Alexandra Gardens
• Friary Gardens
• Gorsedd Gardens

List of Buildings

• Aberdare Hall.
• Biosciences and Tower Building (Cardiff University)
• Bute Building
• Cardiff Central Police Station
• Cardiff Crown Court
• Cardiff Law School
• Cardiff University
• City Hall
• Crown Building of the Welsh Assembly Government (Grade 2 listed building)
• Glamorgan Building (former Glamorgan County Council building)
• National Museum and Gallery of Wales
• Redwood Building (Welsh School of Pharmacy)
• Temple of Peace
• University of Wales, Registry
• Welsh National War Memorial.

List of Statues

• John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute
• John Cory
• Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart
• David Lloyd George
• Godfrey Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar
• Gwilym Williams

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