Saturday, July 25, 2026

Well, Well, Wales! (Part 2): A Day in Cardiff Bay!

- June 25, 2026, Thursday.

- Cardiff's city center may be the heart of the city, but it is not the only place worth visiting. Cardiff's suburbs and bayside also welcome visitors with open arms! Apart from Cardiff's public transportation, Uber has also made it easier to shuttle people around the city.

- I started the morning by visiting Llandaff Cathedral, in Llandaff District. It was originally built in the 2nd century, but was rebuilt and refounded through the centuries that followed. Currently, it is the head church of the Church in Wales, and is one of the major churches of the country.

Llandaff Cathedral.

The position of the church in the hill made it difficult to take photos of the whole structure.

Church interior.


The Jesus statue is made from aluminum, and called "Christ in Majesty".

Stained glass.

- I spent the rest of the morning at the Cardiff Bay area. The main landmark of Cardiff Bay is the Pierhead Building. It was built in 1897 as a port company centre and a transport centre. Today it functions as a visitor centre and a museum.

Passed by the Wales Millennium Centre. First opened in 2004, it is one of Cardiff's major theaters. 

Pierhead Building.

Senedd Building (Welsh Parliament).

Inside Pierhead Building. The museum inside it is quite small too.

Merchant Seafarers War Memorial, unveiled in 2005, in front of the Senedd.

Pierhead Building and the Giant Wheel (the ferris wheel at the back.)
 
- Around the bay, one can also find the Norwegian Church of Cardiff. Built in 1868, the church served the Norwegian sailors that would dock at Cardiff. It also served as a religious, social, and cultural community center for the Norwegian diaspora in the city. Today, it serves more as an art center and a cafe. Unfortunately, like many shops across Cardiff, the cafe was closed for the day because of intense heat. The small exhibit center was open though, so I was still able to enter a part of the church at least.

Cardiff Bay.

Norwegian Church.

Entrance of the church.

The church is honestly a lot bigger than it looks from the outsid!

See!
- Though Cardiff will stay in my heart forever, my stay was unfortunately brief. That afternoon I had to head towards the airport for my onward journey across the sea: to Ireland!!

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